...........................................................
right now......i am fucking tired. i am in santa fe.
we've done san fran, LA, san diego, tempe arizona and albequerque.
i took this picture today. on my telephone.
i love the future.
i'm in the middle of nowhere in santa fe, re-couping at my step-sisters and soaking in the homemade-bread and baby vibe.
ronan, my wee nephew, is 10 months old. i'm beginning to relate to him more....he's banging on shit constantly to see what sounds he can make.
babies are weird and wonderful. i love how engrossed he can get in something....he recently spent about 15 minutes opening and closing a book.
here are some pictures from tour.
all these photos (expcet where noted) are by beth, my new assistant of life, who is kicking ass all over the place.
she is busy all day doing crazy shit and i wonder already how i'd be coping without her help. i love life. we've been doing yoga together.
ok so
this is me, backstage with a lemon. the people in catering made the face on it and left the knife in his head.
and i was trying to explain why little fucking things like this make my life suddenly worthwhile.
this was the night morrissey came to the show.
please understand.
i worshipped at the altar of the smiths and the songwriting of The Moz for a long time.
second only to robert smith.
i knew he was there. my tour manager shook his hand. i missed him.
i was nervous.
not in the usual nervous way.
i don't get nervous like that anymore.
it was more.....
i hit stage and couldn't stop judging myself.
i just kept listening to my lyrics ricocheting around in my own head and my terrible judgement setting in ("amateur. stupid. trite. dumb. why did you write this shit?")
i was only happy during mrs. o ("ok. this isn't trite") and astronaut ("ok. this is also good"). what a mindfuck.
i feel like i wouldn't be so judgemental if robert smith showed up.
but morrissey has been so vocal about his total hatred of certain things. i totally pictured him leaving the venue four songs in with a thought bubble above his head reading "talentless twats. waste of my evening."
brian picked up on my nervousness and to top it all off the place was air-conditioned to shit (cold = bad gig) so LA was ok. but not great. morrissey left right before the end of the show.
i am sort of glad i didn't meet him.
i had the chance to, about two years ago, at a german festival. i declined. i was just too afraid he would be a dick and then the music would be marred (no pun intended).
i hate that about music. when the magic is ruined. its only happened to me once or twice, but it's devastating.
if you love music, and then you meet the source, and the source disappoints you, you can never hear those songs the same way again. i've tried to avoid that now. on purpose.
some music is just too good.
HOWEVER.
san francisco was AMAZING.
zoe keating played with us (on astronaut and half jack) and so did meredith yaynos (on boston)
......and so did east bay ray from the dead kennedys.
i couldn't find a full clip of it on youtube, but here's us playing the tail end of "moon over marin" by the dead kenndys, with ray....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G74DkvMprno
then we took some time off in LA
brian cut my hair one morning.....
....then brian pulled out his wicked italian recipes and cooked the whole crew dinner while we stayed at my aunt & uncles' house in palos verdes.....
(check out jaron with his PLATE)
katie kay and her beau, patrick, awaiting food....
the best surprise of tour has been our opening act SMOOSH, who have been kicking ass and taking names.
they are three sisters from seattle, age 11, 14 and 16. and they are ROAD WARRIORS. they;ve been touring forever and play like pros.
you'd think they were in their thirties. it's crazy. they've been tearing it up every night and we love watching them.
we got their youngest member, maya, to play bass with us on "fight for your right".
and then we decided that we needed to do a song with the whole band, so we threw together "karma police" during soundcheck and debuted it in arizona. they killed it.
(here's brian teaching maya the chords....)
here is an awesome clip of karma police with the girls....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6klcWi0M1Y
me and beth, dorking out backstage.....
(photo by brian)
eric, our beloved new tour manager:
the couch fort that we built in the dressing room in new mexico (we had 4 couchs to work with, it was awesome).
FORT BEER!.....
maia (from smoosh - sadly, quite a ways under 21), eric (our tour manager), yours truly, captain brian viglione, brian spett (our lighting guy) and jon lammi (our sound guy....)
one big happy beery family.
