BY KACIE FULLER
Dear reader,
I put off writing this article for a couple of days. Not because the concert was bad, or boring, or a drag, but because every time I started I would get frustrated. I would get frustrated because there is no way I could ever truly convey in words just how fun Dorian Electra is as a performer.
I attended the show sort of flippantly, being familiar with Dorian Electra through a few songs and signing up to cover the show because I enjoy The Bottleneck and had a free night. My friend Kayleb and I entered the venue just as the opening drag performances began. DJ’d by local favorite Chance Romance; Chay D. Boots, Lambyyy Boots, Johnny Diablo, and KyKy Modean killed it in riling up the crowd. I was warming up to this being my night when Julia Wildstarr began her performance.
When I tell you our jaws were dropped the entire time in sheer joy. The backup dancers with hula-hoops and ribbons, Julia dying on stage and being carried out, a surprise ukulele performance by Aubrey Zechariah, only for Julia to be revived and perform with her futuristic medic team, all of it was so stunning and delightful. Kayleb and I kept taking photos and videos to prove this was all happening right before us so that we stood a chance at explaining it to our friends later.
My jaw stayed in the locked and dropped position as Dorian Electra began their performance not too long after. As this was the Fanfare tour, they played tracks primarily from their Fanfare album, which had no complaints from me or the crowd. Dorian and their dancers (Jasmine Sugar and Kevin Zam) perform with an authenticity that reminds me of when my nieces and I would choreograph routines to a Kidz Bop CD. Not in quality, Lord knows their creativity and dance ability far outweighs us at any age, but in pure enjoyment and entertainment value. They seem like they’re genuinely having a great time which is always phenomenal to see.
Dorian Electra performed a few key favorites including Phonies, Freak Mode, Manmade Horrors, Sodom & Gomorrah, and Puppet. During Puppet, a large marionette was brought out to dance and leer over the audience. Another instance of Kayleb and I fumbling to get a photo out of fear no one would ever believe us otherwise. Dorian is both funny and kind when talking with the audience, taking someone’s phone once to record for them as they performed before handing it back. Making great use of the space and even crowd surfing much to the crowd’s excitement. Riffing before songs and making conversation, even proclaiming “Fuck Big Corn!” In support of small, local corn.
Speaking of corn, certain legs of the tour have had unique merch, only available at certain shows. Namely the ‘Florida World Tour’ shirt for the shows in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, and the ‘Cornbelt World Tour’ shirt for Madison, Des Moines, and Lawrence. I beelined to that merch table only to be informed that the last Cornbelt World Tour shirt had already been sold. I saw the lucky woman walking around in the shirt, taunting me. I will have it known here in this article that the restraint I exhibited was Herculean, I wanted to barter with her, pay her, and no price was too big for that shirt. But alas, I did not. That decision will haunt me forever.
Regardless, the show was phenomenal. In my notes I have written down “This is literally the most fun thing ever” and “Now this is SO what I call performance” which is a little nonsensical, but who needs reason when Dorian Electra is a few feet away? If you’re into dance, electro-pop, or any sort of experimental sound you’ll enjoy Dorian Electra. Alongside forming a tangible connection with whatever audience they’re standing in front of, they definitely know how to perform. I can’t tell you how glad I am that I went! If in the future Dorian Electra doesn’t stop through Lawrence I will gladly be road-tripping to any city to see them again.
Happy Listening!