Live show review (and photos): Marina and the Diamonds and MS MR at the Showbox at the Market

{All photos by Dave Lichterman.}

Brit-pop goddess Marina Diamandis (Marina and the Diamonds) stopped by Seattle Saturday night for a glam-tastic night of sugar pop, in support of her new album Electra Heart.

Brooklyn, NY-based dream pop act MS MR opened the show with a set that proved to be one of the biggest (and best) surprises of the night. Singing with a voracity that much exceeds her size, the female vocalist (who goes by Ms.) delivered an explosively stirring performance that rivaled the vocal prowess of ladies like Florence Welch and Clare Maguire.

“Welcome to the inner workings of my mind,” MS purred on their debut single “Hurricane,” – soaring effortlessly over fuzzy soul riffs and thundering euro dance beats provided by her MR counterpart. There’s something mystifying about this new act – an enigmatic quality reminiscent of the xx, but with a grander pop-friendly sensibility. It’s a quality that’s sure to take them far in months to come.

Dressed in a wedding dress worthy of a Madonna video, the Welsh pop songstress Marina opened the night with “Homewrecker,” – a spacey, percussion-driven track that had the crowd vibrating with excitement.

Whether bedecked in a pink, hip-hugging party dress or frilly sleeping gowns, Marina exudes an innocence comparable to that of a young girl, but it’s laced with sex appeal in the way she moves her hips – and the manner she leads her loyal Diamonds.

Though her music is known for its electric and upbeat stylization, one of the most magical moments of the show proved to be “State of Dreaming,” a slowed down dream track from Heart that’s both spooky and reflective.

“I live my life inside a dream/ Only waking when I sleep,” Marina croons on “Dreaming,” speaking directly to a room full of Generation Y-ers struggling with the reality that college is over (or just about to be) and shit just got real. But the softness in her demeanor and the sweetness with which she delivers makes you feel it’s OK to take a breather from it all – even if it’s just for a moment.

Ripping in to “Bubblegum Bitch,” the opening track on Heart, Marina took the stage in head to toe pink, delivering with a sugary disposition almost too syrupy to bear. And on “Primadonna,” Marina dipped the mike into the crowd, coaxing her hypnotized Diamonds in a punchy sing-along.

The night proved to be an eclectic mix of sugar and spice, peppered perfectly with hits old and new – and glazed in 80s power pop for the lover and dreamer in all of us (minus the mess of being overused and sleazy).

Marina continues to represent all the things Katy Perry was supposed to be (to me). She’s sexy and sassy and controversial in all the right doses, and like Perry, she’s got the chops to back it all up.

Yet her strengths lie in her ability to be all of this without being cliche. She doesn’t shy away from topics that make your mom uncomfortable, but she hasn’t had to kiss girls or cover herself in whipped cream to do it (though it’s probably been suggested by her doting male fans).

Marina’s voracity behind the mike, matched with her Annie Lennox sensibilities, provide an indie credibility Perry abandoned with her run on Warped Tour years ago. My only criticism? She skipped the one new track I think proves she’s got the stamina to rule the world (even if it’s for all the wrong reasons): “Sex Yeah.”

She’s quirky and enigmatic, twisted and dark. Yet she remains completely accessible and fresh. Sure, Marina might rip your Barbie’s head off – but she’ll play with it first.

Setlist: