Dorothy
w/ Special Appearance by Slash
Special Guest: Pistols at Dawn
El Rey Theater – Los Angeles, CA
Friday, March 21st, 2025
Review/Pics: Will
Circumstances have dictated that I was to miss Dorothy every time she came through town. Until now! Persistence (and an open schedule) is key and the universe finally cooperated on Friday night at the El Rey Theater.
Opening night of the “Redemption” Tour brought forth a gathering of the Dorothy faithful and they were rewarded with a showcase of some great new songs from her Hot Off the Press, new release: The Way
And Lawd O’Mighty was I shown The Way. I have been converted to a full fledged fan of that amazing voice! Dorothy (the band) has only been around for about 11 years and it’s easy to see why in that short amount of time, they’re making waves and turning heads.
Dorothy’s band (usually) consists of Sam Koltun (guitar), Eliot Lorango (bass) and Jake Hayden (drums), but on this night due to other commitments, Sam and Jake were admirably replaced by Nick Annis (Kesha) on guitar and Chris Reeve (Avril Lavigne, Filter) on drums.
Dorothy’s sound has certainly evolved. Her early releases were VERY reminiscent of Rival Sons and that has erupted into a full on Bluesy-Rock sound with a Country music injection. Her rockers all demand that you pump fists and stomp feet and her slower songs suck you in both lyrically and musically and lull you into swaying along with the melody.
As I alluded to, Dorothy’s voice is powerful and she is in complete control of every note. What you hear on the album is what you’re going to hear live, except with added emotion and ferocity.
I will say that Dorothy seemed a bit unsure when it initially came to talking to the fans. She had an interlude that her setlist clearly stated as “talk to the crowd” and she let us know she didn’t really know what to say. However later on in the set, when she was talking from the heart and sharing personal experiences, her audience interaction came very naturally. I guess that should be a lesson. Just go with what you’re feeling or what the moment dictates. I didn’t care. I just wanted to hear her sing everything.
Along with fan favorite tunes, we were graced with 4 songs from her new album (most of them being debuted this evening) and they all sounded amazing. “THE DEVIL I KNOW“, “MUD“, and “I COME ALIVE” came early in the set.
Right after an inspired version of “Rest In Peace“, Dorothy introduced her very special guest of the evening, Slash! The GnR six slinger (adorned in his traditional Top Hat and knee-level Les Paul) threw down with Dorothy on the Charles Segar song “Key To the Highway“, the title track from her last album “Gifts From The Holy Ghost” and finally on the latest single from her new album “TOMBSTONE TOWN“. The crowd of course lost their proverbial shit.
I see this new album and tour propelling Dorothy to new heights. I encourage anyone with the ability get to a show to give themselves the gift of being there as this band takes off. They’ve been added to a few festivals, and it’s just a matter of time before the name “Dorothy” is much bigger and much higher on the top of those bills.
Setlist:
Related Links:
Dorothy
Pistols at Dawn
