Guitars, Drums, Tones, and Saxophones

Amanda Palmer

I don’t normally do live reviews, but for special occaions, it feels appropriate. This, being a more unusual show than most, is one of those occasions.

Background information: Amanda Palmer, singer/pianist/etc., recenty posted to her Twitter that she would be performing a “secret show” in Cambridge, MA, and tickets would be given away via Twitter. Finally, for the first time since I joined the service back in 2007 (I’m old), it’s come in useful! I got a pair of tickets, received the information on when and where the show was to be, and excitedly made my way down there.

The show was being held in a recording studio owned by a friend of hers. It was pretty nice. I’m not sure what recording in there would be like, but for a show space, it was pretty excellent. There were also free muffins, which is a perk I don’t often see at shows. Other bands, please take note of this.

Opening was a band I’d not previously heard of, Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys. They reminded me of a somewhat more upbeat Murder By Death, if MBD’s vocals were handled by the singer from Fake Problems. They had a burlesque poetess, playing the ukelele and telling us all sorts of wonderful things to amuse and entertain. She was an absolute riot. As for the band themselves, I found myself getting really into them. If I hadn’t put all my money into AFP’s donation bucket, I’d have grabbed their album. Alas, I am left only with memories and a vague sense that I should be ordering it from the internet.

After their set, Amanda Palmer came on stage carrying a ukelele, and proceeded to play “Lua,” by Bright Eyes. This may mark the only time I have ever- and will ever, I suspect- enjoy a Bright Eyes song. After chatting with the crowd, she played a song she’d written about the house she grew up in being sold by her parents. Then, she took her place behind the keyboard.

What followed was a good mix of her solo album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?, and new songs. Being a fool, I didn’t note the setlist (there was no real list; she had a couple of songs she wanted to play, but the rest was crowd suggestions), but I’m pretty sure I didn’t hear any Dresden Dolls songs over the course of the evening, aside from “Girl Anachronism.” There was a lot of chatter between songs; of course, the usual “Ask Amanda” bits (always entertaining), as well as the fact that she’s pretty funny, and enjoys interacting with the crowd. Any other band/performer, I might roll my eyes and think “get on with it!,” but that’s all part of an Amanda Palmer show. She’s typically warm, engaging, and open to the crowd. It’s the polar opposite of, say, a Pet Shop Boys show, where one gets the distinct impression that the show would be exactly the same if the hall were empty. She’s the kind of performer where it’s clear that she loves her fans, and they respond in kind.

Songs I remember hearing are: “Lua,” “[house song],” “Ampersand,” “Guitar Hero,” “Strength Through Music,” “Oasis,” “Trout Heart Replica,” “The Bed Song,” “Girl Anachronism,” and “I Google You.” There are almost definitely things I’m missing. “The Bed Song,” a new song she claimed wasn’t quite finished, and also told us was the saddest thing she’d ever written, lived up to the hype; the lyrics were a downer even for her. That said, the song was great, and I can’t wait to hear it finished and recorded.

I’m really glad I got the opportunity to attend this show. It was great seeing her perform in a more intimate setting that usual- these days, she’s selling out the Paradise Rock Club- and hearkens back to seeing the Dresden Dolls perform at the Iron Horse in Northampton.

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