Concert Review: New York Dolls at the State Theatre

(The show's latter portion was powerful enough that only once did I slip out into the lobby to check on the Magic/Lakers game, and thanks to the Dolls hitting the stage just after 9, I was able to catch the fourth quarter on my couch in front of the 57-inch.)

Frontman Johansen lorded over the festivities like an old queen, right hand holding the mic, left wrist limp. Reed thin, his shoulders are about as wide as a standard coat hanger. He wore narrow, low-rise jeans and a tight, leopard-print shirt with flouncy sleeves that looked like he bought it at Forever 21.

The guitarists were animated, but Johansen stood mostly upright and still, his shoulders pressed back, the occasional slow hip wiggle his only concession to overt showmanship. Yet he somehow remained a captivating presence. His cheeky pompousness, his I'm-above-it-all remove, had rock star resonance.

More photos below

And while his voice is little more than a low bark, he proved an effective singer — in tune and expressive.

Johansen blew kisses to the crowd as the guitarists bashed and wailed the drawn-out, bluesy Big Finish to "Personality Crisis."

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Photos by Tracy May

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David and Syl.