Australian-born frontman Angus Stone of Dope Lemon has taken the world by storm for over a decade.
As a founding father of Psychedelic-Indie, his latest album “Rose Pink Cadillac” under the name Dope Lemon shared no disappointment.
Following the release of many solo albums over the years, the critically-acclaimed album “Honey Bones” was released in 2016 under the new name and project Dope Lemon. This release put Dope Lemon on the map and spread like wildfire. Touching hearts internationally, as well as being featured on many TV shows.
Like many artists this year, 2022 was finally the safe time to reunite with fans and share new music. It gave everyone time to settle down and expand new horizons.
What felt like a never-ending wait, it was clear Dope Lemon’s return to Montreal was well worth the patience.
Their latest album, “Rose Pink Cadillac” released in 2019 displays Dope Lemon’s classic and unique sound, as well as a newfound Indie-Folk twist. Often compared to beloved artists in the Indie scene, such as Tame Impala and Mac Demarco. Dope Lemon is an artist I know is only expanding by the minute.
Following the announcement of their 2022 world tour, I was surprised to learn Corona Theatre would host Dope Lemon’s return to Montreal, given how popular they have gotten over the years. This was one of the reasons it was no surprise to me that this show sold out rather quickly than most, as well as the rest of their tour.
Upon entering the dimly lit Corona Theatre, I couldn’t help but try my best not to sprint toward the stage. Beloved “Marinade” was playing. On a personal note, this has been one of my favourite songs for many years and was quite meaningful for me to finally hear it. This time, with my very own ears.
“Marinade” is a calming tribute to Alternative-Indie, and often nostalgic for fans like me who grew up with Dope Lemon as teenagers.
Not a single person was standing motionless. Initially thinking of a Dope Lemon show, my first thoughts would have been feeling as if I were on a cloud of smoke wafting through space, on a lemon slice.
This show felt nothing short of that feeling.
I was thrilled to see people dancing in the centre of the pit. Initially, I was hesitant that there wasn’t going to be much movement due to the lo-fi serenity of Dope Lemon’s sound. However, my fears were soon squashed as I found myself amongst fellow fans who matched my energy.
The setlist consisted of many classic hits, which couldn’t help but cause the impulsive feeling to sway back and forth. Such as “Stonecutters,” “How Many Times,” “Home Soon,” and “Uptown Folks.”
I admired how Angus Stone paused in between songs to talk with the audience. During one of the pauses, he talked to us about how the band went for a walk during the day. They looked at the trees and spoke about how beautiful it was and how “pretty” everyone is. He also spoke about being in many cities and meeting many different people. In his words, he said, “you guys seem pretty chill.”
The audience roared with cheers in response.
I was blown away during the encore performance of “Howl With Me,” a song off their new album “Rose Pink Cadillac.” It featured an electric guitar solo I haven’t heard before in previous albums. It clearly showed me the development Dope Lemon has made over the years and the many surprises they have up their sleeve in years to come.
Rachel Lynn
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