Concert Review: Magdalena Bay Are Music For The “Interneters” At Elsewhere
Magdalena Bay feel ripped from a stream of memes. They are the music of internet culture; creating rhythms that could laser out of cats and lyrics that could bubble like the big eyes of an anime character. Part of their “fun-ness” at Elsewhere was the feeling that they represented the colorful emotionality of a social media post.
Feeling in the 21st century is kind of crazy when you think about it. Now, when we have an emotion, we try to sum it up in 240 characters, 30 hashtags, and a bunch of emojis. Could the founding fathers ever imagined what an eggplant means today or Buddha ever picture his words captioned under a bikini pic? I think not. Yet, that is the point. In a landscape where every sentiment derives its interpretation on colorful cartoons and stunningly filtered pictures, Magdalena Bay are the surprising revealer and challenger to their perceived superficiality.
Magdalena Bay – Oh Hell (Lyric Video)
When I went to Elsewhere, I had only seen Magdalena Bay’s video, “Good Intentions,” and I was IN LOVE. Live, they live up to the vibrancy of their image, with Mica Tenenbaum representing everything we love about 90’s indie pop; imagine Gwen Stefani’s sporty sweetness with Gloria Trevi’s playful rebelliousness. She keeps her voice and personality kicking with a softness that has some gnarled bite. She has no qualms throwing in some rasp within her range, but she is so cool-headed and leveled in her passionate delivery that she feels like the hosting angel of a rave in Heaven.
Magdalena Bay – How to Get Physical (Official Music Video)
Personally, I was not surprised by the grooviness of Magdalena Bay’s music or how their show feels like a banally fun discotheque: as if air could get you as high as ecstasy. My surprise came in how filled with genuine sentiment their verses and arrangements are, which, again, is like a social media post. Sure, a giphy may not be appreciated as a powerful conveyer of feelings, in the same way their pop tracks like, “How To Get Physical,” “Mine,” or, my fave, “Venice,” might easily be framed as light-hearted upon listen. Yet, in their live show, they prove having a good time is a serious endeavor that must be shared on both your feed and amongst friends. For More Information On Magdalena Bay Click Here.
