Indie-pop darling dodie delighted fans at a sold-out show at The Warfield last month. As the second to last city on her Build a Problem Tour, San Francisco brought all the energy of a crowd who had been waiting months to see the joyous young singer perform.
Dorothy Clark, who performs as dodie, is no stranger to performing, and her comfort onstage is evident. With over 10 years of running a massively successful YouTube channel under her belt, the English singer has cultivated an admirable effortlessness onstage. She frequently and candidly spoke with the crowd about the inspiration of songs and her amazement at being able to perform them.
The put into crafting a memorable experience for the audience was clear in everything from the stage design to the choreography. dodie’s impressive backing band stood elevated on a platform behind her, underneath a dazzling array of dangling lightbulb and dodie’s name illuminated in script. The singer frequently interacted with them, including Irish singer and guitarist Orla Gartland. During one of her many dance breaks, the vibrant singer twirled over to Gartland who spun her into a dip.
Mental health and self-acceptance themes permeate dodie’s music, and were a particular highlight in her setlist. Pieces like “Sick of Losing Soulmates” and the compilation she calls “Sad Song Mashup” drew the audience’s voices together as one for a simply etheral experience. The stage shone in the colors of the gay and bisexual flags for “Rainbow” and “she,” causing particular enthusiasm from the crowd.
Above all, this performance was about joy, for both fans and artist. Even as the songs tackled serious topics, the atmosphere was like a soothing embrace. If dodie is able to create such a genuinely exuberant show this early in her career, we’re just that more eager to see what else lies in store for her.
dodie in San Francisco
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