REVIEW: 3 Takeaways from Not For Radio's Show at The Fox Theatre
Today's queen of alt-pop turns ATL's legendary theatre into "A Summer in the Forest"
Last year, I was able to catch The Marías’ evening set at Shaky Knees as they closed the festival’s Piedmont stage on opening night. Sitting on a hillside eating a basket of tenders and fries, I found myself entranced with the group’s sound, stage design, and near-perfect recreation of their records in a live environment. I was certainly familiar to their online hits and acclaimed albums, but that performance gave me a new appreciation for their style.
Fast forward almost a year later, and the band’s lead singer (and namesake) María Zardoya is filling up the Fox Theatre for her latest solo project, Not For Radio. Beyond just a standard concert, the tour—titled “A Summer in the Forest”—utilized a timeless Atlanta venue to tell a story of heartbreak and change through songs from NFR’s 2025 album Melt and its EP follow-up Bloom. Here are my 3 main takeaways from Zardoya’s return to Atlanta.
WHAT I SAW: The Duality of the Swan
The main focus of Not for Radio’s summer tour is a theatrical, almost abstract telling of Zardoya’s character through the life of a swan. Divided into three acts, the stage changed with different weather and feather effects, symbolizing seasons and the changes between the white and black swan. She also continued this portrayal by wearing different jackets throughout the show (one for the white swan at the beginning, and the other for the black swan in the last act). The show also forwent the standard encore setup, only to end with a bow from the cast and backing band. The Fox Theatre felt like the perfect location for a concert so inspired by the art of classic drama, tragedies, and ballets.
WHAT I HEARD: Zardoya’s Iconic Voice Sounds Just as Good Live
As I said when I saw her at Shaky Knees 2025, I was floored by just how close Zardoya’s live vocals sounded to the original recordings. The same can be said here: it’s shocking how well she is able to replicate her signature, hypnotic high-pitched voice at her concerts. It also helps that Not For Radio’s small but solid discography carries its own weight. Sure, everyone in the theatre reached to record her rendition of The Marías’ “No One Noticed,” but it’s the only song from their catalog featured in the setlist (very fittingly in the context of the story as well). The songs from Melt and Bloom are designed to be heard in this setting, and I personally would not want the set to break away too much from the main plot, even if those older tracks still hit.
WHAT I FELT: A Homecoming Performance a Lifetime in the Making
Zardoya shared an anecdote before and during her homecoming performance at The Fox Theatre, revealing that it’s her first theatre she ever went to. Growing up in Snellville, she recalled seeing a performance of Peter Pan and hoping to one day do that herself. This connection made every small moment—in or out of character—feel impactful. There’s something about watching someone achieve their dreams in real time that inspires me to always keep reaching further. Seeing a solo performance this grandiose in her packed-out hometown haven was worth the price of admission alone.
If you like The Marías or their contemporaries at any level, you’ll love Not For Radio. I don’t know how much longer the project will continue to tour (with her other group and a lengthy run of global shows/festivals under Zardoya’s belt), but whatever’s next for the vision, I’m sold.
Article and photos by Mikey Smith. Please credit @mts2.photo or @art.seen.atl if reposting on social media.
