The Georgia Straight presents Marina & the Diamonds at the Commodore

Live Nation has announced the Welsh indie-pop singer-songwriter Marina & the Diamonds will perform a show--with guest Charli XCX--at the Commodore Ballroom on Friday, May 3, in support of her latest album, Electra Heart.

Marina Diamandis created Marina and the Diamonds in 2005 (it's just her, the Diamonds are the audience) in true self-taught DIY fashion after several failed attempts at getting a record label to sign her. Finally signed in 2008, she was acclaimed as an intriguing theatrical amalgam of Kate Bush and PJ Harvey.

Reaching her potential as a powerhouse pop performer with 2012's Electra Heart, Marina looks back on her early years, now, with some ambivalence. “I experimented with my voice a lot, I was young, amateurish and ambitious” she decides. “I feel different now. My voice is far more controlled and my writing style has matured. For me, it's a real, coherent step-up. I would love to one day be a great artist.”

Tickets for the shows are priced at $28.50 (plus service charges and fees) and go on sale this Friday (February 1) at 10 a.m. on the Live Nation website.

Tickets are also available for purchase by phone at 1-855-985-5000, and at all Ticketmaster Outlets.

And don't forget to become a fan of the Georgia Straight on Facebook and sign up for THE LIST newsletter for more concert announcements, contests, and exclusive “beat the lines” presale passwords.

For the latest concert announcements follow twitter.com/vanhappenings