Neon Nature Tour

The Neon Nature Tour is the third concert tour by Welsh recording artist Marina and the Diamonds in support of her third studio album, Froot (2015). The tour was officially announced three months after the release of the album, on June 23, 2015. The tour began on October 12, 2015, in Houston, Texas at the Revention Music Center and concluded on March 20, 2016, in Santiago, Chile, with a total of fifty-two shows over six months.

Neon Nature Tour
Tour by Marina and the Diamonds
Associated albumFroot
Start dateOctober 12, 2015 (2015-10-12)
End dateMarch 20, 2016 (2016-03-20)
Legs3
No. of shows52
Marina and the Diamonds concert chronology

Background

After the release of Froot, Diamandis embarked on a promotional concert tour that was mostly composed of festival performances during the spring and summer of 2015. During the series of promotional concerts, Diamandis expressed an interest in doing a formal concert tour in the fall of that year. In April 2015, when speaking about the tour, Diamandis said "I think I’m calling my tour the Neon Nature tour. Creating this cyber garden on-stage, something exotic, but electrical."[1]

Two months after the initial idea was expressed, on June 23, 2015, the tour's North American leg was officially announced with nineteen dates over two months.[2] About two weeks after the tour's initial announcement, on July 6, 2015, the tour's European leg was announced with ten dates across the United Kingdom and Ireland.[3] As the tour began to develop, additional dates were added to both legs of the tour.

On April 5, 2016, Diamandis posted a picture to Instagram following the conclusion of her tour, along with a statement on Twitter,[4] marking the end of the Froot era, with Weeds being the only track on the album never performed live in the entirety of the Froot era and her career.[5]

Development

In the months leading up to the tour, Diamandis began to tease what the tour's visual concept and theme would be. In an interview, Diamandis stated, "With the Neon Nature Tour, I really like the idea of taking natural things and blending them. I feel like it's something I’m always interested in anyway, and I feel like it's also something a lot of people connect to, like, 'How can you live a life that's natural while still progressing and being part of the technological world.' So the themes for Neon Nature involve a lot of flowers, fruit, very surreal elements … but it's definitely the biggest kind of tour I’ve ever done production-wise. I want to see what people think." She also revealed how the setlist would be structured as well as what type of merchandise will be for sale on the tour. When speaking of the setlist for the tour, Diamandis stated, "I have three acts in the show. My first act is devoted to my first album (The Family Jewels), the second is my second album, and the third is Froot. It's something I’ve wanted to do for a while. Each era has such a defined look that it didn’t make sense for me to mix them. I quite like theatre, and this is a theatrical show. It felt good to put it into three acts. I don’t think that often happens in alternative shows."[6] When discussing what the merchandise stand would consist of, Diamandis exclaimed, "Well, I plan to go one up from what I’ve done in the past. I really want to do scratch and sniff T-shirts. Maybe those Global Hypercolor ones. I want to put my colour palette onto eye shadows and nail varnish. I also want glow in the dark T-shirts that people can buy and then be part of the show."[7]

Concert synopsis

The show is split into three acts, each one devoted to an album by Diamandis, beginning with "The Family Jewels". During most, but not all, shows, the show is performed on a double stage, comprising the venue's original stage floor and a balcony-style stage above three video screens.

Diamandis wearing one of the two outfits designed by Paula Knorr for "The Family Jewels" section.

The show's opener, "Mowgli's Road" is performed. While during most of the United Kingdom and North American leg of the tour, Diamandis enters wearing either one of two outfits designed by Paula Knorr, featuring headbands with two jewels on them. During the European and South American leg of the tour, some of the shows started with Diamandis entering and performing "Mowgli's Road" in an outfit designed by Celia Kritharioti. The show continues with "I Am Not a Robot" and "Oh No!"; Diamandis briefly talks to the audience and moves to a keyboard to perform "Obsessions" while the video screens display footage from Betty Boop shorts. This section closes with a performance of "Hollywood" amid scenes of animated Hollywood. Diamandis leaves the stage for a costume change.

Opening the next section, a remixed version of "Electra Heart" is played by the band alongside a video interlude where Diamandis' face is seen flowing to her signature Electra Heart look while the album's title flashes. While an interlude of "Bubblegum Bitch" is played, a silhouette of Diamandis appears on the screens, and Diamandis enters with pompoms and the signature heart on her left cheek. At most of the concerts, Diamandis enters wearing a pink catsuit designed by Austin Louis Perry, while some of the other concerts she is seen wearing an outfit also designed by Austin Louis Perry with a pink catsuit and holographic bell bottoms on her arms and legs. She begins to perform an energetic performance of "Bubblegum Bitch" with the video screens displaying various phrases such as "Tweet Me", "Marry Me", "Cwtch Me" ("cwtch" is Welsh for "cuddle" or "hug"), "Miracles Happen". After the first chorus, she throws the pompoms back in a sassy manner. The next number played was "Teen Idle". In 2016, the graphics changed with phrases that say "Welcome to the life of Electra Heart" and "Marilyn is the only one who understands" (Earlier in the tour, "Radioactive" was performed instead of "Teen Idle"). This is followed by "How to Be a Heartbreaker". "Primadonna" is performed after Diamandis re-introduces the robotic poodle "Marilyn", who also made an appearance in the majority of "The Lonely Hearts Club Tour". The section closes with a performance of "Lies" where lights start flashing around the stage, and Diamandis exits for another costume change.

