The mile-long queue outside the venue was proof in itself of just how many people are devoted to the hardworking, dedicated artist that is Marina and the Diamonds. Her influence is evident in everyone there; a myriad of fans wearing hearts on their cheeks (but never on their sleeves), young teens experimenting with fashion, groups of friends, middle-aged couples – a diverse fan-base, united by their love of excellently produced pop music.
At 8pm, the endearingly awkward Shura and her band took to the stage and threw themselves into an energetic track with tight, deep beats that thudded in your chest. The band created a surging, synth-driven base over which Shura layered her sweet, soaring vocals – often reminiscent of an early Madonna, with subtle hints of Siouxsie Sioux. Many 80s influences can be identified in most of her repertoire, though she also parallels her electro-pop contemporaries such as Jessie Ware and Portishead. There’s definitely a semblance of Elizabeth Fraser in her vocal style, as well as the unmistakeable influence of Sinead O’Connor in the new single ‘Touch’. The sound that she and her band produce is cuttingly sharp, and they emulate joy on stage, which is lovely to watch. For all the success Shura has enjoyed recently, she seemed genuinely humbled by the audience’s reaction – a promising precursor to the release of her debut album later this year.
The atmosphere before Marina’s set was tense. Cryptic cartoons flashed onto the screens, accompanied by eerie music with subtle hints of her early songs. The band took their instruments and, sauntering onto the stage clad in a skin-tight, shimmering ensemble, Marina and the Diamonds burst into a charged rendition of ‘Mowgli’s Road’. What struck me most about this show was the transition, in terms of the visual aspect, from her last tour to this. Marina has definitely exaggerated her live show in correlation with her ever-increasing success. It was evident that this tour had been planned down to the minutiae; the staging was arranged to accentuate Marina’s status as a solo artist, separate from her band, flanked by huge screens that showed gaudy cartoons and animations which corresponded to the set list. Marina Diamandis has never needed to improve her performance technique – she is an outstanding entertainer – and she’s always been lovably, fantastically tacky, but her show overall has become noticeably more refined, making it more of an experience rather than just a lo-fi gig.
This was demonstrated perhaps most significantly by the show’s structure. Split into three ‘acts’ (representing her three albums), separated by an outfit change and thematic animations, she selected her favourite songs from each album. Her vocals stayed immaculately faithful to her studio recordings, even to the smallest ad-libs and vocalisations; I’m unsure whether I commend this or not. When she sat down to play the piano for ‘Obsessions’ and ‘Happy’, she had more freedom for improvisation; however, for energetic numbers such as ‘Oh No!’, ‘Bubblegum Bitch’ and ‘Froot’, she consciously invested herself in other aspects of the performance, such as her dancing, thus kept the vocal variation to a minimum.
Marina works incredibly hard on stage, completely overshadowing her backing band. The musicians do her bidding – they are enthusiastic, virtuosic – but no one paid them much attention when Marina stood majestically at the centre, with the crowd in the palm of her hand. During most songs, Marina often left the vocals and offered the microphone in confidence to the audience, knowing that they would fill in the words. This self-assurance is well-justified; her adoring fans obliged, proving there was no need for backing vocalists – we provided them as a collective.
Marina and the Diamonds put on a show that was visually stunning, vocally perfect, and structurally very well-oiled. In terms of song selection, she really delivered. Playing old favourites ‘Hollywood’, hit single ‘Primadonna’, new material from ‘Froot’, and even a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s ‘True Colours’, every track was a crowd-pleaser. Her gratitude is refreshing, too – she humbly stated how lucky she feels to make music as a profession, and expressed her love of relating ‘to other human beings’ through music. That’s one of the loveliest things about a show such as this; singing your heart out to all the fan favourites, and feeling a connection with all the other strangers in the audience.
Words by Zia Larty-Healy