....so
tour has been bearable.
the new album came out this week.
reviews have been mostly great. the new york times reviewed us for the first time and were sort of back-handed dicks, but at least they put us in the critics choice section (leave it up to the NY times to choose you but also rip you apart by starting a review by saying: "obscurity suits the dresden dolls....."-------aaaah). but mostly awesome.
i have been cranking in the moonlighting hours on the artwork for the solo record. it's going to be incredible. i just have to .... do it. finishing up the cover artwork. feeling slow and cranky.
random dept: the infamous blog tshirt on beth's friend sarah in pennsylvania.
people keep asking for them, we might just have to make a large batch for post-war trade.
(let me know if you want one.)
............
.......................
four days later...............
we played in kansas city last night. i got atypically drunk over the course of the show, under the guise of self-medicating a very thrown-out neck.
i often drink during our shows but i usually cap it at two drinks or i start getting too sloppy and forgetting lyrics.
yesterdays adventures saw me drinking wine BEFORE the show, which i never do, forgetting to eat dinner, taking aspirin, walking by the bartender and grabbing a shot of jagermeister during my crowd-wander "the gardener", then stupidly opening my gullet when my well-meaning monitor tech jaron came to pour a shot of whiskey down my throat during "fight for your right to party".
it was a DAMN FUN show, for sure. i can remember very little from the encore, but i have gathered that the night involved me lying down on stage for the encore and some very birthday-party era nick cave muscial shenanigans during the half jack solo which everyone said sounded very "interesting". drinking and playing, not good combo. but i suppose i am allowed one behind-the-music night every year or so for all the other sober yoga days.
in a way the night was a weird over-reaction to teh night before. we were filming the show, in denver. and i decided not to drink. and it threw me. i'd gotten so used to hitting a certain level of looseness halfway through the set, with my one beer down, that i got disoriented. the altitude didn't help. i snowballed, stone-cold sober. there's something to be said for moderation in moderation as well. i'll figure it out.
i do hope some photos surface of the night so i can see what happened.
three more days of tour from here, all in texas, which should be good fun. we haven't headlined here in years and years.
us, somewhere, being sweaty:
rock
love
A
Posts
78 comments:
Hell yes man, I was at the Kansas City show, and it was pretty amazing. My first time seeing you guys live, and I was completely psyched. Then entirely exhausted because I had to travel a ways to get there in the first place. I love you guys. You and Brian = my fucking heroes. For sure.
Much love
I bought your new CD the other day, and I have to say that it was amazing! I loved it! (Of course, I have been waiting for it to come out for a LONG time).
Couch Forts are amazing...and so is SMOOSH. Can't wait for the solo record by the way.
Keep being awesome.
do not meet them. under any circumstances*. most times it will be fine but that one time it isn't you will be so heart broken. i luckily learned this lesson early enough in my life to have managed to keep from ruining some of my favorite bands. i work at a venue so it comes up a lot and it's hard. i would rather keep the daydream than have a snapshot and a lifetime of thinking about all the stupid things i said. i have gone through painstaking lengths to avoid even running into people, including you.
that fourth wall is a bitch.
*except robert smith, he's a total safe bet. for serious.
I loved the Fanta Se picture it reminded me how much I miss the high desert...lived there for a bit a few years back...
KC you were drunk really?! Oh really?!
It was a weird night down in front of you in KC but a great show...smoosh freaked me out they were so amazing...you were in rare form...
I was girl in front trying not to go from mostly pacifist to homocidal(intentional) for very uncool non rock love behavior reasons- you might not remember but one was the one who got kicked out for accosting you when you did what I like to call a stage roll/dive-sorry but it was pretty hilarious and smart too...still enjoyed the show even though I finished watching from the side with one of the smoosh girls...
If it were not a Doll show I would have escorted them both out myself by their balls...
thank you for being so engaging that I still had an amazing time
rock love,
jolly
The SF Show was as great to see as it was to play... I was right up front center with that guy you held hands with during bows and he couldn't stop vibrating with excitement the entire way home, lol.
man, i don't think i would have the balls to meet morrissey either. that's some seriously scary shit. i would love to meet robert smith, and you and brian have been nothing but nice to me (and my husband) the times i've encountered you, if it's any consolation (but i'm sure you know how sweet you are to fans).
i have chickened out several times. i don't let myself get anywhere near elvis costello because he's my absolute favorite, and i could've stuck around to possibly meet tori amos one night, then made a run for it at the last minute. some things are certainly better left untouched.
