Live music review: The Marías seduce Stubbs’ sold-out crowd at ACL Fest Late Night show

I saw The Marías back in 2019 at Washington, DC’s Union Stage, a smaller, 700-person space. Given the ferocious sold-out crowd at Austin’s Stubb’s October 14,The Marías’s could probably sell out an entire weekend residency at the 3,000-person venue. Watching artists climb up to playing bigger and bigger venues? You love to see it.

The María’s continue gaining a rabid following through big festival bookings, playing both ACL Festival weekends on a big stage this year. They received their biggest boost after appearing on Bad Bunny’s single, “Otro Atardecer” earlier this year.

The core of L.A.’s The María’s consists of Puerto Rican-born and Atlanta-raised María Zardoya and drummer Josh Conway, who are romantic partners. Their self-described “psychedelic soul” is heavy on the soul. With jazzy chords and latin-pop rhythms, they make audiences sway.

“Calling U Back”, the album’s first proper full-length song, kicked off the night with swirling keys and effects. María strut across the stage in a striking firetruck-red top, draped with gold jewelry at her hips. 

Older cuts like “Only in My Dreams” follow the band’s best formula of creating an ethereal lullaby with reverb-drenched guitars and hypnotic cooing that makes you feel like you’re floating in slow-motion.

The younger crowd gifted the band with a bouquet of flowers, a beautiful hand-drawing of María, and a sea of iPhones to record every moment of the show.

It’s tough to pin down what exactly makes an artist “sexy.” The María’s use hypnotic synth tones, groovy basslines, sultry 7th chords, and one of the most magnetic front-women in music to create their sensual aesthetic.

I’ve repressed my grade school days of learning foreign languages so María’s Spanish monologue went over my head. I just nodded and watched the audience reaction around me. When she asked who in the crowd was from Mexico, nearly everyone in the audience erupted.

Other standouts included ”Hable con Ella” which showcases a brief trumpet solo before transitioning into transition into “Little by Little”. Fueled by a raegaeton-like rhythm, Maria sang “Un Millon” in Spanish, smirking and skipping from one end of the stage to the other. Friends and partners across the whole venue took up arms and gyrrated to the beat.

                         

While their ACL Festival performances were heavy on the backdrop visuals, their stage decor at Stubb’s was minimal, taking advantage of the vivid lighting. The vibrant warm red hues paired with Marías’s voice to seduce the whole crowd.

A highlight was hearing The Marías play one of my favorite bass lines over the past few year’s in Superclean Vol II’s “Carino.” The silky groove ASMR-like whispers may make the hairs on your neck stick up.

Their latest record may be more synth-heavy, but it’s as personal and emotional as anything they’ve done. The album title “Cinema” perfectly captures their essence. For most of their early output, the group began writing to soundtrack television. The visual moods may not have materialized on the silver screen, but it helped them craft arresting scores that boldly drive the whatever narrative Maria is weaving through the verses.

The Marías showed command of the entire audience with her alluring, soft and rich voice. What makes the band great is how all the individual parts come together to make their unique vibe. They could play pedestrian chord progressions and lean on a charismatic front-woman to carry the band. Instead, they mesmerize with an aura that transports you away just like a movie.

If you like The María’s, check out: Men I Trust, No Vacation, Sade, Crumb, Triathlon, Clairo, D’Angelo

All photos by Drew Doggett