#thesocial

[afpwestcoast]

The Social, Orlando, FL, 6/16/23

The recent set of shows in Santa Fe started unusually late (doors at 10) because the venue was basically part of an art installation that was open until then. In Orlando this situation was essentially inverted: the venue hosts a club night that BEGINS at 10, and so doors were at 6. With a hard curfew to contend with the Dresden Dolls started promptly at 7, but the early hour did nothing to dampen the energy of the band or the enthusiasm of the crowd.

The band has recently adopted a habit of doing shows in 3-night stands over a weekend, and the first night, with the band well rested, tends to be the tightest and smoothest of the three. This night would seem to fall into that same pattern (time will tell) as it went off without so much as a hiccup. Great performance from the band and great response from the crowd (coincidence? I think not); overall a sterling example of Dresden Dolls magic. Annotated Set List:

Good Day

Sex Changes

Backstabber

Modern Moonlight

My Alcoholic Friends - Just as this song kicked off a woman in the crowd collapsed. The band stopped playing and tour manager Jaron Luksa leapt into decisive action and helped her out.

Welcome to the Internet (Bo Burnham cover) - The band donned John Lennon sunglasses for this one.

Bad Habit - Brian said this was the first song he ever heard Amanda play, on Halloween in 2000. Before that, when she was just starting to play in public, Amanda said she played at an open-mic night at Club Passim in Boston. The rest of the contributions consisted of 20-30 folk songs about going to other places. Amanda played Bad Habit solo on the piano. It did not go well.

Missed Me

Amsterdam (Jacques Brel cover) - Since the venue had no balcony Amanda was forced to stand on the bar for this one

(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (Beastie Boys cover featuring Tilley Komorny on bass, Brian on guitar, and Amanda on drums)

Delilah (featuring Veronica Swift) - I really want a peek inside Veronica’s closet. I’ve never seen her wear the same thing twice and all her outfits are fantastic!

Amanda opined about touring back in the day and the different reception that the band got in different parts of the country and how it all seemed so much more extreme and scarier now. Looking forward to the planned upcoming album and tour she concluded that the only thing to do is to get on stage and be very queer.

Whakenewha (pronounced Fuckin-A-Fa)

Mandy Goes to Med School - This one really clicked tonight for some reason. Totally en fuego!

An appropriate time for a brief interlude to campaign to get abortion rights on the ballot, with the full support of Ron DeSantis, I’m sure.

Memory (from Cats; brief excerpt)

Coin-Operated Boy - No INXS mash-up tonight

Half Jack

— —

War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)

Girl Anachronism

Photo Gallery:

Say what now?

Pre-show selfie!

Good Day

Welcome to the Internet

Random Amanda shot

Amsterdam

Preparing to fight

You gotta fight! For your right! To paaaaaaaarty!

Delilah

The Dresden Dolls, ladies and gentlemen

Campaigning to get abortion rights on the ballot

Selfie time!

Red light district

[aryabliss]

Etalkctv instastories

There is a video but it is geo blocked and I can’t watch it 😕

https://www.etalk.ca/Celebrity/video/Stars-share-their-pick-for-Most-Hypeworthy-Canadian-vid1537907

etalk S17:E Stars share their pick for Most Hypeworthy Canadian

Tessa & Scott may be your Most Hypeworthy Canadian, but who did the stars select?

[onlyincanadayousay2]

Marci Ian, co-host CTVs the Social, Daytime talk show

[crowdalbum]

44 pictures, photos and videos of Coin at The Social - Orlando, FL on May 13, 2017 https://www.crowdalbum.com/album/5916af567574697131000190/Coin_20170513

[afpwestcoast]

The Social, Orlando, FL, 6/18/23

Before the show I ran into Brian on the street and asked him what the new song (which had been dubbed Tom’s New Favorite Song at last night’s show) was actually called. He said it’s called ‘Boyfriend in a Coma’ and was actually written about 19 years ago but had only recently been arranged as a Dresden Dolls song. It’s based on her then-boyfriend Brendon suddenly collapsing during a load-out after a show, developing Guillain–Barré syndrome, and going into a coma for like 6 months, during which time Amanda hardly left his bedside. You can hear a demo of it here. It will always be Tom’s New Favorite Song to me.

When my nephew was 12 or 13 years old he googled Amanda Palmer to find out why his uncle kept jetting around all over the place to see her. Afterwards, due to the number of pictures that came up of Amanda in various stages of undress, he asked, “Is she a porn star?”

When I told Amanda this story she inscribed a copy of ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ for him: “To Dylan - I am not a porn star. No really. Love, -Amanda.” I gave him the book for his 18th birthday.

