Before MUNA was close to hitting the stage at Music Hall of Williamsburg, the girls, the gays, and the theys were lined around the block, ready to sprint to the barricade. MUNA is a Los Angeles-based trio made up of Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, and Josette Maskin, known for their emotional synth-pop sound, but even more for the safe haven they create for their queer fanbase. Fans sporting everything from oversized jorts to micro sunglasses, all excited to witness the final set of MUNA’s Dancing On The Wall album release show. Their May 19 performance concluded a sold-out four-night run at the intimate 650-person venue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This release is especially exciting for fans who’ve waited for this album drop since 2022, which touches on a wide variety of themes from political rage to queer desire. I had the chance to speak with a few concert-goers before the show and asked them the hard-hitting questions, including: “Which MUNA song made you realize you weren’t straight?” Some of the answers I got were about the emotional yearning in Stayaway, having known since the first note of I Know a Place, and a group outing their friend for crying to Kind of Girl. Everyone I spoke to before the show was welcoming and kind, creating a small community before the music even started. 
MUNA emerged under glowing red concert lights around 9 PM and opened with It Gets So Hot, a fitting song for NYC’s warmest day of the year so far, hitting 95 ℉. Gavin’s vocals took center stage, while McPherson controlled synths on the right and Maskin jumped around with their guitar across the stage. The crowd’s hands were thrown in the air, beads of sweat pulsing down their faces, embodying the track’s double entendre of a city’s physical heat and the intensity of lust in a relationship. It completely set the tone for the crowd to feel hot and uninhibited for the next hour and a half with their favourite band. The crowd screamed Eastside Girls back to the band, strobe lights in sync with the beat as the floor shook during the final chorus. During the track, Wannabe, Maskin led the crowd in clapping to the beat, making the room feel alive. MUNA brought a different demeanour during Big Stick, speaking on media manipulation and collective liberation. MUNA is inherently politicized because of what they stand for, and this is their boldest statement yet on the current political climate. When the track finished, Gavin spoke on finding relief in a space to be angry together and put words to it. This is what separates MUNA from other indie-pop bands: their humanity and relatability to the community that they’ve built over the past 13 years. A couple of songs later, Gavin gave a shout out to Celeste Yim in the crowd, writer/comedian and inspiration for Girl’s Girl, a pop-rock track touching on queer social dynamics. The chemistry between the trio was clear throughout the entire performance. Gavin shining with vocals and dance breaks, Maskin headbanging across the stage with their guitar, and McPherson taking the occasional lead vocal made the crowd go electric. 
MUNA exited the stage in darkness after their song Buzzkiller, only to re-emerge a few minutes later and finish the night off with some of their classics like Stayaway, I Know a Place, and Silk Chiffon. The room erupted throughout these songs, with Gavin commenting on how loud and passionate the crowd was. I was amazed at the lack of phones held up in the air in these moments. At most concerts I go to now, everyone immediately pulls out their phone during the most popular songs. This crowd was locked in and held space for the present moment. I personally had a lot of friends who weren’t able to secure tickets and wished MUNA had played a bigger venue. I had agreed with their perspectives initially, but this space felt different from other tour shows; it was intimate and created a unique atmosphere of connection. I don’t think any other venue could have had a room full of mostly strangers moving collectively, unguarded, in pure joy. The night was cathartic for everyone in the crowd, including me. MUNA will continue with their larger headlining tour, the Gets So Hot Tour, starting September 17 in Phoenix. And they’ll make their grand return to NYC as headliners for the All Things Go NYC music festival at Forest Hills Stadium. Stay up to date on the band by following them on Instagram @whereismuna for updates on new music and tours!
Article & Photos By Alycia Gimler (@byalyciagimler)
