Amanda Palmer at the Custard Factory in Birmingham, 3rd October 2008
If you’ve ever seen one of those amazingly intricate and beautiful designer adverts in Vogue or Grazia that you’ve wondered how that all came together to make the final picture, then you’ve already experienced what Amanda Palmer’s recent show was like. All done without the aid of Photoshop too. I use the word show instead of gig or concert, because this wasn’t a 45 minute set with one old song and the new album in its entirity without any kind of entertainment making you wonder why you paid 20 quid for it.
It’s worth coming to the freezing cold Custard Factory in Birmingham and paying £4 for a glass of wine to experience what Amanda Palmer is trying to tell you. Having created the spectacular album that is ‘Who Killed Amanda Palmer’ with its own youtube mini video series, crime scene photos and lists of prospective subjects you don’t expect to resold stale wine. As she is raised from the dead she plays her opening track on the album ‘Astronaut’ in a vintage white veil and corset, something only she could pull off.
To help her create the atmosphere she has hired the help of ‘The Danger Ensemble’ a group of dramatic actors and artists from Australia, who she tells us has come for no money but beer and the spare change people throw at them. They deliver what is expected; a dramatic interpretation of Amanda’s songs, only slightly ruined by the rendition of ‘Strength through Music’ about high school shootings that supposed to be sincere but ends up tacky; I mean everyone has seen a Michael Moore film. Then she plays a song about playing Guitar Hero and all is forgiven.
As she introduces her Neil Gaiman (ed: fantasy and graphic novel author) inspired song which starts with the line ‘I Google you, at 3am when I’m drunk’ somehow she doesn’t seem comfortable in the atmosphere that has been forced on her and that is a normal concert because like modern art, you either get it or you don’t. The best thing about Amanda Palmer is that even though she’s making serious points and personal outlets she still cant take herself seriously, with the show ending with her mouthing the words to Rihannas Umbrella with the Danger Ensemble dancing with Umbrellas around her as the sprinklers as set off.
It’s worth coming to the freezing cold Custard Factory in Birmingham and paying £4 for a glass of wine to experience what Amanda Palmer is trying to tell you. Having created the spectacular album that is ‘Who Killed Amanda Palmer’ with its own youtube mini video series, crime scene photos and lists of prospective subjects you don’t expect to resold stale wine. As she is raised from the dead she plays her opening track on the album ‘Astronaut’ in a vintage white veil and corset, something only she could pull off.
To help her create the atmosphere she has hired the help of ‘The Danger Ensemble’ a group of dramatic actors and artists from Australia, who she tells us has come for no money but beer and the spare change people throw at them. They deliver what is expected; a dramatic interpretation of Amanda’s songs, only slightly ruined by the rendition of ‘Strength through Music’ about high school shootings that supposed to be sincere but ends up tacky; I mean everyone has seen a Michael Moore film. Then she plays a song about playing Guitar Hero and all is forgiven.
As she introduces her Neil Gaiman (ed: fantasy and graphic novel author) inspired song which starts with the line ‘I Google you, at 3am when I’m drunk’ somehow she doesn’t seem comfortable in the atmosphere that has been forced on her and that is a normal concert because like modern art, you either get it or you don’t. The best thing about Amanda Palmer is that even though she’s making serious points and personal outlets she still cant take herself seriously, with the show ending with her mouthing the words to Rihannas Umbrella with the Danger Ensemble dancing with Umbrellas around her as the sprinklers as set off.
EMILY WADDELL
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