LIVE REVIEW: The Marías at the Majestic

by Caleigh Parsons

The atmosphere at The Marías’ Feb. 26th Majestic Theatre show was distinctly cozy. The self-described “psychedelic soul” band stopped by while touring their debut album, CINEMA, which was released last June. After an engaging set by opener Evann Mcintosh, the crowd was in high spirits, swaying to modern indie favorites in the warm lights of the venue. 

Following a voiceover introduction to the tour that encouraged the audience to keep their masks on, The Marías began their first song of the night, “Calling U Back.” I was instantly impressed by the velvety vocals and charming stage presence of lead singer María Zardoya, who performed the fierce, upbeat track just as convincingly as the dreamy, laidback songs that make up much of the band’s discography. Drummer Josh Conway’s verses on several songs added to the intimate, conversational vibe of the show.

The setlist was a satisfying mix of songs from CINEMA as well as fan favorites from their EPs Superclean, Vol. I and Superclean, Vol. II. An early highlight of the set was “Only In My Dreams,” from Vol. I, an ethereal, reverby lullaby that brought a magical feeling to the room. Guitarist Jesse Perlman shone on meditative, layered CINEMA tracks including “All I Really Want Is You,” “Spin Me Around,” and “Heavy,” my personal favorite song on the album. As Zardoya repeated “I just wanna be alone,” her voice faded into the mesmerizing, 90s inspired guitar loop that transported me into a daydream. The outside world continued to melt away during the sweetly soothing “Over The Moon.” When Zardoya sang “Are you gonna be here with me?” it was difficult to imagine being anywhere else.

 If I had been a casual fan before the show, I was now fully invested. The Marías sounded even more effortless live, gliding through the set so seamlessly that when the band had to restart a song and reminded the crowd “We’re only human,” we could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. I had previously been underwhelmed by their recorded cover of Britney Spears’ “...Baby One More Time,” but it worked so well on stage that it almost could have been mistaken for one of their own songs. 

Trumpet player Gabe Steiner was perfectly utilized throughout the night, and the crowd’s excitement grew tenfold each time he stepped out of the shadows. By the time he played a truly delightful solo at the end of “Basta Ya,” the joy in the room was palpable. Also delivering a great performance was bassist Carter Lee, who was consistently solid throughout the night but was the absolute best part of “I Don’t Know You,” the band’s most well known song. 

After a few more gently grooving songs, the band exited the stage and the entire theater was left shouting for more. Making a dramatic reentrance with the dark, danceable “Hush”, Zardoya gave one of her most broodingly captivating performances and Conway pitched his voice down for the infectious bridge. The band’s final song of the night, the soaring, romantic “Cariño,” was so radiant it kept my soul warm long after I stepped back into the February air.