Outfit designed by Michael Costello for the "Froot" section.

The next section opens with a video interlude displaying Diamandis' Electra Heart look transforming to her face as seen in the cover of "Froot", with a starry background and various fruits as well as the album's name flashing on the screen. Diamandis re-appears above the video screens. and at most concerts, wearing a sparkly blue catsuit with similar colored cape attached and similar colored cherries used as a head accessory, with the outfit designed by Michael Costello and the headpiece by Piers Atkinson. Other outfits were such as a green catsuit with bell bottom "sleeves" and a blue catsuit with fabric flowing from the sleeves, both designed by Burnt Soul. She begins to perform "Froot"; following this she moves to the lower stage and performs "Savages", "Can't Pin Me Down" and "I'm A Ruin" (From December 1 to 3, 2015, "Gold"; And at some shows "Solitaire" was performed). "Forget" is performed next (At some shows, "True Colours", a Cyndi Lauper cover song was performed after "Forget"), then "Immortal", where home video footage is seen on the screens. After briefly leaving the stage, Diamandis begins the encore by performing "Happy" against a starry background; the show ends with a performance of "Blue" with snippets of the music video playing on the screens. Diamandis then thanks the audience for coming, introduces her band members, takes one final bow with her band and exits the stage.

Critical reception

The tour was well-received by fans and critics and got positive reviews. Frank Mojica from the Chicago-based online magazine Consequence of Sound praised the 19 October 2015 show in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre, calling it "A pop experience that's all pleasure and no guilt".[8] Reviewing the 23 November Manchester concert at The Ritz, Annaliese Watkins from the Manchester Evening News gave a positive review, saying: "As always, the show was cartoonish and flashy in its production, a trait which fails to distract from Marina's incredible vocals, glorious glam-rock get-ups and ever-surprising lyrics"[9]

Broadcast

The performance on November 4, 2015 in Boston was live-streamed by Yahoo,[10][11] and the show on March 12, 2016 at Lollapalooza Brasil was streamed through Internet Worldwide and TV in Brazil. On November 11, 2015 Diamandis performed an exclusive and intimate Neon Nature Tour show at the New York Hall of Science which was recorded for an episode of the Live from the Artists Den TV series. The episode was aired through television on April 24, 2016.[12][13]

Set list

This setlist is representative of the show on February 25, 2016. It does not represent all dates throughout the tour.

Act 1: The Family Jewels

  1. "Mowgli's Road"
  2. "I Am Not a Robot"
  3. "Oh No!"
  4. "Obsessions"
  5. "Hollywood"

Act 2: Electra Heart

  1. "Bubblegum Bitch"
  2. "Teen Idle"
  3. "How to Be a Heartbreaker"
  4. "Primadonna"
  5. "Lies"

Act 3: Froot

  1. "Froot"
  2. "Savages"
  3. "Can't Pin Me Down"
  4. "I'm a Ruin"
  5. "Forget"
  6. "Immortal"

Encore

  1. "Happy"
  2. "Blue"
Notes
  • From October 12 to November 3, 2015, "Radioactive" was originally performed instead of "Teen Idle".
  • From December 1 to 3, 2015, "Gold" was performed.
  • At some shows, "Solitaire" was performed.
  • At some shows, "True Colours" (Cyndi Lauper cover) was performed.

