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Co-sponsored by ViCE After Hours and the Class of 2011, the Marina and the Diamonds show at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 27, provided acoustic music lovers at Vassar with a fun and relaxing way to start the weekend.
ViCE After Hours Chair Max Kutner ’11 opened the show with a solo performance, followed by Carsten Rodin ’11. Both student singer/song writers captivated the audience, creating an intimate atmosphere in the College Center main purpose room.
As Marina and the Diamonds took the stage, a spark of interest hit the alerted the listeners in the room, which had gradually become a lot more crowded.
Marina and the Diamonds is the current music project of a London-based artist, Marina Diamond, who recorded a single with the Neon Gold record company of Lizzy Plapinger ’10 and her friend Derek Davies. Currently working on a full album, she has already stirred excitement among alternative music lovers on the internet.
Marina, who usually plays with a band, was a bit excited before her performance, to present a solo acoustic keyboard show. She seemed still a bit anxious as she started her show with “I’m Not a Robot,” although she was decidedly in full command of the keyboard and her voice. By the end of the song, she definitely grew more self-assured.
She continued the show with her other pieces, including the most renowned “Obsessions,” along with some of her new works.
“Her voice is refreshingly different from a lot of today’s popular music,” said Kutner, who feels that the unique style of Marina and the Diamonds is a part of her appeal. He added, “Her songs are catchy and fun, but also have depth.”
Marina described her musical style as “theatrical or alternative pop,” in an exclusive interview with The Miscellany News, adding that her music is “very dramatic.” Her songs are indeed theatrical; they’re full of energy and wild emotions. Marina’s voice is also unique in that it maintains the high level spirit, while at the same time sounding elegantly calm. Each syllable in her original lyrics is stressed with a different sensation, with sudden ups and downs surrounding agitation, desire and even melancholy at times.
After last night’s successful show, After Hours still has three more concerts planned for the rest of the year, including its annual pre-Founder’s Day show. “The event was a total success,” Kutner said. “We had a great crowd and the audience was really into it.”
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