He’s now 26, and he lives in Orlando, so I brought him to the show. When I planted him in the front row against the stage I said, “Just so you understand: there are thousands of people all over the world who would kill to be standing where you are right now.” At the time I’m sure there was some eye rolling, but by the end of the evening I think he understood.

Unfortunately, guest bassist Tilley Komorny had come down with COVID in the past 24 hours, so we were not able to fight for our right (to party!). Despite this the band torched through another stellar set, with only minimal property damage.

Annotated Set List:

Good Day (featuring Brian on guitar to start)

Sex Changes

Gravity

Backstabber - Due to a “band miscommunication” they actually started playing different songs. I kinda think they shoulda just gone with it, but they restarted and both played Backstabber.

Modern Moonlight - Once again Brian led the crowd in the backing-vocal part before diving into the song.

My Alcoholic Friends

There was a pause in the set to introduce the band, tape down the piano pedal, and, of course, say GAY!

Rock and Roll Part 2 (aka The Hey Song - Gary Glitter cover) - Brief excerpt with the shout of “Hey!” replaced with “GAY!”

“If you’re looking for a gay band, look no further!”

Boyfriend in a Coma - By way of introduction Amanda said, “I’ve been sitting here for the last few nights thinking ‘I wouldn’t want to break up with me.’ Just warning you: I’m like the goth Taylor Swift. If you go out with me, and we break up in a bad way, you’re fucked. You’re SO fucked! This song is not quite really like that, but it lives in that dimension.”

Merch commercial

Welcome to the Internet (Bo Burnham cover)

Bad Habit

Missed Me

Amsterdam (Jacques Brel cover) - During her rampage up and down the bar tonight Amanda actually broke one of the lighting fixtures. “We broke that light, which means we’re gonna have to pay for that light. Buy more merch!”

Delilah (featuring Veronica Swift)

After taking a huge swig of wine straight from the bottle, Amanda said, “The truth is I stopped being as much of a lush when I had a child cause it just didn’t work. I don’t know if anybody has ever tried to have a small child and be hungover, but it’s fucking impossible.”

Whakanewha (pronounced Fuckin-A-Fa)

Mrs. O

Twenty Years Ago, Part 2 - Another impromptu composition about a song about climate denialism being more true now than when it was written 20 years ago. Conclusion: That’s fucked up.

They then welcomed to the stage Father Nathan Monk, who told the story of why he left the priesthood. Bottom line: The conservative (read: ignorant, bigoted, and, frankly, unchristian) dictates of his church were incompatible with his progressive world view.

Mandy Goes to Med School

Coin-Operated Boy - At the start of the song instead of singing the lyrics Amanda just sang, “Gay, gaygaygaygaygay” to the tune. Then at the end she changed the line to “Gay and to the point.”

Half Jack

——

War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)

Girl Anachronism - At this point, at the end of the third night in a row, I was exhausted and could barely stand. In a fit of wishful thinking, I actually thought they were going to close with “Sing,” and I would have a nice, calm denouement - I even took out my earplugs. Instead, I got a face full of Girl A. I managed to power through … and then collapsed on the stage.

Photo Gallery:

Dylan’s final few moments of pre-Dresden Dolls innocence (photo by Laurie Steiger)

Merch commercial; I was too enthralled through the first part of the set to take pix

Welcome to the Internet!

Grrrrrr!

Amsterdam

One of those light fixtures will not survive

Delilah

Let’s see how fast this thing can go!

Brian: You know what you did. Amanda: I know tee-hee!

Father Nathan Monk

The many faces of Brian Viglione

Really dude?

I remain convinced that Amanda’s stare can shatter glass

The end!

I’m not the only one who collapsed on the stage afterwards

[afpwestcoast]

The Social, Orlando, FL, 6/17/23

Before the show I bumped into Veronica Swift and her lovely mother, Stephanie. I asked whether she was going to come and dance with me in the front row, as she had in Woodstock, but she said she was going to sit with her mom. “I guess Mom trumps Tom,” I replied.

I have never been to a Dresden Dolls show that I would consider “bad.” I’ve never even been to one that I would consider “mediocre.” The band has a long track record of delivering consistent excellence. But let’s face it: they’re not all the same and some are better than others. Tonight was one of those nights when the stars aligned, the crowd was amazing, everything clicked, and the band blew through excellence to arrive in mind-blowing territory.

Not only were the performances incredible, but it was painfully obvious that they were both just having a blast. Nights like this are why music exists.

Annotated Set List:

Good Day (featuring Brian on Guitar to start) Sex Changes

Gravity

Bad Habit

More Vocals in the Wedge (to the tune of Coin-Operated Boy) - an impromptu composition to convey a request to the sound engineer, Dave Hughes, whom, Brian announced, has been working with the band for nearly 20 years.

