The Resurrection: Amanda Palmer At The Roxy

AMANDA PALMER/GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA

JHEREK BISCHOFF

DIE ROTTEN PUNKTE
ROXY, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 18 JULY, 2012

How do you follow up a project named Who Killed Amanda Palmer? Her previous effort was an LP as well as an art book of crime scene photos of the subject in question.  Not to mention, how do you do it without a record label?  The answer will be revealed fully in September, thanks to the wonder of her committed fanbase setting Kickstarter on fire, in the form of a new work entitled: Theatre Is Evil.  Along with a new band, the Grand Theft Orchestra, this appearance at the Roxy worked as a premier of both.

The last time we saw Amanda was her triumphant appearance at Coachella in 2009, at the height of her solo tour, and she certainly hasn't been sleeping in the interim.  Finally, all the planning and plot-hatching has come to fruition, and the audience was boisterous and attentive, changing to fit the mood of the songs.  But mostly boisterous.  It was a celebration, and Palmer is no shrinking violet when it comes to commanding the spotlight.

The band that she's spent so much time praising during the recording of the record lived up to her every boast.  The power of the Grand Theft Orchestra was most evident in their rendition of "Missed Me" from the first Dresden Dolls record, as they raced between instruments in a divine experiment in controlled chaos.
Among the new songs that made a deep impression were: "Trout Mask Replica", and "The Bed Song".  Amanda and the Grand Theft Orchestra will be back in LA in September at the Fonda Theater, and we will revisit the issue at that point.  All in all, a grand unveiling...

Amanda and the Magic Conch...

 

SETLIST:

Do It With A Rockstar

Missed Me

The Killing Type

Lost

Girl Anachronism

Trout Heart Replica

The Bed Song

Bottomfeeder

Half Jack

Want It Back

Massachusetts Avenue

Berlin

Olly Olly Oxen Free

Leeds United

(courtesy of Setlist.fm)

Jherek and Chad strike a pose...

Jherek Bischoff provided a nice bridge in the evening, not only playing bass in GTO, but filling the middle slot by bringing on a hastily recruited and rehearsed string quartet to essay songs from his recent LP.  Apparently, he's doing this with a different configuration in each city.

It was a quiet, but intense set that the audience focused for.  Craig Werden popped in for a guest vocal appearance, and Jhered Bischoff's work throughout the evening was the night's big takeaway.

Die Rotten Punkte from Berlin did the opening honors, quickly winning the crowd over with a hilarious and charming set that didn't short on the rock.

Laurel and Hardy meets the White Stripes is probably most apt, and set pieces included adventures with bananas, and 'sibling' arguments aplenty.  Absolutely delightful.

A Boy und his Banana...

For those of you who made it this far, here's a taste of Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra's newest work.  The video for "Want It Back", is exquisitely detailed, excruciatingly shot, and NSFW...Behold below: