Dolorata
I’ve been playing in the band Dolorata since around September
of 2006. You can get a lot more info and hear music and stuff
if you go to these websites listed on the left column. Live
photos on the
photo page to check out!
Band
Bio
Dolorata is a modern day/old school band. This all-female
quintet rocks with the sensibility of the 70's, while fully
existing
in the present tense. They
play their original music with passion and raw power, combining unique past
influences and experiences to create a new sound described
most simply as "rock and
roll". You feel the blues and soul that guided so many pioneering bands
during rock's heyday, but you also hear the influence of today. This musical
mix defines Dolorata.
The songs are recognizable and riff based - guided by lead vocalist/guitarist/songwriter
Katie Colpitts. She is strongly supported by Dori Sappo on guitar/vocals; Veronica
Savage on bass/vocals; Dawn Richardson on drums; and Emily Palen on violin.
The band members previously played with Bay Area groups The Hail Marys, 4 Non
Blondes,
Shelley Doty Xtet, and The Amazon Mollies. Each brings their own vision to
Dolorata; their blues influenced, hard rock inspired collaboration always packs
a punch.
Leaving their show, you might think, "It's only rock and roll, but I like
it".
Somewhere between Cream and Led Zeppelin - Wolfmother and Queens of the Stone
Age, you'll find the sound of Dolorata.
Katie Colpitts
Lead Guitar / Vocals
Katie Colpitts is the founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of
Dolorata. Driven from a very young age by her love for music,
she began playing guitar at age 12 and was performing music by
the age of 15. She has been in numerous bands including The Hail
Marys (where Katie met current Dolorata bassist Veronica Savage);
Underground Tsunami; Katie + the Pitts; and The Pitts. Hailing
from a musical family, Katie has been in bands with both of her
talented brothers. The Pitts included brother Pete, former drummer
of The Loudmouths and currently of The Young Offenders. She has
also collaborated with her brother Than, bassist for The Dirty
Rigs. Katie has also performed extensively as a soloist in the
Bay Area. As Katie and Friends, she has played the Fillmore Lounge
in San Francisco for many high profile shows including Tracy
Chapman, Liz Phair and The Indigo Girls.
Katie started putting Dolorata together in May 2004. The band
was know then as Coal Pitts Wash and has since undergone some
personnel changes before arriving at the current line up and
name. While Katie has a wide range of influence, her love of
blues and soul shows through strongly in the rock 'n roll of
Dolorata. She is very excited to be playing with four great musicians
who consistently inspire and motivate her to keep playing and
pursuing her musical vision.
Dori
Sappo
Guitar
Dori's love of guitars and music started at a young age.
Dori got her first guitar when she was 8 years old. She learned
the
basic chords. She learned more during visits from a musical
aunt and uncle that she could force into playing guitar.
She learned
a bit more from friends – creating the guitar goddess you
see before you today! But it was all a secret until…
Dori relocated from Long Island to San Francisco in her mid-twenties
and decided she was ready to take her guitar playing public.
She has since performed with Supersugar, The Amazon Mollies
and The Dave Galaxy Band before joining forces with Dolorata.
Katie
and Dori were friends for sometime and had played a couple
of shows together before Katie decided to put the band together.
Dori is now quite happy and proud to be playing with such an
incredible group of musicians who have all become good friends
and sort of family. When Dori is not playing guitar (those
rare
moments) she enjoys her career as a massage therapist; spending
time with friends; going to shows; and eating and drinking
and being merry.
Veronica
Savage
Bass Guitar
Veronica grew up a sweet southern gal in North Carolina,
horrifying friends and family with her love of heavy metal
music. When
her French horn experience proved unsuitable for gigging,
she picked
up guitar, wrapping it in electrical tape to emulate Eddie
Van Halen's fashionable axe. Unfortunately six strings were
far too
complicated, so she taught herself bass by plucking along
with her favorite radio tunes. She enjoyed a few years with
The
Hail Marys before joining Dolorata, where she is constantly
challenged
and invigorated. Veronica enjoys being a mom, working in
a cubicle, subculture, and performing heroic feats of life
balancing.
She
hopes to be a rock star when she grows up.
Emily
Palen
Violin
Emily Palen, violinist for Dolorata, grew up in Midland,
Michigan and started studying violin at age 4 and piano
at 5. She pursued
a classical music education, performing in orchestras,
chamber ensembles, competitions and solo performances. In
the midst
of her studies at University of Michigan School of Music,
under professor of violin Paul Kantor, she moved to California
and
began her pursuit of rock.
Over the years Emily has performed and collaborated with
various musicians including Gladhand, Kompare and Shelley
Doty’s
Xtet, all the while searching for musicians who carry the same
musical vision and inspirations. Immediately upon meeting Katie
Colpitts and Dolorata, her drive was reignited and her musical
vision met. Emily is honored to play with the members of Dolorata,
who share her love and commitment to musical creation. She feels
music is a conduit of truth and a passageway to the heart and
has found a musical home in the band. Emily also composes music
and teaches private violin and piano lessons in the Bay Area.
Dawn
Richardson
Drums
Dawn lives in her own world that revolves around drums
and Diet Coke with Lime. She likes to play the drums,
write about
the
drums, teach the drums and program drums. Dawn grew up
in Los Angeles and began playing at the age of 13. Throughout
high
school and college, she played drums and percussion in
all
sorts of
groups including rock bands, marching band, concert band,
orchestra and percussion ensembles and is excited to
be the latest member
of Dolorada, as this is creating an opportunity for yet
more drumming! Yeah!
Dawn has also previously toured and/or recorded with
a bunch of folks including 4 Non Blondes (Interscope
Records),
Erika
Luckett (Birdfish Records), Lillix (Maverick Records),
Penelope Houston (Normal Records), Angel Corpus Christi
(Almo Sounds),
The Loud Family (Alias Records), Kindness, Joe Gore,
The Martinis (featuring Joey Santiago of The Pixies),
2Toggle,
Perps, TaB
and Vicki Randle (The Tonight Show). Dawn has also composed
soundtracks for several short independent films and has
three drumming books
available through Mel Bay Publications: Building Blocks
of Rock; Fill Workbook and Block Rockin' Beats. Dawn
is endorsed
by Pacific
Drums, Zildjian Cymbals and Vic Firth Sticks.
