‘Welcome to Magdalena Bay’s magical mystery tour!” exclaims Mica Tenenbaum, one half of the LA electro-indie-pop duo, as she stands before a screen filled with a psychedelic mix of symbols. There’s a spinning sun reminiscent of a CD (an object the young crowd may only be dimly familiar with), a pair of chrome hands, and a silver orb resembling Harry Potter’s golden snitch. It’s strange and wonderfully surreal, with Tenenbaum bouncing around like a children’s TV host, promising to draw the audience into a fantastical narrative that, unfortunately, never fully materialises.
The duo have had a big breakthrough year after successful second album Imaginal Disk, and this show has been upgraded to a bigger venue. Imaginal Disk is a concept album that follows an alien named True (played by Tenenbaum in their music videos) who rejects said disk implanted in her and embarks on a journey to understand what it means to be human.
In this live presentation, the HD visuals and characterisation are overt – at one point during a striking, 90s alt-rock-inspired performance of Vampire in the Corner, Tenenbaum writhes on her knees wearing a sunflower headpiece – so you might expect to come away with a deeper understanding of the story or insights into the band itself. However, little is explored between songs, and the show lacks interactivity and dramaturgy that could have drawn the audience further into their world. Tenenbaum and bandmate Matthew Lewin clearly have thoughts on post-internet culture and consciousness (both are active on TikTok and Twitch), but these ideas are left ambiguous here. We have no clearer grasp of the band’s vision or identity – the hollowness of internet symbols and visual sheen once worked well for acts on the PC Music label, who used it to comment on consumerism, money, and pop music itself, but it all feels less purposeful here.
It would matter less if Tenenbaum weren’t such a compelling performer and hype-person, leaving you wanting to know more about them. There are real highlights, particularly with You Lose!, an older track whose indie-rock vibe takes on a lively pop-punk energy, with Tenenbaum fully leaning into its joy.
Ultimately, while the performances are strong, the gig feels rather like watching someone else play through a video game, rather than being immersed in it yourself. The initial intrigue wears thin, leaving an experience that, while visually vibrant, feels oddly muted.
• Magdalena Bay play Manchester Academy, 15 November; and Here at Outernet, London, 18 and 19 November.
