Hundreds of eager and brightly dressed fans stood in a line that stretched down the block from Denver’s Gothic Theatre on Friday night, each one waiting to be a part of a sold-out audience for dodie’s Human Tour.

Accompanied by singer-songwriter Adam Melchor, the performance was night one of a two-night Denver stop and an unforgettable experience for dodie fans alike.

“I feel like it’s worth it in the end,” said dedicated dodie fan Bailey Ralston. “I’ve watched her for a long time, so it’s kind of surreal.”

The New Jersey-born folk singer Melchor brought his tender lyricism and guitar virtuosity to start the night off, giving a performance that was intimate and energetic. Melchor, whose major label debut EP was released earlier this year, writes songs that seamlessly blend pop music and singer-songwriter aesthetics in a way that feels both refreshing and familiar.

On this tour, Melchor brought out some fan favorites including “Joyride” and “Real Estate,” as well as a few soon-to-be-released songs. Melchor’s performance was engaging and ripe with charisma.

There’s a very intimate feeling. You really get ingrained in what’s happening (on stage).” -Chase Barton, audience member

For this show, the Gothic Theatre partnered with Planned Parenthood and LIFEbeat, an organization that partners with venues and entertainers to help promote safe sex and provides resources to young people regardless of status, gender or sexuality.

Thera Marshall, the HIV program manager for Colorado, enthusiastically engaged with audience members to educate and promote the cause, as well as give away a signed dodie poster to a lucky fan. LIFEbeat will also have tables at both the upcoming Charli XCX show at the Ogden Theatre as well as The Chainsmokers show at the Pepsi Center in November.

As fans waited patiently for dodie to take the stage, the venue was alive with excitement and shared energy.

“It just feels like a community; … everyone here (is) so positive,” said Miranda Coldren, a student at Colorado State University and a devoted fan of over three years.

Dodie humbly took the stage, bathed in soft white light and fog. She began her set with an intimate, near a cappella performance of “Arms Unfolding” before gracefully transitioning into “Monster,” one of the lead singles from her most recent release, the “Human” EP.

Throughout the set, dodie pranced around the stage with her signature quirk and charm between captivating performances, utilizing her prowess in guitar, piano and ukulele. Her humility, coupled with a minimalist light show including string lights hanging above the audience, seemed to rid the room of any separation between dodie and her audience.

“There’s a very intimate feeling; you really get ingrained in what’s happening (on stage),” said audience member Chase Barton, recalling the deeply personal connection that dodie makes with her audience.

It was evident in the reactions of the fans that dodie’s music reaches her audience in very personal ways. Songs like “If I’m Being Honest” and “She” tackle the most personal aspects of dodie’s life, while songs like “Rainbow” express dodie’s feelings about her own sexuality and create a safe space for her fans to do the same.

“Boys Like You,” a song released just hours before her performance at the Gothic Theatre, demonstrates her talent for intentioned yet relatable songwriting, as well as the devotion of her fanbase. A song dodie describes as “being about f*ckboys,” “Boys Like You” was a moment of pure excitement for dodie, as fans already knew most or all of the words.

More about dodie’s tour and music can be found on her website. 

Dodie ended the night with an encore of popular songs, including “Would You Be So Kind” and “In the Middle” before the hundreds of fans shuffled out of the theater and into the chilly Denver air. Still, the feeling of the concert lingered as concertgoers discussed and cried over the truly incredible performance they had just experienced.

Artists like dodie set a new standard for indie and pop music. It is one that is not cultivated around aesthetic, but rather around personal empowerment and individualism. The connection that dodie makes with her fans is intimate and is seldom seen with artists of her caliber.

A cavernous echo of personality and vulnerability still rings in the Gothic Theatre and proves that dodie is an artist who defies labels and refuses to be ignored.

Matt Campbell can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @mcampnh.