Review: MARINA @ Roadrunner 9/21
Photos courtesy of Danica Robinson
Review by Gwyneth Moe
This past Sunday, Bostonians donned their dresses, corsets, and sparkles at The Roadrunner in Allston. What caused such a flamboyant gathering, you might wonder? Well, the answer is none other than MARINA’s Princess of Power Tour.
MARINA, formerly known as Marina and the Diamonds, is a Welsh singer/songwriter who has been a major player in the alt-pop scene since her debut album “The Family Jewels” was released in 2010. However, it was her second release in 2012, “Electra Heart,” that shot her to Tumblr stardom. Over the course of her career, MARINA has released six studio albums, her latest being “PRINCESS OF POWER.”
MARINA’s show began with a performance from her opener, Mallrat, an Australian singer and rapper. I wasn’t sure what to expect from her set, but she was a great surprise. Her songs consisted of electro-pop delights. While most in the crowd had not heard of her before, they engaged and cheered louder than I have heard for an opener in quite a while. Her interaction with the crowd was playful and humorous, at one point even remarking that the true geniuses behind her latest release were the two stuffed animals she had brought on stage with her. Some of my favorite parts of her set included her song “Hocus Pocus” and her cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Radio,” which had the entire crowd singing along.
After Mallrat left the stage, it was time to prepare for the main act. Once 9 p.m. rolled around, the crowd could hardly contain their excitement for MARINA. She entered the stage decked out in typical MARINA fashion. Meaning, she had an incredibly fun outfit. MARINA wore a pink and silver long-sleeved body-suit, with long silver fringes hanging from both arms. As she addressed the crowd, the screen behind her lit up and transformed into an arcade-style video game, eventually displaying “choose your character.” Throughout the show, we traveled through the different levels of the arcade game.
LEVEL 1: Star Fields featured “PRINCESS OF POWER” and “Are You Satisfied?”, a wonderful way to start the show. Pairing a song from the newest release with one from her first, you could feel all of her eras coming together to make this set.
LEVEL 2: The Heartbreaker began with “CUPID’S GIRL” and “Hermit the Frog.” MARINA gave the audience a knowing look before announcing the third song. “This song was written by Electra Heart!” MARINA exclaimed before launching into “How to Be a Heartbreaker.”
LEVEL 3: The Cocoon featured “EVERYBODY KNOWS I’M SAD,” “I’m Not a Robot,” and “BUTTERFLY.” For me, this ‘level’ of the show illustrated the age range present in the audience. At the opening chords of “EVERYBODY KNOWS I’M SAD,” a girl rushed to pull out her phone to record herself singing along, looking deeply moved. Whether she was truly moved or just playing it up for the camera, we will never know.
LEVEL 4: Digital Fantasies continued the set with “DIGITAL FANTASY,” “Venus Fly Trap,” and “METALLIC STALLION.”
LEVEL 5: Party Paradiso lifted the crowd into even higher spirits. Beginning with a fan favorite, “Froot,” and continuing with “CUNTISSIMO,” MARINA invited Boston’s best dressed to join her on stage. As the song came to a close, the group lined up. After introducing themselves and their outfits’ themes, the crowd cheered to determine the winner. The winner was a girl who dressed in her rendition of the song “CUPID’S GIRL.” Her outfit was stunning, with a white corset, skirt, wings, and a perfectly curled wig to match.
MARINA closed out Party Paradiso with “Bubblegum Bitch,” which happens to be one of my favorite songs. The song encapsulates the satirical genius of the “Electra Heart” album. Electra Heart, the character, is not a great person, but she’s beautiful, so you should fawn over her. Much of this album is a play on American stereotypes and perceptions.
LEVEL 6: Keys to the Castle closed out the night with “FINAL BOSS,” “ROLLERCOASTER,” “Primadonna,” and “I <3 YOU.”
MARINA gave a stellar performance with incredible vocals. Her passion shone through with every song, and if you ever get the opportunity to see her live, you will not be disappointed.