I'm really excited to see you in Austin this weekend. My sister even came in because y'all aren't playing New Orleans. I'm listening to No Virgina right now.
I've been spending the better part of today trying to figure out what to wear to y'all's show (over a day before, see how excited I am). I may even have to visit Secret Oktober in South Austin on Sunday if I can't find anything I like enough in my closet.
Had to just clean up cat vomit. I'm sure you didn't need to know that but I felt like oversharing.
uhm, hey. you are a babe.
everyone in those pictures are babes...everyone. :*
can i work for you when i turn 18 or 21?
june 20th<333
sing just for me! :DDDD
Hey thanks for bringing Smoosh out for the opening band. They did such an awesome show at the Tempe Marquee Theater. I've been wanting to see them live for a while. I met Chloe and Asya and they're really down to earth girls. Also, I wanted to thank Beth for getting my sister and I into the show. Here is some good Smoosh and DD eye candy I got from the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r88J3IkR0Hk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHbNm36FEWM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBWsCI_rnug
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrKQVR5E3mc
Awesome Group pic: Everyone is so HAPPY! :)
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a367/Pinkmink/IMG_0392_2copy.jpg
...and Amanda's zipper is down :O
1) Caitlin R Kiernan is moving to Providence, and it would make me happier than anything if you read her books, loved them, and became great friends with her
2) I really want to see you guys again... You just put on such a hell of a show.
3) Lush - "Heavenly Nobodies":
Just because they seem to understand the way you feel,
It doesn't mean that they feel the same way too.
Just because they seem to hold a mirror to your lives,
It doesn't follow that they'll be just like you.
Take no heroes, it's no good.
They don't stand up to you
Just take the bits you think that you can use.
I remember when I was younger,
I thought the answers were locked in people.
So I admired the ones whose lives were
the source of envy to people like me.
But do you really want to meet,
the ones who write your dreams?
Believe me it's a fantasy.
You won't like the reality.
If you want heroes keep them safe.
They don't stand up to life.
So lock them in your soul and lose the key.
I love you. I don't want to meet you.
(Repeated 12x in background)
When I see you it makes me feel,
there's someone else out there like me.
You touch my soul with what you do.
It all makes sense when I'm with you.
You understand the way I feel.
I know exactly what you mean.
It's like I've known you all my life.
I think of you and I feel alright.
But in the flesh how would it be,
if you could really see
the weaknesses you never knew
Alive and staring back at you?
If you want heroes keep them safe.
They don't stand up to life.
So lock them in your soul and lose the key.
Lock them in your soul and lose the key.
Lock them in your soul and lose the key.
I don't always agree with it, but there is a certain wisdom and logic to it.
Amanda & Brian,
I was at the Denver show and it was amazing. I will admit I couldn't tell that you felt disoriented. Many artists talk about the altitude difficulties while in Denver- especially at Red Rocks- (even the infamous Trent Reznor...). I thought the show went swimmingly- I smiled so much my face hurt. Thank you so much for it all! My boyfriend and I were talking about how nice the crowd was... you attract amazing fans :) I hope the rest of your tour goes well!
Love and Light,
Erin Marie
P.S. I would love a blog T-shirt!
Very interesting blog... it's entertaining to find you so nervous in such a relatable way when you are one of the most talented people in the world!
Thank you SO MUCH for linking to my "Karma Police" video, you have filled me with happiness! If you have a moment, you can check out my pics and videos from the show in my blog:
The Dresden Dolls 05/23/08
I hope that you do take a look, and you enjoy it. I was quite saddened that I was not able to snap a shot with you, however I most importantly hope that Brian did deliver my comments to you, because the kind of woman you are is truly important to me! You help keep me strong! Thank you!
hey i saw you guys in LA and had so much fun. it was my fifth time seeing you and i thought it was a rockin show. i remember some guy yelling out "play war pigs" and you thought he yelled "decadence!" so funny. i've been listening to the new album non-stop whilst walking with my pooch each night and am so in love with it. the melodies are so dreamy. i anxiously await your solo album. i heard you play some new stuff last year in new york when aberdeen city played with you.
side note: at first when i read the title of this blog i thought it said "couch farts" and then i thought oh no, this could be bad!
