Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Friday was a busy night. I worked 8-4, raced home to let the dogs out, feed and water them, then hit the road for the 2 & 1/2 hour drive over to Asheville for a concert.

Amanda Palmer live at The Orange Peel - Social Aid and Pleasure Club. The lead singer of the duo The Dresden Dolls out on a solo tour for her CD Who Killed Amanda Palmer?.

Show starts at 9:00pm, doors open at 8:00. Got to downtown Asheville by 7:00. Time for dinner! But where? Hmmmm....I vote Barley's Taproom and Pizzeria. A good choice. 55 taps of good beer, great pizza, and walking distance to The Orange Peel. Big win. Huge score. Catawba Valley Brewing's Uber Pale Ale and Hyper Monkey Coffee Stout were consumed. Tasty wares from a western NC brewery.

Then it was off to the show. The Orange Peel was a warm and personal arena. Standing room only, outside of some tall tables with swiveling bar stools in the back. Bar stools because The Orange Peel had a full bar....open throughout the entire show. Western NC's Wedge Brewing's Porter and Pisgah Brewing's Pale Ale, plus Sweetwater (GA) Brewing's 420 Pale Ale all quenched the thirst just fine in the venue.

Two bands opened with 30-minute sets each: the sister cabaret act Vermillion Lies and then The Builders and the Butchers. Vermillion Lies was kitschy and intriguing, but just odd enough to not want to buy anything off iTunes to add to the collection. One of the sisters (Zoe) was just pretty enough to gawk at, and became even prettier when she worked the crowd and hugged me. (I am a starfucker.) The Builders and the Butchers was rocking and hippie enough to warrant a $9.99 purchase online for the iPod. Thunderous percussion as a backdrop for banjo and ukulele. Enjoyable.

Then at 10:00pm, the beautiful Amanda Palmer took the stage with the "Danger Ensemble". Four performance artists from Australia who would, appropriately enough, perform during some numbers. Solo works from Who Killed Amanda Palmer? plus older works from The Dresden Dolls were played for 2 hours and 45 minutes. One of the encores was Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer, which was interrupted for an onstage deconstruction of the lyrics: "It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not" followed by "take my hand and we'll make it I swear". Well, which is it Jon?

The Danger Ensemble is unabashedly a "street performance troupe", coming on tour with Amanda for no pay. This is no big budget tour. There may have been 800 people total at the show. 800. So the troupe made their way through the crowd with their boots off soliciting donations for the tour. Amanda made the proclamation that if someone gave $500 she would show the audience (her words) "[my] tits".

Someone gave $500.

The final encore was a mini-rave onstage which ended with Amanda doing a burlesque routine and removing her top. She is a woman of her word. There was thunderous approval.

An intimate performance. Great sound coming from just a piano (plus the occasional accompaniment by a violinist).

Then, it was the 2 & 1/2 hour drive back home to Greensboro. 3:30am and I fall into bed with the dogs. Kimberly is out of town in Florida for yet another healthcare PAC conference so she missed out. When we saw The Dresden Dolls open for Nine Inch Nails on a small club tour in Chicago a few years ago, Kimberly wasn't that impressed. Chris was. So it worked out well for seeing Amanda perform once again for those who enjoy her.

A great time in, according to Amanda, "this blue oasis in a red sea".