You may remember Lavender Diamond as one of the weirdest opening bands you’ve ever seen.

The eccentric, Los Angeles-based group visited Tucson in October 2006 opening for geek rockers The Decemberists. Many of the concert’s attendees were taken aback by the beautiful vocals from and wacky persona of singer Becky Stark.

“”We definitely remember that show in Tucson,”” Stark said. “”The audience was so great that night.””

Part of what Stark remembers is one audience member bringing a large frog hat to the show and eventually letting the band wear it on stage. Half of the crowd seemed delighted while the other half was totally creeped out.

Much has happened to Lavender Diamond since that show.

In January, the band was signed to Matador Records, former home of Interpol, Liz Phair and Pavement. More importantly, the band released its first album, Imagine Our Love, on the label.

The album showcases the band’s calm and peaceful sound. It’s exactly what you’d think a lavender-colored diamond would sound like. Stark’s voice plays a central role with her positive and soothing lyrics. Fans of estrogen-enhanced indie acts like Rilo Kiley and Feist are likely to fall in love with songs like “”Oh No”” and “”My Shadow Is A Monday.””

Peace, love and overall goodness are the themes of Lavender Diamond’s music. Stark’s life also seems to revolve around these themes. She takes the time during most of her concerts to celebrate the idea of world peace. As you can imagine, this is usually met with awkward stares from audiences expecting only music.

“”I think it’s kind of funny that it’s strange to talk about peace and celebrate peace at a concert,”” Stark said. “”I think that celebrating peace is totally normal.””

After being exposed to Lavender Diamond’s music, it’s obvious that it’s not a gimmick – the band is completely genuine. Its goal is to “”make people feel uplifted,”” Stark said.

“”Some people think it’s weird because it’s not ironic,”” she said. “”There’s no irony. There’s no sarcasm.””

Thanks to the buzz created by the band’s live shows and new album, Lavender Diamond is currently on a tour with indie pop giants The New Pornographers. After the first show of the tour, Stark seemed energized about spending many nights on the road.

“”I am really thrilled about this tour,”” Stark said. “”I had never really seen them live before last night.””

Another highlight for Stark is getting to see one of her musical inspirations, Neko Case, perform with The New Pornographers.

Lavender Diamond opens Friday night at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. Doors open for the all-ages show at 7. Admission is $21 at the door. This one is likely to be packed, so get there early.