Marina / Pussy Riot @ the Factory in Deep Ellum, Dallas, TX

Words and photos by Scott Rowe

It's been a hot-minute (over two COVID years) since Marina, aka Marina Diamandis and of the past namesake of Marina and the Diamonds, has performed at the formerly-named-yet-accurate Bomb Factory in Dallas. Now the politically-correct named Factory in Deep Ellum hosted the Welsh singer for another bombastic performance of amazingly-constructed pop songs. Since her last visit in September of 2019 with the Love + Fear Tour, Marina has released her fifth album, Ancient Dreams of a Modern Land, which is also the namesake of her 2022 world tour. Bringing along Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot fame as support, the duo would create a vivid performance that would leave fans wanting more.

Under the glaring red lights of the Factory stage, Nadya of Pussy Riot, flanked by two masked dancers, proceeded to create a dance party for the building Dallas crowd. Dressed in a black corset and skirt with red thigh-high boots, Nadya played the part of DJ and emcee of the performance, triggering songs and singing along with their massive beats. While her dialogue was fairly minimal, it definitely had purpose. From her thoughts on abortion and the ongoing invasion in Ukraine, her voice is amplified by her experiences and her willingness to express real feelings with no apprehension. While the performance itself was tame in Pussy Riot lore, it met its goals in having fun in the moment but to also look at the greater picture and continue to speak for the rights of everyone.

By the time the clock struck 9PM, the Factory crowd had grown well throughout the general admission floor and those who had been waiting for hours eagerly awaited Marina. As the house lights grew dim, the exhilaration of the crowd poured out as Marina, her four-piece band, and a lone backup singer made their way on stage. Under a swath of orange light, Marina proceeded to open the show with "Ancient Dreams of a Modern World", the opening track of her latest release and the namesake of the current tour. From someone who had not yet had the pleasure of seeing Marina perform live, the one thing that stood out throughout her 90-minute performance was her amazing vocals. I've seen lots of bands and lots of singers, but Marina has an exceptional set of pipes and she did not waste time in showcasing them.

Dressed in a leopard print catsuit, Marina mesmerized the Factory crowd with cuts like "Venus Fly Trap" and "I Am Not a Robot", while making sure to touch seven of the ten tracks from Ancient Dreams of a Modern Land. While the bulk of the show was molded in pure pop fashion, performances such as "Happy", as she played the grand piano onstage, truly showcase her outstanding vocal ability and the vulnerability within her songwriting that makes her such a relatable artist. During "Purge the Poison", Nadya and her two masked dancers joined Marina onstage and proceeded to whip the Factory crowd into a frenzy. The one-song collaboration kicked the show into high-gear and ended with Marina hugging Nadya as she walked off stage.

With a fairly minimal production with flowing fabric panels that displayed graphics throughout the night and exquisite lighting, Marina proved she was the star of the show with her uncanny ability to connect with the fans, channel deafening singalongs, and put everything she had into her performance. The almost 90-minute set ended with "Primadonna", her highest-charted single from her 2012 release, Electra Heart (under the name Marina and the Diamonds). Much like Marina herself, this show was a breath of fresh air in a world full of darkness and uncertainty and I look forward to her return to the Metroplex.

Photos of the show are below:

Pussy Riot