Photography by Grace Liriano
By Erin Norton, Membership Assistant
Artist: Dodie
Venue: The Orpheum
When: Feb. 26th, 2022
DODIE AND HER FANS CREATE THE MOST WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE
I remember watching Dodie on YouTube when I was barely a teenager. I was obsessed with not only her vlogging content but also her captivating songwriting abilities and sweet-as-candy voice. For many years, I had always hoped for an opportunity to see her live and I am so grateful that I finally got the chance to do so. At the concert, the audience was filled with lots of lovely people with similar stories about how Dodie impacted their lives. It was overall a very welcoming and warm crowd that was ready to experience a fantastic event from a beloved performer and artist.
Not only did fans cherish Dodie’s performance, but they also adored Lizzy McAlpine’s performance as an opener. An incredible amount of audience members knew all of the lyrics to the songs that Lizzy McAlpine sang. Although, she did surprise us with a couple of amazing unreleased songs, which excited everyone at the show.
THE IMPORTANCE OF NOSTALGIA
Immediately, it was apparent how fueled by nostalgia this show was. While Dodie began with new songs that all of her fans love, she made sure to highlight older songs of hers that hold an incredibly special place in our hearts. After performing “Cool Girl,” “I Kissed Someone (It Wasn’t You),” and “Human,” she played “Special Girl,” one of her most upbeat and fun songs where Dodie and the members of their band danced joyously on the stage.
After the ending of “Special Girl,” the crew introduced set pieces. These included a bed, a desk and chair, and a piano. The addition of a set that signified a bedroom made the live performance incredibly personal and continued to drive home feelings of nostalgia. It also made the show seem much less like a concert and like a play, a dramatic performance that kept the audience’s attention for the entire duration of the show. From here, Dodie played a medley of some of her older songs that are so important to her fans and ended it with “Sick of Losing Soulmates.”
THE GORGEOUS MAIN MEDLEY FROM BUILD A PROBLEM
The most emotional and beautiful part of the set was when she played the medley that pulls together her songs, “Sorry,” “When,” and “Before the Line” on her newest album Build a Problem. The way that this was played live was immaculate. I was overwhelmed by how well her voice mixed with the instruments. Dodie captivated the audience and tugged on their heartstrings during this specific part of the show. It was truly unforgettable— especially for fans who have known their song “When” from when they first uploaded it to YouTube.
THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTRUMENTALS AND THE CARE DODIE PUT INTO THE MUSICAL COMPOSITION
After this medley ended, the songs became a bit more upbeat and dance-worthy. But even as the songs became happier, it’s important to recognize how much thought and care went into the musical composition of not only Dodie’s entire album but the show itself. She took care in making each song blend seamlessly into one another whether it was through a pre-existing instrumental song or new addition to add intrigue or variety. This added to just how captivating the entire show was.
LOTS OF LAUGHTER AND LIGHTHEARTED FUN THROUGHOUT THE PERFORMANCE
Not only did her show make me and lots of her fans that were in her audience shed some tears, but she made us all laugh, dance, and sing! “Special Girl” and “In the Middle” were her most fun songs by far. While she performed these songs, she was dancing right along with the audience. She also had two encores and an outfit change. Dodie ended the night with the opening song from Build a Problem, titled “Hate Myself.” At the end of the show, “Sweet Caroline,” a classic from Neil Diamond, played as the crew bowed and took pictures. They all shouted the lyrics along with the audience as they exited the show.
It was so clear how much this performance meant to the audience as a whole. Dodie continues to have such an impact on young people’s lives, especially those who grew up with her online presence and her music. It was absolutely an honor to finally see her live after all of these years of being a fan.
