Twitter
Facebook
RSSAmanda Palmer Paradise Rock Club Boston MA November 24 2008
Nov 24
Art Rock, Indie Rock No Comments
Amanda Palmer stormed into Boston for the first two nights at the Paradise Rock Club, supported by the Danger Ensemble. Palmer’s solo album is a force of nature, as is the performer herself on stage. Playing keyboard solo and accompanied on about half the songs by violinist Lyndon Chester, Palmer ran through most of the songs from her solo album, keeping the audience riveted with soft love lorn songs like Ampersand and the tragic Blake Says. Musically, Palmer has never sounded better. She pounded through spirited versions of back to back Dresden Dolls’ tracks Backstabber and Coin-Operated Boy. During Guitar Hero, she played air guitar and lip synced to her own track from the front of the stage.
She stopped the set twice, once to auction off a signed guitar from the music video for Guitar Hero (it went for $790). Later, she went to a segment called “Ask Amanda” where she answered questions from a hat. It was that kind of show.
The Danger Ensemble is a four-piece performance group that acted out scenes on stage while Palmer played. Some of the pieces were stunning, like the tour de force of “Will Kiss for Kash” during Coin-Operated Boy. During Have to Drive, the Danger Ensemble reassembled in the audience, pushing the crowd away to make a space to work with and proceeded to climb on each other like a living sculpture. It was engrossing and Palmer was happy to share the attention.
The show opened with a eulogy performed by Palmer’s mother (getting the crowd to sing along to Abide with Me) before Palmer herself appeared through the crowd in a white shroud and launched into Astronaut.
The show closed with a lip synced extended version of Rihanna’s Umbrella, a singalong cover of Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer with The Builders and the Butchers supporting and Ryan Sollee sharing lead vocals. Then Vermillion Lies and Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band joined the rest on stage for a wild romp through Leeds United. It was that kind of night. Amazing.
