Magdalena Bay's 'Imaginal Disk' Live at Manchester Academy
Scrolling mindlessly through TikTok, I heard a song that instantly caught my attention. Who is this? Why am I only hearing it now? It was 'Image' by Magdalena Bay, an indie pop duo consisting of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin. After hearing that snippet, I immediately searched for them on Spotify and to my excitement, they had just released ‘Imaginal Disk’ (their second studio album). Their synth-pop sound is utterly ethereal, reflecting Tenenbaum's incredible storytelling. The album discusses themes of love ('Death & Romance'), sadness ('Cry For Me' and 'Vampire In The Corner'), and self-discovery ('Image' and 'Angel On A Satellite'). Although the album is written through the lens of a fictional character, True, it acts as an allegory of Tenenbaum’s personal development and the creation of Magdalena Bay. Paired with an interesting mix of synths and keyboard melodies, the listener feels as if they are on a journey through space. I’m a sucker for anything sci-fi, so obviously, this drew me in.
I would place Magdalena Bay in a similar vein to artists like Caroline Polachek, Jockstrap, and Grimes - with Magdalena Bay and Grimes having even worked together to create 'Image - Grimes Special'. So, if you haven’t yet explored Magdalena Bay's discography but are a fan of these artists, I highly recommend you give them a listen.
In the months following my first listen of the album, I couldn’t get enough. I’m almost positive I’ve played them at least once every day since. So, after hearing they were playing in Manchester, I immediately started looking for tickets. Unfortunately, I was too late - their gig in YES Pink Room was sold out. Despite this being a great venue for more intimate gigs, demand for more tickets was high from Manchester fans. Listening to this, Magdalena Bay changed their venue to the much larger Manchester Academy, where I’ve previously seen Mitski and Slowdive perform. And so… tickets were secured.
The promo for 'Imaginal Disk' is very blue, from the album cover to their costumes. Going off this, before the gig, I pulled on a pair of blue tights that I had bought in 2021, and that had, until this point, sat in my wardrobe, unworn. Now, they serve as a reminder of the out-of-this-world Magdalena Bay gig, which is fitting as before, I thought they made me look like a blue alien. Others had the same idea. Throughout the audience shone speckles of blue and silver, with some even replicating Tenenbaum’s incredibly recognisable dramatic blue eyeshadow. After a few pints and a game of pool (that I don't even know who won) in the Students’ Union bar, my friends and I made our way to Manchester Academy. Promptly at 7 pm, the show began.
'Imaginal Disk' album cover
Tenenbaum’s unique vocals were indistinguishable from the studio-recorded album. The way she was able to switch effortlessly between soft, even whiny vocals to belting heartfelt ballads is impressive. Her emotions remained raw and moving despite their contrast to upbeat and dance-centred melodies in songs like 'Cry For Me'. More lyrically upbeat songs matched the energy of the music, making it almost impossible not to sing and dance along with them, along with songs off of 'Imaginal Disk', which the duo incorporated into their set songs from their previous album and singles. Their incredibly popular song 'Killshot' was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from the crowd. I can’t help but think of TikTok edits when I hear it - amplified by the fact that they played part of the song as the slowed + reverb version - pretty iconic if you ask me.
These strong vocals were only matched by Tenenbaum’s incredible stage presence. The girl gave us a show! Not only was she engaging with the audience, but her performance included multiple outfit changes - from her blue two-piece, to a flower, to an angel dressed in white. These outfit changes are incredibly impressive, considering their set had no breaks between the songs - I'm still wondering how she managed to pull that off. The set design perfectly encapsulated intersecting themes of self-reflection and love with an essence of extraterrestrialism. Flashing blue and green lights and the inclusion of a large portal that Tenenbaum would use to jump through that also acted as a mirror for the singer to reflect into truly gave the sense that we were anywhere but Manchester.
Magdalena Bay in Chicago: Oscar de Leon
As I said, the set had no breaks between each of the songs, helping to showcase the impressively smooth transitions between the songs on the album. Specifically for me, the transition between 'Death & Romance' and 'Fear, Sex' is nothing short of perfect (helped by the fact that 'Fear, Sex' is my favourite song from the album). The attention to detail is evident. With no breaks, the audience had no choice but to be sucked into Imaginal Disk. There was no escaping the futuristic sounds of Magdalena Bay, not that you would want to anyway. It is also incredibly impressive for the duo to play consistently for over an hour, performing whilst showing no signs of musical or vocal strains - they remained steady and consistently good from beginning to end.
Speaking of, they ended the show playing 'The Beginning', which I had listened to before but not fully appreciated - but seeing it live completely changed how I listened to the song. Something about the energy it brought to the crowd, seeing everyone around dancing and singing along, made me appreciate the song for what it is - the epitome of fun, girly alt-pop music that instantly puts you in a good mood. Since the concert on Friday, it has been my go-to song on the bus to work. The idea that seeing a song live can completely transform it for you is something so special about gigs - we left the concert on a high.
I left the gig in complete awe of the talent of Lewin and Tennenbaum. Together, they transported hundreds of people into their strangely beautiful world through not only their incredible vocal and musical capabilities but also through their commitment to the show - the set design, the visuals, and the outfit changes. Whether in the front row or at the very back of the crowd, the power of Magdalena Bay was felt. My love and respect for their music has surpassed what I thought was possible - if you haven't yet, give them a listen!
