Underwater themes transform album and show into a cinematic experience.
Photo by Mia Nguyen
The Marías' Dallas set was like a cold plunge after a tiring day. A Monday night show can be filled with exhausted viewers dreading waking up the next work day. But one glimpse of María Zardoya's alluring eyes and a note of the band's psychedelic tunes transports fans to an underwater dreamscape.
Three years after releasing their sentimental debut album, "CINEMA", the band embarked on "The Submarine Tour" to present introspective tracks that lean into themes of loss. This new album came to fruition after the break up of Zardoya and producer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Conway. The duo started The Marías' as a couple, and the newest tracks feel like a melancholic goodbye to comfortable intimacy and hello to self-discovery. Their Dallas set on Aug. 22 dunked audiences in this emotional release and immaculate ambiance.
In true "Submarine" fashion, frontwoman Zardoya graced the stage looking like a mythical sea witch. Her long dark hair was styled to look freshly dipped in ocean water and swung around in beautiful chaos as she swayed to what sounded like submarine sonars in their opening song "Hamptons." The shadows cast across her figure allowed her to seem otherworldly, and her physicality on stage combined with her ethereal vocals was utterly mesmerizing.
Photo by Mia Nguyen
From writhing around and contorting her body during moodier tracks such as "Sienna" or "Vicious Sensitive Robot" to skipping across the stage with a beaming smile during more upbeat songs such as "Run Your Mouth" or a cover of "Lovefool" by the Cardigans, it is apparent that the band's lively frontwoman is the heart of the group.
Southside Ballroom was filled with an audience of beautifully dressed fans, their eclectic outfits equally as dedicated to matching the energy of The Marías' "Submarine" album. A sea of flowy blue outfits coupled with edgy statement pieces perfectly encapsulated the moody, aquatic ambiance of the band's current aesthetic. Even if you couldn't hear their roars of adoration, it is visible that The Marías have a fanbase who can only be described as effortlessly cool.
Photo by Mia Nguyen
What makes The Marías' stand out is their commitment to curating a perfectly executed atmosphere, whether that is through their aesthetic performances or providing an album that is perfect for vibing alone and daydreaming about past loves in your room. Zardoya described their new album as tunes of "solitude and exploration" and the show felt just like that. While there will always be a community aspect to any concert, each track The Marías played felt so deeply immersive that the sold-out show felt minuscule and seemingly intimate.
After a trumpet solo, multiple outfit changes, a guitar solo for María and a crystal clear bathtub, the show concluded but the effects of their insanely atmospheric music linger and fans may never want to reemerge from the waters of “Submarine.”
Photo by Mia Nguyen
Comments