Laura Warshauer, Molly Jenson & Anya Marina @ Hotel Cafe, 11/21/08

Anya Marina

Last month, San Diego-based singer-songwriter Anya Marina (MySpace) headlined at the Hotel Cafe (MySpace) in Hollywood, with support from Molly Jenson (MySpace) and New Jersey-based Laura Warshauer (MySpace).

When Lindsay Watts reviewed one of Marina's shows last year, she wrote:

Anya Marina is a chick we'd like to hang out with. Not only is she an awesome singer (kind of a cross between Jewel and Liz Phair), she's funny, doesn't take herself too seriously and is totally cute... What was really refreshing about the show was Marina's quirky sense of humor and wittiness. You know how most of the time when singers talk at their shows, you feel like telling them to shut the fuck up and play the music? Well, we actually didn't mind Marina's little comments and anecdotes.

Indeed, among Marina's greatest assets continues to be her infectious sense of humor, whether it was an anecdote last month about eavesdropping on a ridiculous airplane conversation about edamame, or an off-handed reference to The Hills as a "Shakespearean epic." Which isn't surprising given her collaboration on the Lindsay Lohan-themed song "Lindsay Goes to Rehab" with fellow San Diegans Tristan Prettyman (MySpace) and Greg Laswell (MySpace).

As for upcoming local shows, Marina joins an all-star lineup this Sunday at the Hotel Cafe as part of the three night "ho-ho-tel 2008" benefit for the LAFD's "Spark of Love" Toy Drive.