Mxmtoon took the stage of 9:30 Club in Washington, DC last Friday night. This tour has been a celebration for the release of her album Liminal Space, and with this being the second to last stop on the tour, everyone made sure to do their part to make this the greatest show of them all. For concert goers, this would be a quite early set as there was a dance party event happening at the venue later that night. The early show allowed for plenty of energy throughout the night and constant comedy among Maia and her fans. Alongside these highs, she would also share some of her lows and the deep meaning/storytelling on how these songs reflect many moments throughout her life.
She opened the set with “dramatic escape” which was an amazing introduction to the crowd. Soft and nostalgic it pulled everyone in immediately. From there, we got some of the “oldies” on the setlist. Tacks like “prom dress,” as expected, brought the energy to a high. It’s still her most popular track for a reason, and the band each had their little moment to shine during it. An early highlight was a conversation about the weather starting to change, especially as it would lead to a perfect introduction of “seasonal depression.” Despite the name, it is actually more of a happy instrumental tune. While the lyrics contrast the sounds in a way that reminds me of Paramore’s After Laughter. This was one of the reimagined versions of the song as she had mentioned a lot had happened since she first wrote it. Giving it an extra bit of “rock and roll”. My favorite track of the album “Rain,” was an early favorite that gave a little sway to everyone listening. I’m still not sure why but I kept hearing the intro guitar section and thought of “Leave Before You Love Me.”
We took a pause before “elevator,” where she took a moment to talk about how much it meant to create a project that was made entirely by women, from the writing to the production. You could tell it mattered to her as she mentioned that was not very typical in the music industry. It was a passionate speech, a passion which would be carried into the entirety of the upcoming sad songs and the acoustic set. “now’s not the time” came next, and it was easily the most vulnerable moment of the show. She prefaced it by sharing that it’s the saddest song she’s ever written. It is a reflection on her relationship with her mom, and joked (not really joking) that she always cries when she plays it. She did again that night. Leading to a classic astrology joke thrown in, something along the lines of “My moons are in Cancer, so of course I’m crying.”
At the midpoint, Maia performed a brief acoustic set, which in many ways felt like the emotional core of the show. Maybe even a little diary as she had much to tell about what she was playing. My favorite moment was “feelings are fatal” which opened with a story about Minecraft and her one high school boyfriend, and how that whole “situationship” came out of Steam chat. Also, that you should probably not “get your boyfriend from Steam.”
The acoustic set and sad songs eventually needed an emotional rebound. Maia certainly understood this and worked the mood back up throughout the rest of the night. “number one boy” and “mona lisa” were some of the highest highs of the night. By this point I was relaxing in the upper section of the club and I had take a moment to appreciate the amount of participation going on. She had everyone swing their arms back and forth and when I say I’ve never seen a crowd more 100% committed to it, I mean it. This energy held to a point where my arms started to get tired wondering when everyone was going to stop. It was an amazing moment to be a part of and I have to put it among the top live performances I have ever seen. Bold but true. We would close out the night with “dance (end of the world)” and yes everyone did exactly what the title states. A final send off for everyone jumping alongside their favorite artist. A few moments to show off each member of the band and an amazing feeling to end out the night. It almost felt too soon. Everyone wanted more but alas, there was another show and it was time to leave.
Overall, the highlights of the night were really due to the incredible crowd work of mxmtoon. Her ability to bring everybody into an atmosphere where they were comfortable was incredible. When she needed a sad moment, it was reading a diary of exactly what had happened to cause the feelings. When she needed to bring the crowd back, her comedic wit would be on display: “I’m a gamer and I’m gay… a gaymer if you will.” Constantly keeping the crowd engaged and participating, the highest moments of the show were some of the best you could ever see live. The intimacy of her sets allow for a perfect opportunity to enjoy an absolutely spectacular show from top to bottom. While we have approached the end of this tour, I do hope you give her show a chance the next time an opportunity arises.
GALLERY: mxmtoon at The 9:30 Club in Washington, DC (April 4, 2025)
