LOS ANGELES, CA- When I first heard DOROTHY’s 2015 self-titled EP, I was excited. I’m a big fan of rock bands that root their sounds in the 70s blues rock sound a la Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, and this band’s music really struck a nerve with with me. Plus, it was fronted by a female vocalist who could seriously wail.
When I heard that the band had signed to Jay Z’s Roc Nation record label, I wasn’t all that surprised. After all, DOROTHY had been performing an insanely rocking cover of the Kanye West/Jay Z collaboration “No Church In The Wild” for the past year. To be able to a hip-hop song and make your own rock and roll anthem? I’m sure Jay Z heard it and was like, “Who is this, and how do I get them on my team?”
Dorothy Martin, the front woman for the band, exudes rock and roll. When she stepped on The Echo stage, dressed in a long, dark fur coat with a glass of whiskey in hand, she commanded a presence that consumed the room. With a mischievous look in her eye, she nodded to her band mades (Zac Morris (drums), DJ Black (guitar) and Gregg Cash (bass) and they ripped and roared into a setlist that consisted of songs off their forthcoming, full length, Roc Nation album, ROCKISDEAD (June 24th).
From the frenetic, first notes of “Kiss It” to the final, fuzzy guitar outro of “Bang Bang Bang”, DOROTHY’s live show proved to newbies like myself, and reaffirmed to the their hardcore fans, that they are a force of nature on stage; championing the classic rock style while giving it a modern edge.
While much of the focus is on Ms. Martin, it would be a travesty to overlook her male counterparts in the band. The chemistry that the band shared was undeniable. Having been rehearsing, touring and recording for the past year, you can tell that the musical bond that they share is one akin to family, and it’s pretty clear that each member of the band is … pardon the pun .. instrumental in creating the sound that is DOROTHY.
But at the end of the night, Ms. Martin, in her ripped up Metallica T, and fishnet stockings, is the the engine that powers the band. Part badass, part seductress, part diva, Ms. Martin, and her huge alto voice, gives the band its edge and a real promise of some kick ass music to come.
Follow DOROTHY on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and pre-order ROCKISDEAD on iTunes.
LIVE CLIPS
.@itsdorothysucka @TheEchoLA 5/10/16. #rockandroll #rockisdead pic.twitter.com/IuPUDwaJjw
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) May 31, 2016
.@itsdorothysucka @TheEchoLA 5/10/16. #rockandroll #badass #hardrock pic.twitter.com/OXEItS4IAn
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) May 31, 2016
.@itsdorothysucka @TheEchoLA 5/10/16 #rockandroll #hardrock #rockisdead #headbanger pic.twitter.com/3MDPuPrlMn
— Derrick K. Lee (@methodman13) May 31, 2016