Wow! Smoosh are fucking awesome! And I love that they're called Smoosh. How cool.
Thanks so much for sharing the tour fun with us! It's so awesome to get photos of you guys rocking out, and making couch forts! Couch forts rule!
New album is fucking stunning, I can't wait to see Gardiner live someday. A friend and I spent four hours (four!) playing the new album at opposite sides of the world (I love the internet), pulling apart the lyrics and getting right into it. It was wonderful. Thank you for writing such amazing fucking songs.
Pax!
Jolly, Don't worry, that fucker got what was coming to him. Three body guards lead him to the back exit. He got what was coming to him. It was quite a long while until all the body guards came back in.
Amanda, Awe you didn't remember seeing I and my boyfriend holding me on the way to your jagermeister? You gave us eye contact and walked right up to us then you went on to the bar.
Oh well, I did see a video camera however, I hope that gets put on youtube. So you might actually see some kick ass drunk action of yourself sooner or later.
I was wondering if you were doing alright. You were pretty gorked out. And then you weren't hanging outside the tour bus with Brian. Must of passed out cold.
I love you anyhow. And I totally agree with the whole meeting someone you look up to. What if they aren't as awesome as they really seem. I think seeing you guys in one concert is enough. I don't want to have a fall out just yet. youtube will keep me going.
I just found out about your show in Austin through the bulletin on Myspace about 6 hours ago, and have been FRANTICALLY putting together a party to see you there. I AM SO EXCITED. It's an hour commute, but it's damn worth it. CAN'T WAIT to see you guys. Fuck Finals, I'm going to see The Dresden Dolls. That's my mindset.
Ahhh I can't wait until tomorrow!! I have been waiting for this night for years. I loves you two.
love,
cris
Yeah. I've now got cake in my hair xD But fuck Texas is fun, eh? As much as you can complain about the heat, we live with it.
Dear Amanda,
you're beautiful.
Dear Amanda and Brian,
Your music is beautiful.
Mmmmmhhmmmm.
Love always,
Eric
i am happy that the tour is good :)
but i am afraid that if you have too much fun you'll forget about us over here in the uk
so please come back soon
we miss you lots
big british-y love
You look so cute without your eyebrows.
And come back to Australia, we need you down under.
(and yes that pun was bloody well very much intended)
Hallow! You didn't talk about it in the blog, but I was at the Houston show, at Warehouse Live, (me and my friend Sam were the ones who tossed the art on stage--she did the hands with piano poster, I did the three portraits. I really hope you got the portraits, because I had to leave early, and a techie stepped on them like six times, so, yeah. I really hope you got them. And if you did, I sincerely apologize for making Mr. Viglione look like such a scary German guy in the charcoal drawing.) and I just had to say, you guys playing Karma Police completely made my night. Mainly because when I (attempt) to play Mandy Goes To Med School on the guitar, I always alternate my attempts with Karma Police, just because I can play that. xD So, yes. Please tell Smoosh they were absolutely amazing, especially the drummer. (They introduced themselves, but we couldn't hear--bad mic, loud crowd.) By the way, did you guys do anything after Karma Police? (That's when I had to leave.)
Okay, enough blathering.
-T.S.
I want that shirt!
I have been a fan since your first cd came out, and I can assure you that your lyrics are anything but "amateur. stupid. trite. dumb."
You are BRILLIANT.
Don't ever think otherwise.
Sign me up for a shirt. I can't wait for you guys to get back home and do some shows here. I miss you! Have you ever thought of publishing your blog? you really should. Do it in two or three year incraments or something. One of my goals for the summer is to go back and read all of your blogs from beginning to end. If it was a book, that'd be so much easier, and I'd have it forever! You're blog is awesome and so entertaining, I'm sure a ton of people would buy it.