Shows
Date City Country Venue Opening acts Attendance Revenue[14][15]
North America[16][17]
October 12, 2015 Houston United States Revention Music Center Shamir N/A N/A
October 13, 2015 Austin Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater 2,200 / 2,200 $61,600
October 14, 2015 Dallas South Side Ballroom N/A N/A
October 16, 2015 Tempe Marquee Theatre
October 17, 2015 Pomona Pomona Fox Theater Christine and the Queens 2,000 / 2,000 $60,000[14]
October 19, 2015 Los Angeles Greek Theatre N/A N/A
October 20, 2015 Oakland Fox Oakland Theatre
October 21, 2015 2,800 / 2,800 $98,000
October 23, 2015 Portland Roseland Theater N/A N/A
October 24, 2015 Vancouver Canada Commodore Ballroom
October 25, 2015 Seattle United States Paramount Theatre
October 27, 2015 Salt Lake City The Complex
October 28, 2015 Denver Ogden Theatre
October 30, 2015 Minneapolis Northrop Auditorium
October 31, 2015 Chicago Riviera Theatre 2,510 / 2,510 $77,810
November 2, 2015 Toronto Canada Rebel N/A N/A
November 3, 2015 Montreal Métropolis 2,274 / 2,274 $60,882
November 4, 2015 Boston United States House of Blues Boston 2,425 / 2,489 $74,085
November 6, 2015 Washington, D.C. Lincoln Theatre N/A N/A
November 7, 2015 Philadelphia Electric Factory
November 9, 2015 New York City Terminal 5
November 10, 2015
November 11, 2015[lower-alpha 1] New York Hall of Science N/A
Europe[18]
November 20, 2015 Cambridge England Corn Exchange Clock Opera N/A N/A
November 21, 2015 Bournemouth O2 Academy Bournemouth
November 23, 2015 Manchester The Ritz Rivrs
November 24, 2015 Newcastle upon Tyne O2 Academy Newcastle
November 25, 2015 Glasgow Scotland O2 ABC Glasgow Clock Opera
November 27, 2015 Birmingham England The Institute
November 28, 2015 Cardiff Wales The Great Hall
December 1, 2015 Belfast Northern Ireland The Limelight
December 2, 2015 Dublin Ireland The Academy
December 3, 2015
December 6, 2015 London England London Palladium
February 16, 2016 Glasgow Scotland O2 Academy Glasgow Kloe[19]
February 17, 2016 Leeds England O2 Academy Leeds Shura
February 18, 2016 Manchester Manchester Academy
February 20, 2016 London Roundhouse
February 21, 2016
February 24, 2016 Brussels Belgium Cirque Royal Aprile
February 25, 2016 Utrecht Netherlands Tivoli Lghtnng
February 26, 2016 The Hague Paard van Troje PollyAnna
February 28, 2016 Tourcoing France Le Grand Mix Lys
February 29, 2016 Stuttgart Germany Im Wizemann N/A
March 2, 2016 Prague Czech Republic Incheba Arena Light & Love
March 3, 2016 Budapest Hungary Akvárium Klub Mary PopKids
March 5, 2016 Athens Greece Piraeus Academy Ilia Darlin
South America
March 11, 2016 São Paulo Brazil Audio Club N/A 1,552 / 3,000 $57,583
March 12, 2016[lower-alpha 2] Autódromo de Interlagos N/A N/A
March 16, 2016 Buenos Aires Argentina Teatro Vorterix
March 19, 2016[lower-alpha 3] San Isidro Hipódromo de San Isidro
March 20, 2016[lower-alpha 4] Santiago Chile Parque O'Higgins
Total 15,791 / 17,273 (91.4%) $489,360

Notes
  1. The show on November 11, 2015 in New York City was an exclusive performance for the Live from the Artists Den TV series.
  2. The show on March 12, 2016 in São Paulo was part of Lollapalooza Brazil.
  3. The show on March 19, 2016 in Buenos Aires was part of Lollapalooza Argentina.
  4. The show on March 20, 2016 in Santiago was part of Lollapalooza Chile.
gollark: Degree?
gollark: `let 2 + 2 = 5 in 2 + 2` is totally valid (but undefined for anything but `2 + 2`).
gollark: There actually are programming languages where `=` just defines relations between things and variables can't be mutated. Notably Haskell.
gollark: There's a "gimbal lock" thing where the angle way is unable to represent some directions.
gollark: They're better than yaw/pitch/roll angles in some situations.

References
  1. Bennett, Kim Taylor (April 3, 2015). "Marina and the Diamonds: "I Conquered a Fear About Who I Was And What I Was Capable Of"". Noisey. Vice Media, Inc. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  2. Marotta, Michael (June 23, 2015). "Marina & The Diamonds Announce Neon Nature Fall Tour, Finally Give Us Another Boston Club Date". Vanyaland. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  3. "Marina and the Diamonds Announces UK & Ireland Neon Nature Tour". DIY. July 6, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  4. https://twitter.com/MarinasDiamonds/status/717480101164818432
  5. http://websta.me/p/1221985119181797554_191172365
  6. Gokhman, Roman (October 16, 2015). "Interview: Marina and the Diamonds brings 'FROOT' to Oakland". The Bay Bridge. Silver Systems. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  7. Cragg, Michael (January 30, 2015). "Marina and the Diamonds: 'I killed Electra Heart with sleeping pills'". The Guardian. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  8. "Live Review: Marina and the Diamonds at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre (10/19)". Consequence of Sound. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  9. "Review: Marina and the Diamonds @ The Ritz, Manchester". Manchester Evening News. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  10. aliszubiak (4 November 2015). "Watch Marina and the Diamonds Perform Live From Boston". PopCrush.
  11. Live Nation (21 October 2015). "Marina And The Diamonds". Yahoo Music Live.
  12. "Marina And The Diamonds". Live from the Artists Den. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  13. Dalzell, Rebecca (15 December 2015). "Marina & The Diamonds Rock the Artists Den". Chase. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  14. "Current Boxscore". Billboard. 25 January 2013.
  15. https://www.webcitation.org/6cwTD0cl1
  16. North American leg information for The Neon Nature Tour:
  17. North American leg boxscore:
  18. European leg information for The Neon Nature Tour:
  19. "Marina Diamandis on Twitter". Twitter.
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