Dolly Ave began her Don’t Wanna Turn Back tour at the Constellation Room in Santa Ana on July 8. The quaint venue set the tone for an intimate show with a welcoming atmosphere, as if you were simply hanging out in a friend’s backyard enjoying music together.
Even before the show began, Dolly herself could be seen walking around the venue, greeting staff and fans alike. She stopped to sign postcards, take photos with fans, and engage in casual conversation. During the two opening acts’ sets, she even made quick appearances, enjoying the music from the crowd and saying hello to fans before quickly disappearing, letting the attention remain on the stage. Likewise, both opening acts, jiho and Saticöy, could be seen hanging out by the merch booths, complimenting each other, and tuning into the other performances, further emphasizing the casual vibe.
The music began with a short but sweet set from jiho, who serenaded the room with his laidback, soft vocals. Tracks like “Blame” had the crowd swaying, winding down after the work day. Even jiho approached the stage with a friendly, easygoing demeanor, giving a mid-set shoutout to sound technician Malik for his great work while smiling and laughing with his band throughout the performance. Jiho finished his set with one of his most popular tracks, “Give Me A Call,” and an unreleased track, “Who Put That Dirt In Your Head.”
Next up for the night was Saticöy, a Los Angeles-based alternative rock band. While jiho’s music could be described as bedroom pop mixed with indie rock, Saticöy brought the energy up a notch with their heavy beats and louder melodies. Tracks like “Said It Enough” had everyone headbanging, and their saxophonist drew particular attention. Much like jiho and his band, the Saticöy members could also be seen smiling amongst themselves as they performed each track. The four-part band also performed a roughly 30-minute set, wrapping things up with several of their own tracks, along with a cover of Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind,” before it was time for the evening’s headliner.
Just over an hour and a half after the show’s start time, it was Dolly Ave’s turn to step on stage. She started her set with the tour’s titular track, “Don’t Wanna Turn Back,” followed by “This Spell” and “In Trouble,” the latter of which she described as a song she wrote while going through a difficult time. During “In Trouble,” the singer even sat down at the edge of the stage, fully embracing the song’s emotion while taking time to get close to the audience.
As a singer-songwriter, Dolly Ave is the mastermind behind her own music, writing melodies and lyrics from her own experiences and stories. Each song on the setlist came with a little story or behind-the-scenes anecdote, turning it into something similar to a listening party, or, again, a hangout with friends over music. “This song was inspired by the true crime podcasts I’ve been listening to lately,” she began. “Have you ever been in a situationship where you’re like, you’d rather die than go through the crap they keep putting you through? That’s what inspired this song,” she explained before performing “Killer Machine.” In a bit of an ironic order, the next track was “All Mine,” a romantic song about being in love.
Continuing to share different stories about each song, the next track up was one of the best-received by the audience. “As we grow up and become adults, we start to lose our color,” she started honestly. “This song is about finding that color again, and finding something to look forward to the way we used to look forward to summer as kids.” This led to “Summer,” a slightly more upbeat track that had fans jumping forward to dance together with their friends in the audience. As she queued up the next track, “Better Side,” the lights turned a dark red, adding to the darker, edgier vibe of the song. “This one was inspired by the anime Death Note,” she revealed. “There’s a choral part towards the end that was inspired by the music in the anime, and the song is about being strong enough to not be complacent. It’s also about taking action to ensure you’re doing better and staying on the better side of history.”
As the night progressed, Dolly Ave continued to share various stories about her own music, half of which was serious, and the other half of which was humorous and light-hearted. “I wrote this one about how I’m a red flag,” she said with a laugh before performing “Hot Garbage.” Before “Oh Ruby,” she shared that she took some shrooms in a cabin hoping to write a song, and while the shrooms “did not work,” she wrote the track about how connections can be made between people regardless of sexuality, gender, or background. This was the perfect example of Dolly Ave—a bit comical, yet still serious. Another track that garnered loud cheers from the crowd was “Bad Brain,” which she described as a song discussing mental health—depression and anxiety in particular. Backed by a catchy beat, the song’s meaningful lyrics had the crowd singing along as they bounced to the rhythm.
The singer also prepared a special gift for two lucky fans. Her tour was powered by the shoe brand Converse, and as such, she held a raffle for all ticketholders to win one a pair of custom shoes with tour artwork on them, giving lucky fans a special way to remember the night.
Even with so many memorable moments such as when Saticöy started a mosh pit during “Party Never Ends,” or when fans lit up the room with their flashlights during Dolly “Ave’s Crash,” the undeniable highlight of the show came with the last song, “Honda.” Ahead of the tour, she previously shared with us that the song had become a staple of her live shows.
The never-ending repeating chorus to close out the show brought the energy in the room to an all-time high, as she knelt to the ground to belt out the final high notes surrounded by cheering fans. The moment was freeing, especially in a world full of stress and pressure, as everyone was just enjoying the moment together. Wrapping up night one of her tour, Dolly Ave was full of gratitude and joy. “Thank you to jiho, and thank you to Saticöy, and thank you so much to everyone who came to enjoy the music.”
