Kara Connolly And Doug Locke Light Up The Legendary Troubadour
The glory of the Troubadour lives in that it has been home to both legends and artists on the rise. Last Thursday night, it witnessed legends in the making.
Bustling with anticipation and a thin layer of haze, the Troubadour lit up Santa Monica Blvd like a beehive. Smiling fans crowded the iconic venue, holding their place on the dance floor while 80’s disco pop played overhead. Rhinestone leather cowboy seemed to be the category: a clear blend of Kara Connolly and Doug Locke, the two eclectic LA performers about to hit the stage. Their worlds collided like crushes at a high school prom as the house lights went dark and a single spotlight hit stage right.
A lone cellist (Nick Anton) in a white button up and black bow tie played a melodic story until one by one, more white button-ups peppered the stage. They took to their stations as Kara Connolly, cloaked in a navy hoodie, appeared. The crowd went wild. Kara landed profile on a stool and poised the microphone at her lips. The cellist slowed, dripping a calm over the room, and Kara’s voice floated through the neon smoke. Just like her brand new album, California Queen, Kara began her set with her resonant vocals center stage.
As the moment ended, the band kicked in and the hoodie came off to reveal a baby blue jumpsuit adorned with feathers. Upbeat rhythms and dynamic melodies sang of love, power, and frustration. Her banter with the crowd was vulnerable and witty, her white lace gloves flowing like wings as she told each story. Kara’s cover of ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac met the moment beautifully, as she shared that Stevie Nicks, one of her all-time favorite vocalists, performed on that very stage. Like Stevie, Kara interlaced intention with intimacy, leaving us empowered and a little bedazzled, too.
Another soulful jam from the 80s kept the energy in the room flowing while the audience patiently awaited Doug. From the balcony, I could see that only a few dared to leave their spot on the dance floor. Suddenly, a hair toss and body roll flashed in the corner of my eye: two dancers were warming up just behind the high rise. The Troubadour was lit on every level.
When Doug Locke graced the stage, it was as if a beat dropped. Effortless taste and captivating swag rolled off of Doug with musicality. Everything from the attitude on his face to the spirit in his gait spelled purpose. With backup dancers in sync (Emily Chamberlain, Marlon Pelayo), he sang ‘#ThisCouldBeUs,’ while a guitarist in leopard print (Dakota Compain) shredded alongside him. Doug embodies many different eras – disco, rock, pop – and his voice penetrates a room like you’ve heard it before and need to hear it again. Complete with costume changes, sultry solos by Marlon and Emily, and Doug jumping into the crowd, they held nothing back for a full, fiery 50 minutes.
Following a blackout, Doug walked back out on stage in a USA bomber jacket. Shrouded in stars and stripes, he sat on a stool and sang ‘Why,’ his stirring ballad written in response to the nightmare and crisis that people of color face daily in our country. Winged by powerhouse vocalists Terika Jefferson and Taylor Sackson, Doug’s heart poured out onto the Troubadour stage and stained it like wine. In his own words (via Substream Magazine): “This song is simultaneously a response to my broken heart and the start of my healing…” Terika and Taylor belted out the word ‘love’ to end the song as Doug fixed his gaze directly on the audience. The energy hung in the air, and he held it with us. “I firmly believe that Love is our only way through this.” Doug ended the set with his bingeable record ‘Black Travolta,’ but an encore begged the show to go on. Moving like he was born on stage, Doug and his crew closed the show with ‘Chokehold,’ the sizzling single off of his latest album Phoenix.
Dance along with Doug and keep up with Kara by following them below!
DOUG LOCKE ONLINE | KARA CONNOLLY ONLINE
Story by Ari Tibi
Photos by Christina Rubalcava
