Magdalena Bay, an alternative pop group made up of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, took over the Citizens House of Blues Boston April 29 for its “Imaginal Disk” tour.
The venue was a capacity upgrade from the group’s last concert in Boston at the Royale in 2024, and the larger House of Blues was sold out due to the concert’s popularity. The tour, named after an album of the same name, was extended in 2024.
The opener, Sam Austins, warmed up the crowd with his R&B beats and electronic sounds. He played several songs, including the viral hit “Seasons,” to the delight of the audience, who remained engaged throughout his performance. He seemed to float at times, swirling from one end of the stage to the other, dressed in a sweater jacket and a skirt made up of denim fragments.
Magdalena Bay came out to roars from the audience, including members who were painted blue to match the red and blue signature colors from the band’s poster. The group’s opening with “She Looked Like Me,” accompanied by occasional flashing blue and white strobes that complemented the heavy-hitting bass in the song, excited the audience for what was to come. Tenenbaum sang while Lewin handled the guitar, accompanied by a keyboardist.
When the group played “Image” — a viral single from the album — audience members screamed and sang along to the first few notes. Adding to the mystical, space-like atmosphere, the stage set included two screens — one emulating a mirror and the other a window — displaying collage-type clips of band members and assorted objects. Throughout the concert, the crowd never decreased in energy as fans swayed, danced and sang to the music.
The majority of the set list was from the album the tour was titled after, but the band also played fan favorites like “Killshot” from “A Little Rhythm and a Wicked Feeling” and “Chaeri” and “The Beginning” from “Mercurial World.” Luckily for Bostonians, Magdalena Bay is coming back to MGM Music Hall at Fenway Oct. 24 so even more fans can join the fun in the fall.
