The Hotel Café Hollywood, CA
Web: marinarocks.com
Contact: [email protected]
Players: Marina Rocks, vocals, guitar
Material: Marina Rocks is an acoustic act reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon or Carole King. Personal lyrics are set to original and creative guitar play that takes you on a wild journey through the mind of a great musician. The music was hard and heavy, at times, and beautifully soft at others. It was a great 45-minute rollercoaster of a ride.
Musicianship: This artist is a seasoned veteran and the music benefited greatly because of it. The material is well written and diverse. Even the cover tunes are unique takes on the originals. The music stayed within the boundaries of the genre as Rocks crooned each song’s story from the heart with an excellent voice. She adds another dimension to her music with exceptional guitar work that not only captivated, but fascinated; and that alone was gold.
Performance: Marina Rocks has strong stage presence and she presents herself in a humble and modest light, which enhances her persona. She lets her vocals and fancy fingerwork do the talking. This performer acknowledges the audience with an unassuming shyness, as if they were long-time friends she hadn’t seen in years, and that was enough, as this night’s audience absorbed all of her energy.
Summary: Marina Rocks captivates and charms her audience. Tunes like “Willie Hole,” “If I Needed You” and “Dumin’ Down” get the blood pumping as the excellent guitar work sinks into everyone’s soul. “Comeback Kid,” “Baby Steps” and “Three Wishes” tugs at your heart strings and makes you think about life and how lucky we all really are. But don’t let the slow songs fool you. This girl’s got rock & roll coursing through her veins. Check out her latest release, Austin to Houston, out now. – Pierce Brochetti