Anyway, thanks for being you and I know you'll rock the fuck out of your last few shows.
See you with the pops!
Love,
Kelley
That's a mighty fine moustache Patrick's sporting.
good thing when I had the opportunity to go down/backstage at the ogden on tuesday the source was anything but disappointing. I had met you [Amanda] last year on the True Colors tour, and was fine and dandy too; so I doubt many of your fans are going to find the source a let down.
p.s. - thanks for letting me be smuggled down to see you on tuesday. i know you were tired but it meant a lot just to kind of talk with you one-on-one for 90 seconds.
I Hope the stores here in Holland have the No virginia album, or any of your albums, I will buy them once money let's me (being a student is expensive, even as a non-drinking student).
I am so inspired by your style, and it's nice to hear I am not the only one who is nervous (though I am the only one who totally fucks up his performance at school).
First of all:
No, Virginia: awesome!
Today I watched Christie's 'Poirot' with my boyfriend, we're going through all the episodes and had reached 'The Chocolate Box'. In this episode there's a wedding picture of two of the characters, this picture is placed in a silver frame - the very same frame as used for the coin-operated device in 'Coin-Operated Boy'.
Maybe you already knew that?
I just thought it was pretty funny ^.^
Sorry for bothering you with it if you already knew ;)
- Nanna
Sounds like a lot of fun! I wish I could see you guys. Zoe is amazing. No, Virginia is amazing so I am on massive Dolls high at the moment. Please come back to the east coast. *cough*NJ*cough* I would get a shirt. Those are awesome. Keep up the amazing work!
Lovely post Amanda, thanks for the update and all the great pix. The one of Brian cutting your hair is my favorite. Although Fort Beer was terribly cute. Did one of the Smoosh kids come up with the idea to build the fort, or was it their presence that inspired you "adults" to do so? Either way, funny as shit (to quote Carrot Top).
Have now digested No, Virginia and since I loved Yes, Virginia so much I was thrilled to hear more of your creativity from that period. I think The Gardener hooked me the hardest. "We'll make a man out of you yet ..." your voice and the simple piano chords: BEAUTEOUS! Boston is a fucking amazing song.
It's great that the NY Times reviewed No, Virginia. Nate Chinen writes "... there’s something potent about her shift from the pseudo-philosophical to the frankly personal." FUCK yes. This blog is further evidence of your "frank" personality. Thanks for doing it. All of it.
You're like an umeboshi plum, but without eyebrows. I have no idea what that means. :)
The Houston show last night was AWESOME! I'm so glad y'all came here. Yes. Y'all.
That's so cool that Morrissey checked you guys out. Seriously, though. Even if he didn't like it (I get the feeling he did, personally), one of YOUR idols went to see what YOU'RE all about. Because he heard good things, and wanted to see for himself. Come on, isn't that awesome?? I get what you mean about beating yourself up when it's actually happening, though. And about not being able to enjoy certain artists after bad encounters at shows.
However. The San Francisco show was not awesome, but motherfucking awesome. Just to be clear. How many reasons why?
1. The scalper who started poppin' and lockin' it in an effort to get a spare ticket off of someone in line.
2. Tone Loc, Biggie Smalls and Jane's Addiction being bumped over the speakers while everything was still being set up. Very well played.
3. Some guy in the audience looked like Mr. T if he were cast in a Tim Burton film. Re: My fucking hero.
4. The Vermillion Lies. Plain and simple.
5. I went nutty when you brought East Bay Ray out. I went nutty when you performed "Moon Over Marin." Holy fucking shit. Holy fuck. I also thought you were going to do "California Uber Alles" for a second, because Brian started doing the drum intro and I almost piddled my skirt. What.
6. "The Astronaut."
I saw the videos of it from before, but this was something special. Not only hearing it live, but with the cello...yes. That was a beautiful song. No other word to describe it.
7. Audience members were really, really nice, really cool people. And just so darn creative, for that matter. Wonderfully kooky.
8. Re-meeting y'all, and managing to seem like not a total dickhead? We can only hope.
I can still listen to your music just fine. I haven't bought No, Virginia yet because I'm a broke-ass, is all. But I'm going to. Soon. No reason for you to be a broke-ass, either.