Backstabber

Modern Moonlight - Before the song Brian trained the crowd to sing backup

Tom’s New Favorite Song - There is a long-standing tradition that whenever the Dresden Dolls play a brand-new song I ask for the title (in order to properly document it) and Amanda gives me some bullshit answer (who can forget the “Snakes on a Plane 3” incident of ‘17?). Tonight’s answer was Tom’s New Favorite Song. From the lyrics I would guess that it’s actually called something like (Love Comes in) Moments Like These, but if they actually call it Tom’s New Favorite Song I’m fine with that. Whatever it’s called it is a total banger and puts to rest any concerns that the new Dresden Dolls album will be nothing but weird, slow, 10-minute-long sad songs, as Amanda has jokingly suggested in the past.

Welcome to the Internet (Bo Burnham cover) - Amanda claimed a kinship with Bo Burnham, declaring him to be “another theater dork from Massachusetts. There’s something in the water in that state,” she opined, “that breeds musical theater sarcasm.”

Mrs. O

Twenty Years Ago - another brief, impromptu composition, the entire lyrics of which were: “It’s sad that a song written about 20 years ago, about climate-change deniers, and Holocaust deniers is still true!” She then claimed that the new record would be nothing but 15 to 20 second TikTok-able commentary segments on their old music.

Missed Me - Brian broke a drumstick early in this one and then proceeded to prance around the stage with his face covered like a cartoon villain holding a pair of drumsticks like a marionette’s control bar. As you do.

My Alcoholic Friends - Apparently this had been removed from the set list but then re-inserted spontaneously because it’s groovy.

Eye of the Tiger (Survivor cover) - brief excerpt for no discernible reason.

(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) (Beastie Boys cover featuring Tilley Komorny on bass, Brian on guitar, and Amanda on drums) - During the song I jumped around so much that my reading glasses flew out of my shirt pocket (tell me you’re getting too old for this shit without telling me you’re getting too old for this shit). After the song they gave Tilley the stage to make an impassioned plea for trans rights. When she stepped to the mic and announced, “I am a trans woman” the crowd erupted in cheers, which visibly moved her. “If you’re here and you’re trans every day that you’re alive is a gift. If you’re an ally please remember that silence is violence.”

Amsterdam (Jacques Brel cover featuring Brian on guitar) - Before the song started Amanda warned that any drinks on the bar would go flying, and then proceeded to run around like a maniac.

Delilah (featuring Veronica Swift) - Upon returning to her keyboard Amanda complained, “The piano is all wet!” Causing Veronica to quip, “That’s not the only thing!” IN FRONT OF HER MOTHER!

Amanda decried the general decline of sarcasm and irony since, oh I don’t know, about 2015 or so, and said, “If anybody ever finds out that you like the Dresden Dolls and they say, ‘I don’t get it, like, are they trying to be funny or are they trying to be serious?’ just say … yes!”

Whakanewha (pronounced Fuckin-A-Fa) Amanda recounted the story of meeting Brian when she was 24 and he was 21 and said that he was the first person in the world who totally believed in her songwriting.

Brief pause to campaign for abortion rights, which served as a nice segue into …

Mandy Goes to Med School

In honor of Ron DeSantis Amanda said, “I just want to say ‘gay’ over and over again,” and then proceeded to yell “GAY!GAY!GAY!GAY!GAY!” in rapid succession, eventually leading the crowd to chant “Gay! Gay! Gay! Gay!” They then played what was proclaimed to be the gayest Dresden Dolls song …

Coin-Operated Boy - The intro to Enter Sandman by Metallica snuck in there somehow. Determining the relevance of introducing Sandman into a song about favoring mechanical lovers over human ones is left as an exercise to the reader.

War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)

— —

To encourage the band to return to the stage the crowd began chanting, “Gay! Gay!! GAY! GAY!! GAY!! GAY!!! GAY!!!” It worked.

Girl Anachronism

Sing

Photo Gallery:

Brian Viglione: Best drummer in the world!

Welcome to the Internet!

The Dresden Dolls!

Tilley prepares to join the fight

Amanda appears confused by the whole thing

Fight for your right!

Amsterdam

Chaos

Delilah

Sing cuz it’s obvious

[joebreidenstine]

**TONIGHT**! Bringing in a Quartet to The Social at Midtown for their NYE party 😎 Joining me will be Thomas Royal (piano) Jake Newcomb (bass) & Dave Marsh (drums) 9pm-12:30am see you there! @thesocialgnv @gnventertainment * * * * * #jazz #jazzmusician #jazzquartet #thesocial #thesocialatmidtown #rooftopbar #nightlife #gnventertainment (at The Social at Midtown) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm1qSjEr2r0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[childgolden]

How to be a stunt double | The Social