On deciding to begin her European adventure in Dublin, Amanda Palmer sought a house in which to prepare for the tour ahead.  The disclosure of Sandymount as her temporary base of operations raised more than a few smiles at her opening gig in The Academy at the weekend – picturing her and her entourage archly parading around the middle class suburban southside would be a divine spectacle in and of itself, but for now we would have to make do with Saturday’s saturnalia on Abbey Street.

Taking a break from fronting the “Brechtian Punk Cabaret” that is the Dresden Dolls, she released her solo effort ‘Who Killed Amanda Palmer’ this month, produced by Ben Folds and featuring ex Rasputina member Zoe Keating, who featured as support and later backing cello for the main event.  With a little help from Australian performance artists The Danger Ensemble, Ms Palmer was elevated to the stage bedecked in wedding veil, train and fishnet everything else (if you can’t picture it, think Miss Havisham goes burlesque, or maybe that dress from the November Rain video), lifted behind her keyboard, and for the next hour or more, had every set of eyes in the place firmly fixed upon her.

New songs (‘Astronaut’, ‘Runs in the Family’, ‘Ampersand’) were received as heartily as old DD favourites like ‘Mrs. O’ and ‘Coin Operated Boy’, with the antics of the aforementioned Danger Ensemble resulting in sensory overload – audience members in the front row barely had time to read their ‘Will Kiss for Kash’ placards before getting planted with smackers.  The evening took an ironic turn with the full-on lip-synching of her song ‘Guitar Hero’, and continued later with a tribute to Rhianna’s ‘Umbrella’, previously performed with only drums and ukulele, this time out the stage heaved with grinding and miming to the original blasted out over the PA.  The evening ended on a high note with popular support act Jason Webley returning on stage to join in a brief but memorable version of Bon Jovi’s ‘Living on a Prayer’, while the members the Danger Ensemble ran through the audience collecting contributions in high laced boots from anyone who wished to support their self-funded jaunt-along on tour with the leading lady.

Amanda Palmer will return, either with the Dresden Dolls or new friends.  Don’t miss her.

http://www.myspace.com/whokilledamandapalmer

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