But when I was walking out of The Fillmore, fucking East Bay MotherFucking Ray was outside, putting shit away in his car. I didn't go up to him to say anything because I'm a pussy. Dead Motherfucking Kennedys. Alternative Fucking Tentacles. I couldn't do it. It was a damn fine evening, and I wanted to end it on that note.
...
But yes. Glad to hear such lunacy is continuing throughout the rest of the tour. Specifically..
'i have gathered that the night involved me lying down on stage for the encore and some very birthday-party era nick cave muscial shenanigans during the half jack solo'
Teehee.
I need a beer fort. It shall be done.
ya'll are awesom =]=]
MAkkkk! couch forts!!!! awesome...
i live in santa fe... santa fe- argentina , not santa fe - mexico :( ... i really hope you can come down here in the future (..still, i don't know how many fans do you have now in here, really :S ) .. thanks for sharing, thanks for the videos, thanks for the music, etc, etc,etc....
Morrissey left right before the end of the show. Hmm, what could this mean? He left before the lights came up so he could avoid being seen and recognized...maybe? Ya, I think so. He definitely loved your music, how could he not?
i hate that about music. when the magic is ruined. its only happened to me once or twice, but it's devastating.
if you love music, and then you meet the source, and the source disappoints you, you can never hear those songs the same way again. i've tried to avoid that now. on purpose.
some music is just too good.
I know that feeling, I think everyone does, at least us music lovers. BUT if you don't meet them there is that looming question of "what if?". What if they are everything you thought and more and the music is all the more effective because of meeting them? Ha, that almost sounded naive. Maybe I'm trying to be an optimist. I guess I have not been disappointed yet, at least not by you two. Yet, in the end I agree with you. A few seconds meeting with one of your favorite artists and finding them disappointing is not worth ruining a lifetime of love for their music.
So, okay, I was at the Kansas City show. Fucking Amazing as usual. It was my eighth time seeing you guys. Going to your concerts has become like a habit, one that I love. I was right up front on your side of the stage, right where you decided to jump into the crowd. You lied down on the stage pretty early during mein herr and then towards the end when I saw you getting ready to body surf for a second I thought, "oh shit". Why? Not because it wouldn't be awesome, oh no, but because you did it on the side of the stage where people were standing on stairs and I didn't think I'd have strong enough footing to hold up you and myself. It was all good though. I started to fall back but caught my footing and your entire leg in my arms. And then the whole boy getting kicked out thing happened..really fast, I saw it all, and the look on your face, from 1 foot away, and I wasn't sure how you'd react.
Whatever you were feeling you took it all and threw it into Half Jack. My god woman, you kicked that songs ass! It was so emotion-filled and powerful...I could not take my eyes off of you. I thought you were going to break your keyboard. That was the most fervorous performance of that song, or almost any song, that I've ever witnessed you perform live. Mad props yo. Drunk, sober, high, whatever. It reminded me of why I love music so much.
Thank you for another awesome, amazing show. Hopefully you'll stop by this way for a solo show sometime. And the new album is the shit. You did good.
All my love,
For realz,
Andrea
p.s. ya, bring on the t-shirts!
I heard Astronaut for the first time at the LA show (OMG Morrissey was there? How cool) and I crazy loved it. Also, having met you and Brian on several occasions before, I should say that you two, possibly unlike Morrissey, do a pretty good job not being assholes and causing your fans to stop liking your music. :D
I know exactly what you mean about "meeting the source"- I think anyone with a passionate love of music does.
I was actually very, very frightened about meeting you and Brian, somehow scared that you'd both either come off as pretentious or rude or something and do away with my love and respect for the band.
Oh, I so should have known better than to entertain the thought. No false enthusiasm, no "Thank you SOOOOO much!" fake gratitude, just the attitude that we had met before, had lunch, and were in it all together.
All bands should aspire for that.
Always-
Brianne
BTW- Got my copy of "No, Virginia". Fuck the New York times and their reviewers, backhanded or underhanded or no handed or whatever. The things I feel when I listen to your music make their educated, glossy opinions null and void. Chew on that.
hey I caught the Houston show Friday..
