A concert review
In early September of 2024, one of my favorite artists, mxmtoon (real name Maia), announced that she would be going on tour for her new album, liminal space. She was coming to the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on Friday, April 4th, and I knew I had to go! I had been to one of her concerts a few years ago while I was in high school, and I fell in love with her live performances. So, here’s how it went!
Two of my roommates and I left for D.C. at 11:30 a.m.. We had meticulously planned the day. We went to Wawa and grabbed all of the snacks needed to stay fed. Then, we drove to the metro and took a ride into D.C..
Once we departed from the metro, we made our way to the 9:30 Club. At this time, it was 1:15 p.m., and luckily, no one was there! We decided to go to Whole Foods and chill out until about 2:00 p.m.. Even after that, the line was still empty, and we were there by ourselves for about an hour.
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To keep ourselves busy for the remaining four hours before the show, we played Uno and Go-Fish, integrating snack and bathroom breaks. I would also like to add that we saw Maia enter and leave her tour bus, and she made sure we were staying hydrated!
Our tickets were general admission, so we were let in at 6:00, precisely when the venue opened. Waiting in line for four hours paid off, because once we entered the floor, we were second row! I could reach my hand out and practically touch the stage! At that point, I did not care that I needed to go to the bathroom or that my feet hurt. I was just stoked to be seeing one of my favorite artists from a distance of about six feet!
The concert started with opening act Katherine Li. She is an independent artist who has been opening for Maia on the last leg of her North American tour. Katherine Li sang a lot about love and crushes, and her journey with relationships. All of her songs were super sweet, and she had such a pretty voice. I definitely added a few songs of hers to my playlist afterward.
At 7:30 p.m., Maia finally came on stage! She was so BEAUTIFUL! She immediately greeted us and promptly started her show, singing the song Dramatic Escape from her new album. I was GAGGED!
She was super interactive with the crowd and her voice, as always, sounded just like it does in recording. She sang a lot of songs from her new album, of course, but also integrated a few of her older ones, such as seasonal depression, mona lisa, and fever dream.
Maia spoke a lot about the process of this new album. Her song now’s not the time actually made me sob. She talked a lot about the relationship with her mom and the generational trauma she had gone through. This album, in particular, was such an important project for her. She intentionally only worked with women on this album and she shared how precious the procedure was, particularly sharing a space with only women.
She even said she had never felt more creatively fulfilled in her life than she did when she was working with these incredible women, and I think that says a lot about the importance of who you put yourself around.
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In addition to her personal relationships, she talked about her journey with coming out as bisexual. Her song, feelings are fatal, is actually about her struggles with coming out. She knew that coming out could affect a lot of relationships she has with people in her life, and that scared her.
Her own journey actually helped me come out to my friends and family. It was a difficult journey for me, and though I am still discovering who I am, I am very much comfortable being my true self with those who know.
The final song that she sang was dance (end of the world), which is an absolute banger. I think it was the perfect song to finish off the set. The song was very interactive and fun, and that, I think, really highlighted the importance of performing for Maia. She truly loves her job, and I am glad that she gets to share her story with everyone.
The music that mxmtoon produces has affected so many lives, especially when she takes the time to explain why they are important to her and to be vulnerable with the crowds she sings with. She goes about her concerts in such a gentle way. She makes you laugh with her jokes, but she also provides a safe space for people to really feel her music. I haven’t been to many concerts in my life, but the fact that I have been to two of hers really shows how I value her music.
As I get older, I tend to value more and more parts of her music that I didn’t quite understand when I was younger. The process of moving away from family, understanding my relationships with family members, and even discovering who I am as a person has all been affected by her lyrics.
I think shared experiences are one of the most important things on this earth, as they let you know that whatever you are going through is not singular. We have all experienced similar things, and I don’t know about you, but that provides me with some comfort.