The date: Friday, June 20, 2008.
The significance: the night I saw the best show I have ever seen to date.
The details:
After a very long bus ride from New York City to Boston, I arrived at the Boston Symphony Center to see Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls perform with the Boston Pops. My date for the evening, L, called to alert me that there were a lot of "interesting characters" entering the building. Ms. Palmer had sent out a call to arms via MySpace, asking fans to come dressed to the hilt. Due to the bus ride taking several hours more than expected, I was stuck in my travel wear. L was right, though, - most of the Dolls fans were decked out in what I can only describe as gothic opera attire. Think: monacles, top hats, wedding gowns. It was reminiscent of attending Tori Amos shows in the mid 1990s. It felt as though Amanda had rented out the Center just for us, the fans; like we were on some sort of goth/punk school field trip.
The show:
The Boston Pops, conducted by the sparkling Keith Lockhart, opened with selections from Holst's
The Planets. It was the perfect warm up before we all got our socks rocked off. Most of the show was Amanda backed by the Pops, with extra players added for certain numbers.
Her set:
1) Missed Me
Amanda came in from the side door, dressed in a lavender corset, black bra and silvery-grey bolero jacket with a ruffled bustle. And, of course, thigh highs and a suspender belt. As she worked her way through the floor seating, she collected a fiddle player and tambourine player planted in the crowd who followed her as if she was some sort of dominatrix Pied Piper. Concluding the song on the stage, she settled herself on the piano bench and whipped off her bolero (Lockhart followed suit, whipping off his suit jacket). The crowd was rapt and in the palm of her hands.
2) Astronaut-
This is a new song off of her solo album,
Who Killed Amanda Palmer?, which is set for a September release. She played it at the Vic in Chicago in January and it was great then. It sounds even more polished now and was beautiful with the Pops behind her.
3) Point of it All
Another new one. This song is simply gorgeous and Tom Waits-esque.
4) Just a Girl Who C'aint Say No
At this point, Amanda got up from the piano with a mic and walked to the front of the stage. The Pops began playing and L leaned over and said " I think this is from Annie Get Your Gun!!". She was right! This song is traditionally sung with a country twang on it, but Amanda put her own spin on it - speak-singing and making the song sound far dirtier than when it is perfomed as part of the musical. Even though the song isn't exactly in her range, it was neat to see her do something so unexpected. We couldn't wait to see what was next.
5) Brick
After sitting back down at the piano, Amanda told the auidence that Ben Folds produced her new album and that she had been encouraged to work with him after remembering that his band, Ben Folds Five, had a hit song in the 1990s about abortion. She then dedicated the song to him and to her friend Emily (tour manager?) and launched into a cover of the BFF hit "Brick". The song is about abortion from the male partner's perspective, so it was especially interesting to hear it done in a female voice.
6) School Shooting Song (title?)
Staying with the Ben Folds/depressing theme, she then did a song that she wrote about the Columbine school shooting right after it happened in 1999. She said that she was suprised that it had ended up on the album and that it was one of the tracks that Ben had chosen. During the song, actors with white face paint walked into the audience and collapsed. Of all of the new songs, this was my least favorite. It felt a little over the top.
7) Drive
I think this is another new track from her solo album, but it sounded very familiar. so it could be a b-side or an older Dolls' song. She had choir backing her on this song, including her father, which was a nice touch.
8) Coin Operated Boy
After a flourishing introduction that threw everyone off track, she launched into Coin Operated Boy - the crowd went wild! I imagine that several people were thinking the same thing I was "She's going to sing this very naughty song with the Boston Pops"? Alas, she played the radio edit version, which actually elicted some groans from the audience. The percussion on this piece was great, though - lots of toy sounds with a wide range of strange instruments.
9) What a Wonderful World
Amanda announced that this would be the last song but that she was "going to take us out in style". After singing the first few measures of "What a Wonderful World", a male voice came out over the speakers and Brian (her Dresden Doll other half) walked out on stage. There are two ways this song can be done: with an optimistic, genuine tone and with a cynical, "the world is going to hell in a handbasket" manner and they managed to do both all at once. Their energy was phenomenal. My mouth was open the entire time, tears running down my face, and most of the fans around me were in a similar state.
10) Don't Tell Mama (Encore)
An actor dressed as the MC from
Cabaret came out on stage, and recited what I think was a blend of originial lines and lines from the show, bringing Amanda back on stage. Dressed now in a shimmery black dress, Amanda and a chorus of Kit Kat Girls from the Boston Conservatory launched into "Don't Tell Mama". I was impressed with the level of raunch that they unleashed on the audience - one of the Kit Kat girls really went to groping herself . If Amanda Palmer was born to play any role, it is Sally Bowles. She brought the house down.
11) Sing
Brian came out once again, this time with a guitar, and they did a quiet version of "Sing", without piano. This has never been a standout song for me, but that night it had a particular impact. All of the additional players came back on stage and, slowly, fans stood up to sing the backing vocals. As I stood up, the woman sitting two seats down from me did as well and we locked eyes - it was one of those moments where you look at another music lover and you both know that you are experiencing a show unlike any other. By the end of the song, half of the center was on its feet singing along about using song as a rebelliion, as a catharsis and as a celebration.
I've been going to live shows since summer of 1995, and this was the most intense, most magical and powerful show I've seen to date. I don't know if it was the song selection, the orchestration, or the beautiful space - probably some combination of all three. Amanda Palmer has an uncanny ability to control a room, to impart emotion on every single person in the audience, to hold us captive in her world. I can't wait to hear the new album and see her in Chicago in August.
Thank you, Amanda, for an unforgettable evening.
, a moment in time where they just literally were not going to take it anymore, and in the grand American tradition of the Boston Tea Party, had a good old fashioned freak out. I might also point out the counter-cultural movement of the late sixties, encompassing the Vietnam war protestors, civil rights workers, and women's liberation movement, no doubt had some impact on the Stonewall patrons. In any event, what happened that day was remembered one year later in a march to the door of Stonewall - what was essentially the first gay pride parade. Today, most American cities hold their GLBT pride parades in late June to commemorate the anniversary. Chicago's parade is Sunday June 29th at noon, starting at the corner of Halsted and Belmont.
