On Oct. 7, Magdalena Bay, a pop duo consisting of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew “Matt” Lewin, headlined their Imaginal Mystery 2025 Tour in The Egyptian Room at Old National Center in Indianapolis. They were supported by New Zealand artist, Oxis.
Magdalena Bay has been a recent sensation in the alternative-pop landscape, especially after the release of their second studio album, “Imaginal Disk”, in August of 2024. “Imaginal Disk” is a concept album that explores a woman who has a compact disk (CD) inserted into her forehead to become a greater version of herself, but rejects it and relearns the meaning of being human.
Themes of self-exploration, consciousness, love and loss are explored on the record. “Vampire in the Corner” is a critical song on the record and explores just about all of these themes in a short three minutes and twenty-two seconds. “Vampire in the corner, am I scaring you off? / Oh, I wanna dance, I wanna learn how to love / Someone call the coroner cause you’re breaking my heart / My God, I think I might’ve loved you too much.”
The album was met with rave reviews, even better than their well-received debut “Mercurial World,” and was included in numerous “Best Albums of 2024” lists such as Pitchfork and NME.
Shortly after the release of “Imaginal Disk”, the band announced The Imaginal Mystery 2024 Tour, which would be extended into 2025.
Originally, Indianapolis was not on the slate, but would be when they announced their final leg on Feb. 11, via Instagram. This delayed announcement caused a couple of the night’s concert goers to have attended the Columbus, Ohio show earlier in the year, thinking the band would not make it to Indiana.
One of the special offerings that Magdalena Bay had for this tour was an exclusive VIP Pre-Show Experience that consisted of a Q&A session and acoustic performances. I had an opportunity to take part in this experience, and it was definitely a highlight of the night.
The experience started at 5:45 with an early entry into the venue, exclusive items such as a tote bag and signed poster, and opportunity to buy other merchandise and food/drinks without lines. It was also a great opportunity to talk to similar fans who understand the artist the same way you do, if not more.
At around 6:10 p.m., Tenenbaum and Lewin took to the stage. The two were dressed casually, had kind and laid back demeanors and were nice to talk to. Even though the ticket for the experience said they would play two acoustic songs, the band took requests and played four in total: “Hysterical Us,” “Dawning of the Season,” a cover of “Ashes to Ashes” by David Bowie and their new single “Star Eyes.” All of the songs were excluded from the setlist, and they even went over the allotted time to play “Star Eyes.”
Additionally, they made sure to answer any and every question that people had. These included my unserious question: “What do you guys like to put on your hot dogs?” Tenenbaum likes a Chicago style dog, Lewin prefers a classic dog with just mustard. I also asked, “Mercurial World Son or Imaginal Disk Daughter?” They couldn’t decide on that, but my questions did make them laugh, which was exactly what I was trying to do!
The experience ended around 6:45 p.m., leaving some time before doors opened at 7:00 p.m.. Another great perk of the VIP experience was the fact that you were guaranteed a spot up front. This would prove to be very helpful because once doors opened, there was a rush of people and we were all-but-sardined up front.
The crowd would only add to the high energy and excitement of the show. They burst out in applause once Oxis took to stage and went in awe when her set began.
Oxis is an electronic artist who blends dreamy vocals, impeccable synths and stunning guitar chords to create a musical atmosphere unlike any other. Additionally, she also has an aesthetic unlike any other: fish. Every song is named after a different species of fish, from “Flounder” to “Long Sardine.” Oxis has stated in interviews that she has always related to fish, at times more than humans, and her name is inspired by the Latin variation of her childhood nickname “Tuna”. The crowd would laugh and cheer every time the next song was named.
Oxis closed her set at 8:30 p.m. with a euphoric rendition of an unreleased track: “Pirahna.” The minimalist nature of her set allowed the music to really sink into the audience, and let them listen and vibe as they wished. After the set, the audience was riled up with passion and enthusiasm, highlighting Oxis’s ability as a performer.
At 9:00 p.m., the lights suddenly went down, and the curtain covering the stage washed away to the sides, revealing a set unlike any other. There were detailed platforms, props, and screens all related to imagery used for the visual aesthetic of “Imaginal Disk.” It was one of the most maximalist and one-of-a-kind sets I’ve seen in a concert. Shortly after, Tenenbaum and Lewin took the stage with their band and began their performance.
The setlist went in the exact same order as the titular album of the tour. Beginning with “She Looked Like Me,” Tenenbaum expressed a presence of pure exuberance and confidence. Lewin was an incredible presence in his own right, playing flawlessly on the guitar, keyboard and various other instruments throughout the show.
The roughly hour-and-a-half show featured high moments of adrenaline in the beginning, with songs like “Image” and “Death and Romance” growing the excitement of the audience. The strobe lighting, which was slightly overbearing at certain moments, added to the exciting aura.
There were times in the middle that were more ambient and calm. “Fear, Sex,” “Vampire in the Corner,” and “Watching TV” were particular highlights, due to their soft intros, crescendoing choruses and electric finales. The transitions between songs were also synchronized very well, creating a smooth experience for the audience to follow.
“Top Dog” and “Tonguetwister” were a nice throwback to the band’s EP “mini mix vol. 3” and created a groovy state that was very satisfying after the adrenaline rushes of previous songs. “Love Is Everywhere” was a great conclusion to this act of the set, as every audience member was swaying together and flowing their arms in the air.
Afterward, there was a slight intermission during “Disk ReInserted” where Tenenbaum exited stage, only to return with a completely different look. Her all-blue jumpsuit was replaced with a pure red one, with inflated planets throughout the look. She sported this look during the next act of the show.
The show then transitioned into a state that reflected the high energy atmosphere of the beginning. “That’s My Floor” was a showstopping number that saw Tenenbaum give a stand-out vocal performance filled with wild inflictions, and Lewin stole the show at the end of the song with a shredding guitar solo.
After another stand out performance of “Cry For Me,” there was following intermission where Tenenbaum switched outfits again to resemble that of an angel, and the band closed off their main set with “Angel on a Satellite” and “The Ballad of Matt & Mica.”
After the main act there was thunderous applause from the audience, who started chanting “Mag Bay!” as a prelude to the encore. Of course the band stepped out and went on to perform three more songs. “Killshot,” which was followed by their new single “Second Sleep,” and concluded with a stunning finale of “The Beginning.”
Not many shows are able to strike a balance of surreal visuals, dynamic sound, and engaging stage presence, but Magdalena Bay was able to do so with a fluent ease. In an age where many are frustrated with concerts due to high ticket prices and demand, infuriating ticketing platforms and disingenuous performers, Magdalena Bay is proof that there are so many artists who give it their all to make the shows worth going through the possible pitfalls. The band is also proof that there is very original and dynamic art that is still being made, we, as people, just need to look for and give it a chance!
Nicholas Heck is currently in his third year at Indiana University Indianapolis. He enjoys all things related to music, film and literature. In his free time he enjoys drinking coffee while reading or crocheting, listening to a new album while exercising, and, of course, going to concerts!
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