Orianthi – Dakota – Minneapolis MN – January 14th 2026

Review and Photos by Patrick Dunn

Rock music fans have become familiar with guitar sensation Orianthi through the various supporting roles she elevated, such as playing in the Alice Cooper band or as part of supergroup Hollywood Vampires. They should also be aware of her respectable catalog of material that fuels her efforts when out on tour as a solo artist.

On January 14th, the Australian Rocker brought her power-trio to Minneapolis for a debut performance at the legendary Dakota. The capacity crowd was keenly aware of this rare opportunity to experience her commanding live presence and guitar virtuosity up close and personal in a wonderfully intimate setting. The 90-minute set consisted of tracks off her 4 studio albums along with a few select covers and some brand-new material. The musical landscape was mostly rock inspired ranging from heavy to mainstream, with a healthy dose of blues and an acoustic section.

I have mad respect for anyone fronting a trio as not only was the spotlight always on Orianthi for her seemingly limitless abilities playing lead guitar and soloing, but she also covered all the rhythm parts and sang every song. Armed with a couple Paul Reed Smith’s, an Orange amp stack and a modest pedal board, Orianthi crafted glorious tone in whatever fashion best suited each composition. She worked through melody lines and catchy riffs with enthusiasm and when it was time to shine no time was wasted accelerating from zero to sixty, Orianthi just launched into a solo already shredding at top speed.

The evening started on a high note with “First Time Blues” off the latest release “Some Kind of Feeling”. Many in attendance came to hear the heavier stuff like “Light It Up” off “Rock Candy”, which was a standout. I appreciated the 3-song acoustic section that included a brand-new song and was anchored by “Where Did Your Heart Go”. Orianthi’s take on the selection of cover tunes was tasteful with “Sharp Dressed Man” getting the most applause. I was especially happy to hear the upbeat “Dark Days Are Gone”, which I feel is one of the strongest cuts off the new album. Some of the evenings best moments were inspired by the blues, especially the solo on “How Do You Sleep”, which paved the way for an epic finish with the Jimi Hendrix staple “Voodoo Child”.

Orianthi announced that she will return to the Dakota on April 11th for a special appearance in support of programs aimed at aiding in suicide prevention.

Set List:
First Time Blues
Sinners Hymn
You Don’t Wanna Know
Never Make Your Move Too Soon (BB King cover)
Light It Up
Before You Accuse Me (Bo Diddley cover) (Acoustic)
New Unnamed Song (Acoustic)
Where Did Your Heart Go (Acoustic)
Heaven in This Hell
Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top cover)
Attention
Rescue Me
Dark Days Are Gone
How Do You Sleep
Voodoo Child (Jimi Hendrix cover)