The Marías first established themselves in the music scene with the release of their sophomore EP “Superclean, Vol II,” which featured the hit song “Cariño.” The 2018 record showcased a sound that has become synonymous with the band with its lush trumpet and keys, as well as María Zardoya’s siren-like vocals. Six years and a full album later,” the latin indie-pop band is taking the plunge again with their latest record “Submarine.”
The aptly named and nearly sold-out accompanying tour immerses audiences in the world of “Submarine” with The Marías’ complex, visually intriguing set pieces, genuine artist-to-fan interaction, and endless opportunities to dance. On August 11, The Marías dropped by Boston.
At exactly nine o’clock, the MGM Music Hall house lights dimmed and fans cheered as the stage lights blared blue, flickering rapidly. Though the stage remained almost completely dark, band members entered, dawning various instruments and all-black outfits. Suddenly, a massive circular backdrop lit up with Zardoya’s silhouette. The crowd howled at the sight of her mere shadow as Zardoya and the band descended into “Hamptons,” a track from their most recent album. Zardoya eventually appeared onstage, in a matching all-black ensemble. Her sheer, flowy skirt billowed as she glided across the stage, greeting fans left and right who responded with shrieks and grabbing hands. Once she grabbed the mic at center stage, all eyes fell on her. The tiny braids in her hair whipped at her face as she shook her head in all directions and threw up her arms. A smile grew on her face as she closed her eyes for a moment, separating herself from the massive crowd before her and taking in the music of her bandmates.
“Hey Boston,” she called. The crowd roared back at her. “We just put out a new album,” she began, and the audience cheered in recognition. “… We didn’t know if anybody was gonna listen to it, if anybody was gonna relate to it, or dance to it, or cry to it, or anything… Even when we put it out, we weren’t sure. We were just hearing from y’all online, but it’s different being here with you in person. Being able to sing these songs with you, and dance with you, and…” She reached toward a lucky fan in the front row, “… being able to hold your hands… And so being here with y’all, it just makes all of those difficult moments worth it.”
After playing a few more songs, Zardoya took center stage with a somewhat embarrassed expression. “This is the second time this has happened on tour… I have to pee.” The audience replied with collective laughter. “So, I’m gonna go do that, and the guys are gonna entertain y’all with their beautiful, talented improv. So I will be right back.” As she skipped offstage, the crowd’s attention shifted toward her bandmates, who seemed slightly shocked yet entertained to be in the spotlight. “We don’t usually get to say this, but, hi,” guitarist Jesse Perlman exclaimed. “What’s up Boston?” Let’s get a jam for you for a second. I can already tell this is gonna be a really great show.” The rest of the band, percussionist Josh Conway and keyboardist Edward James, introduced themselves to the crowd, before, as promised, transitioning into a short but sweet improvised instrumental performance before Zardoya returned to the stage. “This next song, I love performing it live, because… I remember starting to write it in my apartment sitting on my bed… it was such a peaceful, calm time… when I perform it live, it takes me back to that moment, just being home… If you wanna dance, you can dance, if you wanna cry, you can cry, whatever you want to do in this moment, just be fully present… and this is a reminder for myself, as well, to just enjoy the moment and nothing matters… it’s just right here, right now, we’re all meant to be here together tonight to experience this.”
The band’s stage setup, a highly topical aspect of “The Submarine Tour,” truly made the show all the more engaging. The psychedelic, multicolored lighting and the band’s all-black attire, and the geometric set design complimented Zardoya’s movements and choreography, as well as the vibe of the instrumentals on each song.The lighting often reflected each song’s mood, and for much of the show, was fully blue in homage to the themes around “Submarine.” Furthermore, during the band’s first encore, “Only If,” another “Submarine” track, Zardoya appeared onstage in all white, half-submerged in a tub of bath water — which she has confirmed via social media is, in fact, real water. When she emerged from the tub, soaked and see-through, she threw on a pair of black shades to perform the closing songs.
For their final encore, the band performed “Cariño.” Though she was all smiles throughout the set, Zardoya absolutely beamed as fans sang the lyrics back to her.
Before exiting the stage, she made sure to wave at every corner of the audience and grab as many gifts from fans as she could carry.
Though the majority of their music is fairly mellow, The Marías’ exemplary ability to turn a collection of relaxed tracks into a high-energy, dynamic, and interactive live performance is certainly something to behold.
