Review | Photos: Dorothy, Joyous Wolf, and Classless Act Rock The Vinyl Music Hall

Dorothy

Joyous Wolf

Classless Act

Who: Gifts From The Holy Ghost Tour, Dorothy, Joyous Wolf, Classless Act
Where: Vinyl Music Hall, Pensacola, FL
When: April 1, 2022

Dorothy blew into Pensacola on April 1^st, but not in a tornado propelled house. This was not the pig tailed lass from the Wizard of Oz rather it was the LA based rock band fronted by lead vocalist Dorothy Martin. They are currently in the middle of their 41 city Gifts from the Holy Ghost Tour which started on 3/21 at the Music Box in San Diego and concludes on 5/27 at BottleRock in Napa Valley, CA.

Airwaves may be dominated by pop and country, but this night was all about good ole rock-n-roll. Attendance at the Vinyl Music Hall was a little disappointing for a Friday evening show but those who showed up were treated to a fantastic show.

Late arriving fans missed out on great performances by opening acts Classless Act and Joyous Wolf. The purpose of the opening act is to warm up the crowd for the headliner. Classless Act members Derek Day (Vocals), Dane Pieper (Guitar), Griffin Tucker (Guitar), Franco Gravante (Bass), and Chuck McKissock (Drums) got fans moving right from the start with first hit on the drums and strum on their guitars. Day delivered soaring Robert Plant styles vocals throughout their set. The guitar rhythms had the crowd rocking while the shredding solos had me feeling envious. Their time on the stage flew by way to quick leaving me wanting for more.

This was my second time seeing Joyous Wolf live and they didn’t disappoint. The band brings back the classic rock sound of the ’70s. Guitarist Blake Allard delivered bluesy Angus Young style riffs with his Gibson Les Paul while Nick Reese belted out amazing vocals. The music had me reminiscing of my days as a teen back in the late ’70s and early ’80s when rock dominated the radio. Bands like Joyous Wolf and fellow Southern California rockers Dirty Honey remind how great the music was from that era.

Dorothy’s 2016 debut album was entitled RockIsDead but nothing can be further from the truth. Female-fronted rock bands like Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, and Dorothy are helping to keep the genre alive. After years of rock bands struggling to get airplay, services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Sirius XM Radio now let them reach their audience.

This night was all about the music. There was no elaborate stage setup or special effects. Just four band members with nothing but their instruments and vocal cords to electrify the crowd.

Martin took to the stage channeling Stevie Nicks wearing a black leather outfit and flowing Kimono robe looking all part of a rock star. Her powerful vocals had the hall rocking. No visual effects were needed for the show because Martin put on an inspired visual performance full of fluid movements across the stage and graceful back bends. This was not a performer to just serenade the crowd from behind a mic stand.

Dorothy’s material for the night included songs from the ROCKISDEAD, Thrive In The Darkness, 28 Days In The Valley, and Gifts From The Holy Ghost albums. The highlight of the night was Martin’s rendition of the Eurythmics classic “Sweet Dreams”. The “Whiskey Fever” was the band’s encore song which ended with Martin blowing kisses to the audience as she exited the stage.

This was one of the better shows at the Vinyl Music Hall. Martin’s vocals rate right up there with other contemporary female rockers like Lzzy Hale and Taylor Momsen. There is still plenty of chances to catch Dorothy, Joyous Wolf, and Classless Act before the current tour ends. Tickets for the remaining dates can be purchased here.

Gifts From The Holy Ghost Tour Dates

APR 8 – Charleston Music Hall – Charleston, SC
APR 9 – Elevation 27 – Virginia Beach, VA
APR 10 – Brooklyn Bowl Philly – Philadelphia, PA
APR 12 – The Recher – Towson, MD
APR 13 – Mickey’s Black Box – Lititz, PA
APR 15 – The Wellmont Theater – Montclair, NJ
APR 16 – The Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY
APR 20 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
APR 21 – Aura – Portland, ME
APR 23 – House of Blues Cleveland – Cleveland, OH
APR 24 – The Bluestone – Columbus, OH
APR 26 – Saint Andrews Hall – Detroit, MI
APR 27 – Elevation @ the Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
APR 28 – Piere’s – Fort Wayne, IN
APR 30 – House of Blues Chicago – Chicago, IL
MAY 1 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
MAY 2 – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN
MAY 3 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE
MAY 5 – Record Bar – Kansas City, MO
MAY 6 – Temple Live at Wichita Scottish Rite Center – Wichita, KS
MAY 8 – Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
MAY 10 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Boise, ID
MAY 11 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Spokane, WA
MAY 13 – El Corazon – Seattle, WA
MAY 14 – Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
MAY 15 – Virginia Street Brewhouse – Reno, NV
MAY 18 – Ace Of Spades – Sacramento, CA
MAY 19 – Crossroads at House of Blues Anaheim – South Anaheim, CA
MAY 27 – BottleRock Napa Valley 2022 – Napa, CA