story by Sharyn Goldyn
photo by Kyle Cassidy
It takes three tries to get Amanda Palmer of punk-cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls on the phone. "Sorry," she says, "I got a new phone and we just got out of yoga class." Amanda is in Melbourne Australia, ready to start a stream of solo shows before heading back to the States for another set of shows as the Dresden Dolls.
Though she advertises her shows without bandmate Brian Viglione as solo, the word couldn’t be further from the truth. For her upcoming Australian shows, she is collaborating with other musicians as well as The Danger Ensemble, a theater troupe she once was mesmerized by in her pre-Dolls days. "You can’t really call them a dance troupe because they are more than that," Amanda says. "They are really beautiful, talented theater people who choreograph these moving scenarios to go along with my songs."
At Amanda’s "solo" shows she will be performing songs from her upcoming record, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?, which is tentatively scheduled to come out next fall. As for her record, Amanda claims that it isn’t too far off from the cabaret style found in Dresden Dolls songs. "It’s not a wild departure; the production Ben Folds did on it is exquisite. There’s a handful of songs that are solo piano with string arrangements. We originally thought it was going to be a record of ballads. At the moment there is one cover, which is a duet with Annie from St. Vincent. I’m trying to keep it a surprise."
PALMER'S INNER VIEW |
“I never get sick of doing shows where things are constantly on the verge of falling apart.” |
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Amanda arrived in Melbourne early to rehearse the collaborations with The Danger Ensemble. "I’ve learned my lesson about coming here and not rehearsing before shows," she says. "I’m still trying to figure out a way to explain the shows. It’s the perfect collaboration. For instance, there is a song on the album which was inspired in part by the Columbine shootings — it’s a slow, simple ballad and the four performers are in really simple costumes to suggest that they are students. They slowly enter from either side of the theater with blank faces and hands behind their heads — really simple choreography but it transforms the space and makes the song so much more effective and very magical. The show goes from very serious and very choreographed to improvised and silly and ridiculous."
Amanda says she hopes to bring the The Danger Ensemble to the States but doesn’t plan to have them join the Dresden Dolls for their upcoming 2008 dates. "The Dolls’ tour is pretty stripped down — a 3-week tour with me and Brian and the odd cast of characters opening up for us," Amanda says. "We will still be doing art and performance art in the lobby and on stage but we are trying to keep this really simple. We just want to keep in touch with each other and the fans."
Amanda stresses that the upcoming shows will be minimal and more rehearsed, but then stops herself to laugh. "I always say that and then the show ends up being a clusterfuck circus. I never get sick of doing shows where things are constantly on the verge of falling apart."
Fans can expect some new songs thrown into the mix at their Chicago show this month, but may have to wait a bit before a new record is released. "We have two records in the works," Amanda says. "We are putting together a B-sides and older songs compilation, which we will rerecord. Record number three is in the pipeline but there is no telling when that is going to come out."
For the upcoming Chicago show, despite her previous claim for simplicity, the Dresden Dolls seem to have a couple of tricks up their sleeves. "We love playing the Vic Theater," Amanda says. "I’m really looking forward to our opening number — which is also a surprise. It’s a cover song and it’s going to involve serious audience confusion and costumes. It was Brian’s idea."
Audience confusion and costumes seem to be consistent with Dresden Dolls shows but for those who have never been, Amanda asks just one thing. "Absolutely one-hundred percent dress up for the shows. When in doubt, a nice hat transforms everything." Okay then.
Dresden Dolls :: with Two Ton Boa :: The Vic :: January 5.