New Music Monday

So following on from the Amanda Palmer "Fuck the volcano" gig on Thursday, I found myself in a basement underneath The World's End pub in Camden, appropriately called Underworld, yesterday for an Amanda Palmer surprise gig. Down the stairs from the bright Spring sunshine to the cosy venue we went, unsure what we would find.
The excellent Bitter Ruin from Thursday were just getting the crowd warmed up as we arrived, and they were followed by the less excellent but game for anything Robots in Disguise, who were very cheerful. Then Jason Webley, Amanda Palmer's Evelyn Evelyn partner, took to the stage. He hadn't been able to make Thursday's show, so I hadn't heard him before. He's awesome, and rather nice to look at too (minus the beard). Finally the always awesome Amanda Palmer brought her ukulele out to serenade us. Jason joined her for a hilarious song called Electric Blanket that they had composed in Manchester on a previous tour, some Evelyn Evelyn 'covers', and another celebration of the life of Malcolm McLaren, and then Michael Jackson. They did a rendition of Webley's Icarus, and finished with The Dresden Dolls Sing, one of my favourites. An excellent, rolicking show.

Once Upon A Time I Left My Hovel And Ventured Out...

Had a terrific night out last night. Went to see Amanda Palmer with Evelyn Evelyn, however, due to the volcanic ash cloud it ended up being an AFP solo show. Which was awesome. The support acts, Bitter Ruin, Robots in Disguise (I don't actually like them, but they were ok) and Melissa Auf Der Maur were fantastic, even though it was acoustic on borrowed instruments!
Amanda Palmer inspires devotion in her fans, people genuinely love her. She's funny, sweary, and talented. She played a selection of Dresden Dolls and solo material, and Jason Webley (the other half of EE) joined her via web cam on his plane to London for a couple of songs. I loved the rendition of Delilah (one of my favourite songs) and I Would For You, with Melissa auf der Maur on bass. The whole show was fantastic, including when she invited the front row onto the stage to help honour Malcolm McLaren whose funeral procession she'd seen driving through Camden that morning, so she rocked out with the lucky fans to Anarchy in the UK. Someone even smashed up their ukulele!! Then she went crowd-surfing, the look of horror on the security guard's face! Her phone got lost in the crowd, but was reunited with it's owner very swiftly, no one there would steal from her.
 All in all it was an fab night. After the show Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman were signing stuff, and I got my copy of the EE album signed and Gaiman's American Gods (aka one of my favourite books) signed.

I wish I could remember what she was singing at this point!

Signing my stuff!

Melissa auf der Maur

AFP & Bitter Ruin performing 'Fuck the Ash Cloud' as debuted in Dublin (we had to pretend to be Dubliners!)

Delilah (with Bitter Ruin's Georgia)

I Would For You (with MadM)

Crowdsurfing (much to the security guard's horror)