LPX, DAYA and MARINA
Central Park Summerstage // New York, NY // September 16th, 2019
Photos and review by Jess Williams
One of my favorite parts about summer in New York City is the abundance of outdoor shows that we have, namely at Central Park Summerstage. The notable concert venue stands tall in the middle of Central Park and hosts many popular concerts throughout the summer. While the 2019 season is quickly approaching its end, there was still one last bout of fun to be had earlier this week when MARINA brought her Love + Fear tour to Summerstage.
Making a name for herself as Marina and the Diamonds, MARINA took a brief hiatus before releasing her newest record, Love + Fear, under her new name, MARINA. This being her first headlining tour since her return to music, I can promise you that Central Park’s Summerstage was packed the brim of people waiting excitedly to see the queen take the stage.
LPX
Local singer and dear friend of MARINA, LPX kicked off the night. The former lead singer of indie pop band, MS MR, performed with such passion and happiness on Monday evening. LPX’s yellowish-orange shoulder length hair flipped back and forth in the slight breeze as the setting golden hour sunlight hit her red sequin suit, causing her to sparkle across the stage as she performed. The high energy performance that LPX put on was exactly what the crowd needed in order to commence the hype in preparation for the main event.
DAYA
Up next was young pop sensation, DAYA. The 21 year old singer took the stage and opened her short but sweet set with “Sit Still, Look Pretty.” DAYA bounced from left stage to right stage all throughout her performance, with the occasional kneel down at the front of the stage to interact with front row fans. DAYA’s set also included her two hits “Hideaway” and “Don’t Let Me Down,” a Chainsmokers song which she was the featured vocalist on. During these two songs, it took me a minute to figure out who was actually headlining the show tonight as the entire venue sang along to the chorus of “Hideaway” as the bright lights illuminated the night sky.
Marina
After a lengthy set change, the lights went dark and a white mini stage was placed in the center of the stage. A white sheet was hoisted up behind the stage to be used as a projector screen and when the words “Love + Fear” were blasted onto the screen, fans started cheering and hollering. It wasn’t long before a “Marina” chant fell over the crowd and it was almost as if MARINA heard the crowd and listened to their calls because the opening chords of “Handmade Heaven” began playing. MARINA graced the stage in a shimmering silver dress and looking powerful as ever, began her show.
What I love most about seeing MARINA is her stage presence. There wasn’t a moment of the show where my attention was lost. She was constantly moving around the stage with the biggest smile on her face and her voice sounded crisp, strong and as beautiful as I expected. MARINA split her show into two sections, the first 10 songs encompassed the “Love” show, while the latter 10 songs (including the encore) encompassed the “Fear” show. MARINA’s setlist featured hits including “Primadonna Girl”, “Bubblegum Bitch” and “How To Be A Heartbreaker.”
Getting to see MARINA for the first time at one of New York’s most notable venues marked a profound and true ending to one of the best summers yet. All I have to say is that I am damn glad that MARINA is back and stronger than ever!
