Dorian Electra: My Agenda World Tour
with LustSickPuppy and Siouxxie
February 5th, 2022 - The Foundry
Who would’ve thought a gothic knight in a saturated green glow would teach me about gender and society through pop music? This was the night I was pleasantly surprised:
When we got there at 8 PM, there wasn't a large crowd in general admission yet, so my friend and I roamed around. Next to the gender-neutral bathrooms, there was some merch including a My Agenda video game/CD and a Dorian Electra full body pillow. We then discovered the drink of the night called “Ram It Down,” after the song with the same name on Dorian’s My Agenda. The alcoholic drink was a mix of lime, orange juice, and coconut syrup. The coconut was a nice touch parallel to the song on the album.
LustSickPuppy, Rayne 2022
After settling with our findings, The only thing left to do was wait for the show to start. While doing so, the audience was occupied by the pre-show playlist featuring some bangers like “die4u” by Bring Me the Horizon, “Haunted” by Laura Les (yes, everyone was murmuring about Lexi’s Euphoria episode), Injury Reserve’s “Three Man Weave,” Kim Dracula’s cover of “Paparazzi,” “Sine From Above (with Elton John)” by Lady Gaga, and Ashnikko’s “Cry (featuring Grimes).” The patient crowd bonded over the playlist. Everyone seemed chill, respectful, and gay. I knew I was in a safe place. My initial self-conscious state of mind about my outfit and makeup quickly turned to empowerment as I felt properly dressed in seeing other audience members’ creative expression in their appearance.
The intro music got more intense as we got closer to showtime. Finally a remix of “How Much is that Doggie in the Window” introduced the opener, LustSickPuppy. One of their first songs was not only a great beat but also a clever marketing tactic as she had the audience recite her name over and over. Their tunes were catchy but my attention was truly put in a chokehold by their facial expressions and emotions conveyed in their body movements. Their fiery blue makeup only emphasized their actions.
After their set was over, we waited a bit more for Dorian and I kept getting an obscene amount of airdrops from my fellow audience members. Some pictures were funny memes and some . . . had me traumatized.
Then, the second opener appeared and saved me from the airdrops. When Siouxxie came on stage with DJ Gunk and hype man Joey Dez, the audience was ready for a good time. The trio taught us how to count, about cupcakes, and even about foreplay. I felt extra special to be able to witness the last night of the tour with these specific opening acts.
Gunk, Joey Dez, and Siouxxie, Rayne 2022
After their set, we waited once more and jammed to the pre-show playlist as the crew brought out some props including a DrinkTheWater ™ company flag (as seen in the “My Agenda” music video) and an impressive sword only Dorian could possibly wield. What the audience didn’t know, was that the crew's appearance would be the most exciting thing to happen for the next hour.
FINALLY, the house went dark around 11:15 PM signifying Dorian's entrance. Unfortunately, during this time I got lost in the audience behind all these tall people so I moved back a bit. I was extremely grateful for the high platform that Dorian appeared on for most of the night. I stood for a couple of songs but I was fading fast after a long day. Thankfully, I found some couches by the sound booth and ended up having the time of my life on that couch for a couple of songs, including my favorite, “Give Great Thanks.”
Dorian Electra, Rayne 2022
Eventually, I went back to the crowd and found a decent spot in the back by the bar. In that spot, I was able to immerse myself in the religious experience that is Dorian Electra. So many of the musical transitions for quick changes had holy vibes- something I can only describe as a yassified church but in a video game where Dorian is the cantor. These angelic yet eerie sounds made me curious about Dorian’s musical background.
Occasionally it was hard to tell what was live sound vs. what was a track during the performance. However, under the processing and effects, I heard a well-trained musician. Their range through several octaves and control in vocals, whether it’s natural or edited, is truly what makes Dorian’s music so unique.
The music was only complimented by several majestic costumes, dance moves accentuated by backup dancers, and props. It seemed like they wanted to create an experience that engaged multiple senses especially during “My Agenda,” when the line “out here flexin’ in my rainbow suspenders” was emphasized by super soakers sprayed all over the crowd-yet another unique element that took me by surprise.
I thought I knew what I was getting into as I’ve been hooked on Dorian’s tunes and creations for a couple of months now but I was not expecting to feel as introspective as I did during the concert. This experience reminded me of my journey in learning about gender and sexuality and questioning where I fit in it all. Dorian is a role model that isn’t afraid to explore these themes in such a creative way. Not to mention their confidence in the way they present these understandings- is highly contagious. The experience not only made all my insecurities and worries melt away for a couple of hours, but it also made me think. That means the artist did their job.
Special Thanks to Marie Vassallo and Sarah Feldman for advising and revisions
