Review: Magdalena Bay at Metropolis Fremantle

Magdalena Bay at Metropolis Fremantle
w/ Ratbag
Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Magdalena Bay didn’t just perform at Metropolis Fremantle on Tuesday night—they beamed us straight into their neon-lit dream world, a world that was difficult to leave behind. The LA-based duo, Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, turned the stage into a portal of glitched-out visuals, hypnotic synths, and pure pop escapism.

The night kicked off with a set from Ratbag, a New Zealand-based artist who blends alt-rock, grunge, and a touch of surrealism into a performance that’s as much visual art as it is music. Her stage presence was effortlessly cool—think fuzzy distortion, dreamy vocals, and an animated backing band of bizarre, monstrous misfits that felt like they’d crawled straight out of an underground comic book.

The energy was raw, chaotic in the best way, and totally captivating. At times, her sound felt like a fever dream of Pixies-esque grit and Broken Social Scene haze, while other moments leant into jagged, punk-infused anthems that had the early crowd fully engaged. It was the perfect contrast to Magdalena Bay’s polished synth-pop, setting the night up as a genre-bending ride through both analogue grit and digital gloss.

By the time her set wrapped, Ratbag had fully primed the room—not just as an opener, but as an artist worth keeping on your radar.

From the moment the first shimmering notes of She Looked Like Me hit, the crowd was locked in for Magdalena Bay. The setlist was a masterclass in controlled chaos, weaving through the best of Imaginal Disk with tracks like Death & Romance and Tunnel Vision, while keeping the energy sky-high with cult favourites Secrets (Your Fire) and Chaeri. Just when we thought we couldn’t get any more euphoric, they closed with The Beginning, sending the room into a synth-pop trance one last time.

Visually, the concert was a feast for the eyes. A giant oval screen pulsed with surrealist imagery, while a glowing platform let Tenenbaum command the stage like some kind of futuristic pop priestess. And the outfits? A full-on fashion fever dream. From celestial headpieces to shimmering, iridescent ensembles—and even a whimsical sunflower headpiece for Vampire in the Corner—she looked like she’d stepped straight out of one of their music videos.

And the fans? Unhinged in the best way. People danced like they were possessed by the beat, belted out every word, and even travelled from other cities after cancelled tour dates to get their fix. Their dedication was rewarded—not just with an electric show, but with Magdalena Bay’s genuine warmth during post-show interactions.

Bottom line: This wasn’t just a gig. It was a full-body, out-of-this-world, cybernetic fever dream. If Magdalena Bay keeps putting on shows like this, they won’t just be rising stars—they’ll be the ones rewriting the alt-pop galaxy.

LIANA KELLY

Photos by Stu McKay