My introduction to Dora Jar was back in 2022— her song “Multiply” off of her Digital Meadow EP captured my attention for its unique composition, including catchy guitar licks and production like I’d never heard before. Her new album No Way to Relax When You Are On Fire is a natural and seamless expansion of the seed she plants in her “Digital Meadow”. Her lyrics are bouncy, often funny, incorporating soundbites and brilliant melodies (usually plucked on guitar).
I had no idea what to expect when I went to see this mysterious Dora Jar (when is a door not a door? When it’s a-jar) and her performance of audio collage. The El Rey is a small venue, and my photo pass gets me right up to the stage— a photographer from her label gives me the heads up that “Dora likes to move. She’s all over the place.” The show opens with Dora center stage, lit only by a spotlight, putting on makeup in the “mirror” (the “mirror” being the audience) to “A Spoonful of Sugar” from Mary Poppins. It quickly descends from musical theatre to rock show— Dora opens the show with “She Loves Me” off her new album and uses the entire stage to bounce, jump, roll, shake, and interpretive dance. She is captivating as a performer, but more so as a person. Her voice is sweet and chime-like and her movements are erratic and harsh. She’s a rocker disguised as an angel!
Being the final show on Dora’s tour, this performance is packed with surprises. Dora plays album reject “Lucky” with accompaniment from The Army The Navy (supporting act). The vocal blend is divine, a haunting and intimate chorus in the tightly packed venue. Later in the set, during upbeat “Smoke Out the Window”, Dora bounces to stage left and brings out Remi Wolf to sing with her. She and Remi are both represented by Island Records and Remi Wolf just played the Greek Theatre the previous night. The crowd reacts wildly, a sea of phones recording the performance.
Dora is interactive with the crowd—speaking directly to individuals, jumping the barricade to hold hands and sing sweetly to the crowd. The majority of the crowd has seemingly been to a Dora Jar show before— she has inside jokes with them, a tenderness. This is highlighted by the performance of “Scab Song”— a live show exclusive that a majority of the attendees seem to know. Dora has cultivated a dedicated fanbase. The cool kids and the misfits alike are drawn to her. Between songs, Dora speaks to the crowd about her inspiration, where her songs originate, her Polish heritage, her bizarre dreams. She is like a real-life Alice in Wonderland; enchanting, confusing and unbelievably endearing. There is a comforting presence to her, like the girl in class who draws on your hand — I know her and I don’t all at the same time.
The crowd sings along the loudest to “Multiply” and “Ragdoll” (the latter being her single off the new record) and the show ends in a strobe light chaos, the band crashing into each other and collapsing to the ground. The theatrics and genuine talent from Dora and her band are putting her on tracks to be Island Record’s next big star.
Words and photos by Dara Feller
FULL DORA JAR AT EL REY GALLERY BELOW
