The Dresden Dolls @ Webster Hall, NYC 4/22/06

Webster Hall, with its theatrically themed decor of velvet paintings and gold marionettes, was an ideal place for the traveling vaudevillian circus that is The Dresden Dolls. The duo's goth-gone-burlesque get up seemed the perfect accompaniment to the venue's schmaltzy charm, and "The Dresden Doll Brigade" -- kids who come to Dolls shows dressed like it's Goth Halloween, intent to juggle, mime, and joke for other fans between sets -- helped create a communal, campy vibe. Stereogum's made no secret of our love for Amanda Palmer (and we got word that she was tickled by our post [insert swoon emoticon]), but that night at Webster made us only grow fonder.

The duo just released its sophomore effort Yes, Virginia (Amazon | iTunes), another exploration of the Brechtian punk-cabaret and twisted character sketches of their awesome debut. Though lacking knockout punches like "Girl Anachronism" and "Coin Operated Boy," it's a consistent collection, and their set drew on the best of both albums. Throw in covers of Joan Jett, Leonard Cohen, Black Sabbath, and an opening act from a stripping hula hooper and, well, let's just say we were entertained.

Amanda's got that time-bomb-ticking bit, tickling the keys' high register, tilting her chair, launching into menacing smiles, hair whips and cathartic vocal assaults. When smashing the skins, Brian fills the spaces left by Palmer's complex chord voicings, between dramatic postures and over the top poses. The Dolls bring life to their songs' scornful, sympathetic lyrics. Temporary art installations, intimate banter, dark cabaret. Just made us wanna Sing.

SETLIST
01. Sex Changes
02. Missed Me
03. Modern Moonlight
04. Shores of California
05. Coin Operated boy
06. Bad Habit
07. Amsterdam (Jacques Brel cover)
08. Cosmic Dancer (T. Rex cover)
09. Delilah (w/ Holly Brewer from HumanWine and Mali Sastri of Jaggery)
10. Dance Me To The End Of Love (Leonard Cohen cover)
11. Necessary Evil
12. First Orgasm
13. Dirty Business
14. I Love Rock 'n' Roll
15. Half-Jack
16. Girl Anachronnism

[Encore]
17. Me And The Minibar
18. Sing
19. War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)

UPDATE: You asked for MP3, so here ya go. From the San Diego show, not NYC, but rocks the same.

The Dresden Dolls - "I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Live 4-18-06)" (MP3 Link Expired)

Posted at 3:37 PM in Concert, MP3
Tags: The Dresden Dolls

18 Comments

What this dresden dolls business??
- i want more sufjan mp3's.
- tickets to pearl jam's secret show at irving plaza.
- some news about ghostface killah and Raekwon's new album
- graphic design courses at the learning annex.

Make this shit happen stereogum~!

Posted by: Axl Foley at 04/26/06 4:16 PM | Reply
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Nice pix- Amanda's the best.

Posted by: jspaceman at 04/26/06 4:26 PM | Reply
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another boston band makin' good in nyc.
tha dollz rock.

Posted by: blackbird at 04/26/06 4:38 PM | Reply
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I really don't get the appeal of this band. And people really throw that "Brecht/Weill" reference around a lot. I don't hear it. just because they dress like mimes doesn't actually make their music interesting.

Posted by: gnu at 04/26/06 5:31 PM | Reply
Score = -1

his hair cut is lame-o

Posted by: foster at 04/26/06 5:43 PM | Reply
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I saw them @ last year's Coachella. Great show!

Posted by: James at 04/26/06 5:51 PM | Reply
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This show was fantastic. The Dolls never seize to amaze me. Fav moment? The face painted dumbass who ran up onstage during 'war pigs'. I bet he thought he was going to be so cool by stage diving...no one caught him.

Posted by: jen at 04/26/06 7:36 PM | Reply
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is the guy painted all white? ... or is he just really pale?

Posted by: max at 04/26/06 7:46 PM | Reply
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What are the chances of you posting anything about "The Lost Boys" soundtrack?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002ILE/102-8595040-9599342?v=glance&n=5174

Posted by: Paul G at 04/26/06 11:01 PM | Reply
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Seconding the comment about last year's Coachella show...it rocked. Although the Dresden Dolls don't appeal to everyone, they have a magic all their own.

Posted by: leoni at 04/26/06 11:55 PM | Reply
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what up with the Sufjan hoping to get back to back album of the year shit? I seem to remember Michigan being the best of '03 and 7Swans being best of '04. Andrew Bird beat out Illinois in '05. He already did his Hanks!

Posted by: bebacker at 04/27/06 4:08 AM | Reply
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Love the Roxbury t-shirt - especially since they had that roller skating party at Chez Vous.

Posted by: Rina at 04/27/06 9:33 AM | Reply
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No Dresden mp3s?!?!

Posted by: Isaac B2 at 04/27/06 10:38 AM | Reply
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yeah, mp3s please! ;P
their song titles are hilarious

Posted by: booboo at 04/27/06 1:07 PM | Reply
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i was at the san diego show where they did this one...it was amazing!!!

Posted by: lyn at 04/27/06 2:13 PM | Reply
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p.s. very jealous you guys got shores of california.

Posted by: lyn at 04/27/06 2:22 PM | Reply
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No "Backstabber"? That's odd, since it's definitely the high point of the new album. They didn't have Girl Authority on stage with them for I Love Rock n Roll... Our Boston show every so briefly turned into a Kidz Bop/ Guitar Hero joyfest... Worth the every penny of admission (oh, wait, I didn't pay a dime...)

Posted by: Jake at 04/28/06 10:04 AM | Reply
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Good design!
My homepage | Please visit

Posted by: Tina at 05/08/06 1:48 AM | Reply
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