THE MARIA’S
The Marias, The Met, Philadelphia, PA. 8/3/24.
It was Aries season when I first saw The Marías in Philadelphia. It was at the First Unitarian Church on Chestnut Street in 2018. Superclean, Vol. I had come out just a few months before. They were opening up for Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes fame.
Now, just a few years later, they mesmerized the crowd at The Met Philly with their gorgeous stage and lighting designs, and impeccable musicianship.
Every live performance from them is good. But this one was taken to the next level by the set design. In the center was a big circle atop big, extravagant steps where María’s first appeared, silhouette only. In the encore, María reappeared here, but this time in a bathtub to sing Submarine’s penultimate track “If Only,” with drummer Josh appearing on grand piano.
Every time The Marías come to Philly, they step up in terms of venue size. From The Church to The Foundry, from The Foundry to the TLA, from the TLA to the Met. It’s very cool to be lucky enough to follow their success and watch them remain humble and creative.
Shot and Written by Danielle Ciampaglia.
