Who killed Amanda Palmer?

I wish it had been me.

Jon called me at work on Monday and told me that he got guest listed for the Amanda Palmer show at the Paradise on Tuesday and I could be his plus one. I think her album is pretty good, and I've seen the Dresden Dolls once before and while not exactly my cup of tea, I was impressed.

We missed the opening act because it was a fucking tuesday and people work and parking at the 'dise is about as much fun as, well, parking anywhere in Boston. From what I gathered in the one or two songs I heard they were remakably average.

The show started, and since the album is titled "Who killed Amanda Palmer?" some steampunk/goth/dark cabaret dude came out and began talking like it was her funeral and we were all there to mourn her. This would have been fine if he talked for a minute or so then intorduced her, but it went on way too long. He brought out some piano player to play Amanda's favorite piece, then some old british writer who read a poem about her, then some other steampunk/goth/dark cabaret dude who played violin. While that was going on, some more steampunk/goth/dark cabaret people made their way to the stage and generally looked goth. Eventually they reached into the crowd and lifted up...gasp...Amanda Palmer.

I do enjoy her music, but man, there were too many long theatrical interludes. At one point the focus shifted from the stage to the floor as the extra goth kids who had started the show by lifting Amanda onto the stage did some weird dance thing in the middle of the crowd.

"JUST PLAY YOUR FUCKING SONGS!" was all my brain could scream.

The low point of the night was when she actually auctioned off memorabilia from the stage. I know the music industry is tough, and touring bands need all the help they can get, but I've never seen it sink so low as to sell props from the latest video shoot to the crowd. I still don't know what made me feel worse: the fact that she did it, or that people bought the stuff.

One of the high points was a karaoke version of Rihanna's "Umbrella" towards the end of the show. It cannot be argued that "Umbrella" is not a great pop song, and what made it even better was that it really took the piss out of the goth crowd. Yeah, she sings a bunch of songs about depressing crap, but she can have fun with a top 40 hit too, and it's ok for you to like it.

Throughout the night, the music was solid and in the end that's all that really matters.

Bob Dylan Rules

Feeling depressed? Listen to "Blood on the Tracks" by Bob Dylan. You'll still be depressed, but at least you'll have a good soundtrack.