Hot on the heels of their just released sophomore album (Fever, released on August 22), The Imaginaries rolled into Boulder last night for an intimate performance at Stone Cottage Studios. The husband-and-wife team of Shane Henry and Maggie McClure delivered a fabulous 12-song, hour and fifteen-minute set to a purposefully limited in-studio audience of twenty people. The performance was live streamed, with additional fans (including one very well-behaved Golden Retriever) watching and listening from two viewing rooms adjacent to the studio itself.
For The Imaginaries, it’s been anything but an overnight success story. In 2004 both Henry and McClure were pursuing their respective solo careers. Henry was prepping for a gig when his keyboard player recommended a talented newcomer he had been giving lessons to (McClure) for the opening act. The rest, as they say, is history. An initial friendship evolved into a romance, and the two married in 2011.
In the years since that initial meeting, Henry and McClure collaborated and assisted each other in their solo pursuits and backed each other up as a duo in their live shows. Along the way they decided to formally join forces, and The Imaginaries was born. In 2019, they released the holiday-themed album Hometown Christmas. They followed that up in 2021 with their self-titled, non-holiday debut. Between the release of that album, and the newly released Fever, they’ve dropped numerous singles, done dozens of sync-licensing placements in film, television, and advertisements, written and produced the soundtrack for the feature film A Cowgirl’s Song, and provided music for the Netflix movie Mending The Line, as well as the biopic Reagan. Considering all that, it’s little wonder that four and a half years have passed between the releases of the band’s freshman and sophomore albums.
It was worth the wait. Early reviews of Fever have been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling it the best Americana/roots album released thus far this year. It’s an amazing collection of a dozen songs spanning numerous styles and genres, from pop to rock to swampy blues to country. The songwriting is honest and heartfelt, joyous, and uplifting. It’s one of those albums that gets under your skin – the more you listen to it, the more you love it. Even so, it’s one thing to stream it on Spotify, or listen to it from a CD. It’s another thing altogether to hear it performed live and “unplugged,” in an intimate setting like Stone Cottage Studios.
Last night’s set included eight of the album’s twelve tracks, including all six of the songs strategically released, at seven to eight week intervals, in the year leading up to the album’s August drop date. Sprinkled into the set were a pair of covers that had been released as singles and/or as part of the Reagan motion picture soundtrack, one original from the A Cowgirl’s Song soundtrack, and the song that opened the set, the hauntingly beautiful “Walking On A Wire,” from their 2021 debut.
See full setlist below…
(Personal note: During the pre-show soundcheck, Maggie and Shane performed two additional songs from the new album, including my personal favorite “Here For You.” Now, I’m not saying they performed that song specifically for me. But in an interview I did with the couple back in July (Imaginaries Interview 07.21.25), we did talk at length about that particular song. Hmmm…)
The performance was absolutely fabulous. Just Maggie on her electric piano, and Shane on acoustic guitar and bass drum. Plus their spectacular voices. Both Maggie and Shane have incredible singing voices, but it’s when they bring them together that the magic really happens. And it doesn’t really matter whether they’re blending their voices on a tender ballad, an upbeat pop/rock tune, or anything in between. Their voices soar. The harmonies are majestic. It moves you.
But it’s not just the musical talent that shines. Maggie and Shane do a lot of talking between songs. There are stories to share. Many are amusing. Some are more tender and earnest. But all are shared enthusiastically… the way you would share a favorite story with your best friend over lunch. Maggie and Shane are just so honest, and genuine, and… real. Toward the end of the set, Shane apologized that they had spent so much time talking between songs. Based on the reaction from the crowd, I don’t think the apology was necessary.
You see, the stories behind the songs are as important as the songs themselves. Whether written by one of them individually, or the two of them working collaboratively, the songs The Imaginaries write, record, and perform have meaning. Some, like the breathtakingly beautiful “Constant” and “Here For You,” pull at your heartstrings for all they’re worth. Those two songs were written during times when one or the other were struggling. Maggie penned “Constant” for Shane, and Shane wrote “Here For You” for Maggie. Both are about providing support for the person you love so very, very much. They are beautiful, and they have deep, deep meaning.
“Whole Lotta Living” is a rollicking ode to the joy of life. “Little By Little” is a country flavored tune about resilience and perseverance. While “I Knew It Was You” is literally the story of how the couple met, and their early years together, it ultimately sends a message of optimism and hope that things will work out for the best, all wrapped up in a pop/country package that is sure to get your toes tapping. A similar message is delivered, in a very different style, in the absolutely gorgeous “Lucky Ones,” the song that closes the new album, and also closed last night’s show. Just acoustic guitar and Maggie’s and Shane’s incredible vocals, in a song that touches the heart deeply and completely.
I think you get the point. Incredible songs. Exceptional musical talent. Outstanding showmanship. The Imaginaries are indeed special, and last night they treated a small but mighty crowd to an evening they won’t soon forget.
The Imaginaries are in the early days of a nationwide tour that runs through November 8. Check out their full schedule at Imaginaries Fall 2025 Tour (click on the Tour button from the homepage). They don’t have a return to Colorado scheduled, but if you page down to the bottom of the list, there’s a “Request A Show” button I would encourage you to click on. I just did… with some luck perhaps we can get them to swing back through, and perhaps play a larger venue, to give more Denver area music lovers a chance to experience the magic of The Imaginaries for themselves.
Before I go… A MASSIVE shoutout goes to the fine folks at Stone Cottage Studios in Boulder. Many thanks to Jamie and Davis Maynard for touring me through the studio (and inviting me to jam in their multiple listening rooms) when I visited them a couple of weeks before the show. And more thanks to Davis, Will and Peter for being such gracious hosts last night. The tagline for the studio is “For The Love Of Music,” and their mission is simple… To help musicians “Rise” – be seen, heard, and understood. Check them out at https://www.stonecottagestudios.com/.
Story and pictures by Rick Witt www.rickwittphotography.com
