If it weren’t for the hosting issues last week, Amanda Palmer Day at Sketchy Details would have been Wednesday. Instead, it’s today. Here’s a photo recap of the concert on 11 September. I’m still toying around with this gallery plugin to see about the size and placement of the captions. Just click on the center for the full size shot sans commentary.
-
Marquee
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpmarqueef.pngThe line for the NYC show literally went around the block by the time I got there. Took quite a few minutes before I could see the marquee at Webster Hall
-
Introductions
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (2).pngAmanda Palmer took the stage at the top of the show and before every opener. Naturally, the crowd went wild. She seemed particularly overwhelmed when she first entered the stage. A venue that large screaming and cheering for you tends to do that to people
-
Jherek Bischoff
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (3).pngJherek is the bass player in The Grand Theft Orchestra. He did all the string arrangements that Amanda wanted volunteer players for on tour. Here, Amanda introduces Jherek, the string quartet (actually a string trio and the sax players The Ronald Reagans) to do a set of Jherek's original music.
-
Chad Raines & The Simple Pleasure
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (4).pngNot to be outdone, The Grand Theft Orchestra's guitar player Chad Raines took the stage with his band The Simple Pleasure for a set. Chad is responsible for the horn arrangements that helped cause all the "volunteer musicians" controversy. Not mentioned in those articles? How Chad plays trumpet and could probably cover, with The Ronald Reagans, for any holes in the arrangemens. The Simple Pleasure does really cool dance rock music with two synths, a guitar, and drum sequences. Here they are warming up for their set.
-
The Ronald Reagans
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (5).pngSpeaking of horn players, here's another set of musicians on Amanda's new tour: The Ronald Reagans. They're a sax duo performing instrumental covers of songs from the 80s. They're a riot live. Check them out if you can.
-
Meow Meow
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (6).pngI had a feeling when Amanda announced a special guest for the show it would be Meow Meow. She delivers the spoken word introduction to Theatre is Evil, after all. Here she is vamping for the audience.
-
Mic Stands and Atmosphere
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (7).pngMeow Meow had specific needs for her one song set. She required a handsome young man to support her and her mic, plus a can of atmosphere to spray when the mood was right.
-
Introductions, Take 2
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (8).pngWhat do you know? I was right. Here's Meow Meow introducing The Grand Theft Orchestra, just like on the album.
-
A Grand Entrance
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (9).pngDo you know how hard Amanda made it to take photos of the big stage moments during this show? How about entering from the back of the crowd, decked in costume jewelry, carried on the shoulder of her drummer Michael McQuilken? Yeah, you try taking a good action shot in the dank pit known as Webster Hall.
-
Hammering
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (10).pngI've seen a lot of live shows at this point in my life. Onstage, backstage, in the audience--it all creates a different experience. One thing I've grown to rely on is just how thrilling it is to watch Amanda Palmer hammer away at a stage piano.
-
Chad & Jherek
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (11).pngChad & Jherek are no slouches, either. The Grand Theft Orchestra is very dynamic.
-
Side Eye
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (12).pngI eventually had to put my camera down. If you try to catch all of an Amanda show on film, you're going to fail miserably. At least I got through the first song with some decent shots.
-
Sing
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (13).pngAnother Amanda close up. She makes the best faces while singing. Remember when Fantasia Barrino told Carrie Underwood and the other American Idol Season 4 finalists they had to get ugly while singing to win? Clearly, she was studying from Amanda.
-
Michael
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (14).pngMichael...broke his snare drum shortly after this. You can't accuse him of not going full out.
-
More Meow Meow
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (15).pngIf Meow Meow just stood on the side of the stage and posed all night, I would have been happy. Here she is assisting Amanda with some megaphone work.
-
No Piano Required
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (16).pngHere's one of those odd moments I talked about in the review: Amanda sans piano. She knows how to tell a story with her body language and this performance was no exception.
-
Bottomfeeder
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (17).pngSo, about those "you can't capture it" moments...this was one of them. Amanda ran offstage while The Grand Theft Orchestra started playing "Bottomfeeder." She came back in a denim jacket and long fabric train. Then she dove off the stage and covered the audience in yards and yards and yards of blue and green fabric. By the time I realized what was happening, she was...3 feet away and passing by quickly.
-
Covered
http://thesketchydetails.net/wp-content/uploads/slideshow-gallery/afpgtonyc (18).pngAnd here's what it looked like under the fabric. I'd say the Theatre is Evil tour is immersive theater.
And as a bonus, here’s a brief video of Meow Meow playing it up for the audience. If I was closer, I would have shot her whole performance. That costume did not stop moving the entire time and neither did she.
Not pictured: the can of stage smoke she sprayed repeatedly to build “atmosphere.”