MARINA @ The Anthem [DC] - 2/24/2022
MARINA at The Anthem in DC (Photo ©2022 Hailey Collins)
On a cold rainy night, MARINA (formerly known as Marina and The Diamonds) returned to Washington, D.C. for her Ancient Dreams In a Modern Land Tour. This was Marina Diamandis’s fifth time stopping at D.C. and her first time selling out The Anthem. Fans eagerly waited outside in the rain to file through the doors, many with little black hearts drawn on their cheeks.
The stage featured a minimalist setup with 4 floor-to-ceiling curtains that displayed immersive projections throughout the show. While her previous tour was heavily choreographed and featured a group of backup dancers, she decided on featuring a live band instead for this go-round.
Marina opened the show with her latest album’s title track, “Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land.” The setlist featured gems from across all of her records, equally doling out bops and ballads throughout the show, but it unfortunately lacked one of her most beloved and popular songs, Electra Heart’s “Primadonna.” Her latest record is equally weighted with tracks that touch on global issues and songs about heartbreak, but it is safe to say the crowd was most excited by the selections from her first two albums, The Family Jewels and Electra Heart. “Teen Idle” and “Are You Satisfied” elicited the most ferocious screams from fans.
Marina is an incredible performer with a knack for tongue-in-cheek lyrics, delivering lines like “I got the beauty, got the brains Got the power, hold the reins, I should be motherfuckin' crazy” with gusto and animated expressions. The tail end of her show was dedicated to themes of love and heartbreak. She closed her main set with iconic Electra Heart tracks “How To Be A Heartbreaker” and “Bubblegum Bitch” and returned to the stage for an encore of “Goodbye.”
Supporting Marina on tour is Swedish pop star, Tove Styrke. She lit up the room with disco balls and treated the audience to vibrant pop anthems including two of her biggest hits “Borderline” and “Start Walking.” Styrke’s latest single “Show Me Love,” is out now via Sony Music.
Photos by Hailey Collins
SETLIST
Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land
Venus Fly Trap
Froot
Man's World
Are You Satisfied?
I Am Not a Robot
Oh No!
Purge the Poison
Handmade Heaven
Hollywood
Happy
Forget
Can't Pin Me Down
Teen Idle
Highly Emotional People
I Love You but I Love Me More
How to Be a Heartbreaker
Bubblegum Bitch
Encore
Goodbye