Marina and the Diamonds puts on a ‘Hollywood’ performance

Pop princess, Marina and the Diamonds performed in Lincoln for the first time on Sunday, October 14th.

It was clear just how much Marina has inspired her “diamonds,” with some fans perhaps even bordering on “Obsessions.” Many arrived with small hearts painted on their cheeks mimicking her kitsch pop style.

Support on the night came from The Foxes, performing songs including “Beauty Queen” and “White Coats”, with strong female vocals and an indie rock sound.

A huge heart shape in fluorescent tube lighting hung at the back of the set, flickering into life and forming the words “Electra Heart,” as an old fifties television set counted down Marina’s entrance.

The lights revealed a stage littered with props, including a long chaise-lounge style sofa and a hat stand, along with a vintage-look sign holding the words “Lonely Hearts Club Lincoln.”

The tension built as her band members appeared one by one and started playing, until Marina stepped on-stage amidst huge screams from the crowd. In a black two piece outfit, skyscraper heels and back to her natural brunette hair, she looked every inch the feminine fifties pop star.

Donning a wedding veil and holding a posy, Marina threw the flowers into the audience as she rather ironically burst into the lively “Homewrecker” to start the night.

After a few words to the Lincoln onlookers, Marina swapped the veil for a pair of bright red Hollywood style glasses for “Oh No!” It was clear how pop culture has influenced the singer, as images of cult stars, such as Marilyn Monroe, flashed across the small retro TV set behind her.

The set continued with a blend of newer material from album, “Electra Heart,” but also with a few numbers harking back to Marina’s early career.

With a little help from the crowd, Marina went straight into the electro beats of “Mowgli’s Road”- one of the songs that saw her break on to the music scene, back in 2008. The melodic, but beautifully haunting, “Lies” that followed had hands in the air and arms swaying, as Marina’s voice shone through.

At times, it was surprising how much effort Marina put into performing – not just through her vocals, but visually too. While more lively numbers like “I’m Not a Robot” had her twirling round the stage and working up the audience, other songs seemed to burst with emotion.

“The State of Dreaming” had the audience captivated with its heartfelt lyrics, as she stood staring out into the crowd wearing a glamorous Hollywood-style dressing gown, which billowed out behind her.

At one point, Marina lay on a chaise-lounge sofa to sing, almost as if the audience were her therapist, before sitting up to belt out the rest of the song.

The set was slowed down further as Marina sat at a piano to play “Obsessions,” and the crowd fell almost silent as the piano notes and strong vocals filled the venue.

However, Marina didn’t seem afraid to show a quirky side to herself either. She brought out a toy dog on stage, introducing the audience to her friend, Marilyn. Marina said she “selflessly rescued Marilyn from a rehab kennel for meth addict pups in LA,” before setting her down on stage to help perform “Primadonna.”

“Shampain” saw Marina showcase her American influences and bring out the props once more, as she threw a popcorn box full of glitter onto the audience, before donning a yellow cheerleader’s pom-pom and a tray of fast food for “Hollywood.”

Towards the end of the set, Marina left the stage for a few seconds, to come back on, donning a large glitter heart strapped to her waist for the fast-paced “Radioactive”, which reached 25 in the music charts back in 2011. Marina ended with the soul-searching, “Fear and Loathing.”

Treating the audience to an encore, there was yet another costume change for Marina. This time with a short prom-style dress and sash. However, there was a bitter-sweet twist, as she explained the sash was from “the only beauty pageant I’ve ever won,” as she went on to perform “Teen Idle” on piano.

Newest hit, “How To Be a Heartbreaker” saw the crowd jumping and finished off the night full of energy, with some audience members shouting their undying love to the singer as she linked hands and took a bow with her band afterwards.

If Marina and the Diamonds keep up such strong vocals and quirky performances as she demonstrated at the Engine Shed, Marina will undoubtedly be at the heart of many fans for a long time to come.