Los Angeles gets immersed in Dolly Ave’s alternative and emotional sphere during first headline tour

Written by Annie Wu

LOS ANGELES – Dolly Ave brought her first headlining tour to the Moroccan Lounge on July 16, delivering an intimate, energetic performance that showcased her genre-blending sound consisting of alternative rock and emotional pop vulnerability. Joined by openers Jiho and Silent Child, the Thursday evening offered a mix of unreleased music and candid storytelling, with each act bringing a distinct perspective to the stage.

Alternative pop artist Jiho opened the night with a heartfelt performance, warming up the crowd with a sweet serenade. Early in his set, he introduced himself with a laugh, joking that he had forgotten to do so at his last show. He performed some of his well-known tracks, including Rent is Due and Give Me A Call, and gave fans an early listen to an unreleased track titled Who Put That Dirt In Your Head. Toward the end of his set, a group of girls jumped and danced along, matching Jiho’s energy and carrying the lively atmosphere for the rest of the night.

Up next was Silent Child, the moniker of Rodney Cooke, who showcased his signature blend of alternative, hip-hop, and rock-infused sounds. His set balanced emotionally charged vocals with an energetic electronic production. Like Jiho, he gave the audience a sneak peek at unnamed new material, jokingly encouraging the audience to record videos on their phones and “leak” them online.

When Dolly Ave finally stepped onto the stage, she kicked off her set with the tour’s titular track, Don’t Wanna Turn Back. Helping bring the night’s emotional and energetic moments to life were the members of her band: Nicole Bandoquillo on drums, Calla Morgan on guitar, and Nat Lee on bass. Having recently performed at Anime Expo, where Dolly Ave cosplayed punk rock vocalist Nana Osaki from the show Nana, she asked the audience about their favorite anime and shared that hers is Death Note. She explained how the series changed her life and inspired the track Better Side, a song about using her platform to speak up and create positive change in the world.

Throughout the night, she shared a mix of serious and playful stories behind her songs, keeping the audience engaged between tracks. She introduced Hot Garbage as “about being a red flag” and that you should sometimes acknowledge when you’re the problem; one audience member responded with an enthusiastic “Amen,” earning one of the biggest laughs of the night. 

She later shared the story behind Oh Ruby, recalling a December cabin trip when she took shrooms to find inspiration for a song. What began as a fun anecdote became a larger message about finding love, making connections, and the idea that meaningful relationships can exist regardless of sexuality or gender. She also dedicated the song to someone in the crowd from the press named Ruby, adding a personal touch to an intimate moment.

As part of the tour’s partnership with Converse shoes, she announced the winners of the raffle for Los Angeles-inspired white Converse high-tops with designs inspired by the city and the Dodgers. A photographer happened to win one of the prizes, prompting playful jokes from Dolly Ave and the crowd that the raffle was rigged.

As was tradition for Dolly Ave, Honda wrapped up the set in celebration. She jumped into the pit and danced alongside fans, surrounded by the crowd singing, dancing, and enjoying the moment together.