REVIEW AND PHOTOS: DORIAN ELECTRA @ ROYALE 2/12

By Josh Rosenthal, with photography by Sophia Flissler

Fedoras and fursuits alike filled the Royale on Saturday night as Dorian Electra took the stage for a concert that was equal parts sensational and sexy. Accompanied by leather-clad backup dancers and the occasional sword, Dorian fused together unapologetically queer and masculine aesthetics and put them on full display to a packed house, an intoxicating blend that is very much in line with the concepts explored in their most recent album, My Agenda. With their breathtaking costumes and elaborate stage lighting, Dorian Electra strikes a presence on stage that is hard to ignore and even harder not to fall in love with. Quite simply, to see Dorian Electra live is to have your life changed forever.

Before Dorian blessed their audience, however, openers 3l3d3p and Coucou Chloe confidently entranced the crowd with sets that were very powerful and vibrant, a wonderful indicator of how the rest of the night would be. Both artists did a phenomenal job of interacting with their audience, with 3l3d3p even performing part of a song from within the crowd amassed by the stage at one point. Their energy was greatly appreciated by those in attendance.

From the moment they arrived on stage to the moment they left it, Dorian Electra put on a truly captivating performance, brilliantly executing a setlist containing tracks from both My Agenda and Flamboyant, their debut album. Songs such as “F The World” and “Gentleman” quickly tapped into the exhilaration that was palpable within the venue throughout the entire show, perfectly setting into motion the rave-like atmosphere that was present during “Iron Fist” and “My Agenda” later on in the night.

It is so thrilling to bear witness to the ways in which Dorian Electra commands their audience, especially with a horde of fans as hyperkinetic as the one that showed up in Boston this weekend. During songs like “Adam and Steve,” countless attendees raised their hands in prayer to Dorian, and in one of the night’s most memorable moments, a sea of cell phone lights illuminated the stage as Dorian launched into a rendition of “Give Great Thanks.” Part of what made this concert so welcoming is that Dorian’s devotees are some of the kindest people that could ever fill a concert hall, always willing to compliment each other on their costumes and help the fallen soldiers of one of the show’s many mosh pits get back on their feet; needless to say, they always kept the same energy as Dorian. The only instances where that connection faltered were during a few brief intermissions for Dorian’s costume changes, which, although necessary, did create a temporary vacuum of excitement within the Royale.

The worst part about a Dorian Electra concert is that, like all good things, it must come to a conclusion at some point, but with an encore that featured fan favorite “Career Boy” and a remix of Lady Gaga’s “Replay,” Dorian made sure to end the night on a high note. For some, however, the night did not actually end there; quite a few concertgoers spilled over to the Sinclair for an afterparty (featuring a DJ set by Dorian themselves) that lasted into the early hours of the morning. For this reporter, attending both the concert at the Royale and its afterparty made for one of the wildest experiences imaginable in the city, and that is all thanks to the unforgettable and unmistakable power of Dorian Electra.