Marina & The Diamonds @ The Engine Shed

Half Welsh, half Greek singer Marina Lambrini Diamandis began to taste fame in 2009, following the release of several EPs and singles. But it wasn’t until a year later, in 2010, when Marina & the Diamonds really hit it off with fans. Hollywood and I Am Not A Robot sported  quirky yet soulful sounds, and this combined with some catchy relatable lyrics was  the perfect recipe for a super songstress. And that she is. Her first album, The Family Jewels, hit an impressive number 5 in the UK charts, and the follow up, Electra Heart, took a more poppy turn, but shot to number 1 regardless.

Now on a UK tour for her second studio album, Electra Heart, Marina is venturing to venues she didn’t go on the first leg of her tour earlier in the year. One of these was in Lincoln. The Engine Shed is a rather

large venue, and whilst the gig wasn’t a sell out, the atmosphere was electric. Even before Marina came on, the crowd was alive with excitement, screaming and chanting her name for several minutes before she actually appeared. Cheeks covered in little hearts, it was clear that most of the audience idolised Marina, and she idolises them just as much (the diamonds in her stage name actually refers to her fans, not the band as you might expect.)She performed an equal blend of Marina classics and Electra Heart songs alike. Starting the gig in a shiny wedding style dress (veil and all) she belted out an incredible rendition of Homewrecker, a tune which depicts a woman who can’t fall properly in love due to being content with breaking hearts. This was followed by some true bubblegum pop in the form of Oh No! and Mowgli’s Road, which work beautifully together to express Marina’s goals and fears of failing at these.  Other fan favourites like Shampain, Power & Control, Lies and Hollywood also made an appearance during the gig, much to the delight of the singing audience.

After an encore, she graced the stage with her presence one final time, closing the show with How To Be A Heartbreaker. Marina’s fixation with the so called American Dream shone throughout the whole performance. Her lyrics express this desire too, seeping with emotion, sadness and dreams gone wrong.

Another major part of the performance was the visuals and props. Varying from a toy dog called Marilyn (which she “rescued” in America and sang Primadonna with) to a proper old school style TV, she completely captured the crowd with her creativity and inventive unique ideas.  It can easily be argued that Marina thrives in this environment. Singing directly to her diamonds, she sounded better than ever whilst live. She hit every note perfectly, and seemed to develop more soul and vibrancy as the gig went on. Reacting to various things said by members of the crowd, she made it obvious that she was paying attention. She’s incredibly talented, and after the success of her newest album, it’s clear that she’s loved by many.  Go Electra!