Marina V Builds Music Career One House at a Time

Peavey Briarwood acoustic guitar backs singer on spring tourPEAVEY INT'L. HEADQUARTERS—On usual nights, Russian-born, L.A.-based singer/songwriter Marina V sounds her sophisticated pop balladry at customary music venues like the Viper Room. Others find her rocking the living-room couch at one of her "house" concerts."House concerts are performances where someone either rents a venue or invites 40 or 50 people into their living room," she said. "It's something that has become popular with people who play acoustically, because it's easier to connect with the audience and have a concert in an area where you don't have many fans yet. Maybe one person who's already a fan will bring five other people, and it works like that."Guerrilla promotional tactics like this are a reflection of Marina's passion for music. The days of strumming at corner cafés and bookstores around L.A. were not dues-paying gigs—they were about building a community with her audience. With Simple Magic, her second self-released album, she's launching a nationwide outing to play for the folks who have supported her from the start."Because of iTunes and MySpace, plus my own web site, I have fans not only in this country but all over the world," she said. "Even though I've never played somewhere like Cleveland before, I know there will be a good turnout because I get e-mails from people who are going to the show."Much of Marina's songwriting centers on her piano-based compositions, drawing comparisons to both The Beatles and Tori Amos. But riding shotgun on her spring tour is her new Peavey Briarwood acoustic/electric guitar. "I've started incorporating acoustic guitar more than on previous albums," she said. "I wrote 'Pesnya O Tebe,' the Russian song on my new album, on the guitar. Now that I have my Briarwood, I find myself doing that more. It's working out great in a live setting, too. It has a nice sound, it feels really good and of course it looks great."Simple Magic is available in music stores and online now. Check out Marina V's full tour schedule at www.marinav.com.