FUCKING AMAZING!!
me and the rest of the brigade were like torn between bawling our eyes out in tears of complete excitement [especially when you were like two inches from me] and total orgasm.. Haha it was fantastic.. And beth was amazing.. She was such a sweetheart.. We loved her dearly.. I wish I could have met you guys.. I know you would never destroy your music for me.. And the cake fight was awesome.. The whole show blew me away.. And I called my best friend so she could hear you guys cause she would have killed to go but she just had a baby.. Anyways I'm rambling.. She started crying she was so happy and greatful.. And envious of course.. But she put the phone to the babies ear and she started giggling it was so sweet.. Thanks for a great show and an awesome time..
Love
hailee
I'm so embarrassed. I JUST NOW realized that says couch forts and not couch farts.
Sadly, my girlfriend and I had to miss out on the Tempe show, because of money. You guys NEED TO PLAY in Flagstaff, AZ. We'll go get beer!
Also, the album is amazing.
So I've noticed that there are no gnomes or lawn jockies (sp?) where I live. Have you and Brian been here?
Lovin' No Virginia. Is it true the next CD will be called "Not tonight Virginia, I have a headache?" :O)
I just checked out the artist list of this Dutch festival called Lowlands, and I was positively surprised to find you on the list! I remember last year the Netherlands weren't quite Dolls-ready (which I am negatively surprised of :/) But I'm really looking forward to your performance as I'm certainly gonna try to be there! :D
We went to the Dallas show last night, and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. And even though I've always been about simply loving the musicians, and instead worshiping the music itself, it's difficult to read this blog all the time and not begin to think how completely awesome both you and Brian are...
So, I was a little nervous to even walk by you guys, because I had some horrible thought you were going to be really tired and cranky, and it would only be a disturbance...
But no...even though we were far near the end of the line, and I could tell both you and Brian we're very tired, you still we're so in tune and smiling...I didn't really say much, because after you meet enough people I'm sure you get tired of the same comments.
But now that the next day has come, and I listen to all this wonderful music from "A is for Accident" up to "No, Virginia" with the added feeling and internal understanding that the creators really are these beautiful heroes we all make them out to be...Well it just makes it all better. Just like this blog, its inspiring. Cha', the world is really allllll in love.
So, aside from the fact that I'm essentially repeating what all these other wonderful people are saying below me...thank you so much for everything you do. The world is inconsistent and variable. At the end of the day, having a secret vault of music that still inspires the fuzzy delirium of being in love is all I can ask for.
And you did that, you both made that, and so I'll ignore the bizarre notion of thanking someone so deeply you don't really know because it has to be said.
Thank you. Thank you so fucking much.
Thank you for coming to Houston!!! Smoosh made me feel stone age but dang... they're so freakin' cute and talented to boot! I Loved the show - and loved Beth's birthday cake...mmm.
Ya'll fuckin' rock for shiz!
That happened to me before, I met a band that I was a semi-large fan of and I met them. I was absolutely horrified at how rude they were, and didn't appreciate the singer hitting on me like crazy. Anywhoo, new cd is truly terrific, and I think y'all need to take a trip to Canadaaaaaa.
Peace out gangsta,
Danielle.
I totally saw you in providence with Death Cab. You guys were both awesome.
I Love the new album too (of course I pre-ordered it). I love you guys!
That's a nasty bruise, hope you're okay.
oh my fucinkg god... you're so cute without the eyebrowes and with wet hair :D
i've just listened to the new album. after first hearing i can already say it's amazing, and only thing left for me is to sink into it deeper.
btw, i'm really sorry to say that, but i've dl it. there is no store around me, where i could buy it :(
but i promise to buy it as soon as i find it on some shelf in a nameless music store.
as predicted, i like the new album more and more after every listening. you guys are truly amazing... please come to europe soon!
I was one of the few people at your YogaHope benefit show that actually knew who you were, and wanted to let you know my girlfriend and I enjoyed the show very much. I wish to see you with the Pops, but since I'm half blind I'm glad I got tickets for the much more personal YogaHope show. I was twenty feet away and could actually. . see you guys play (when strings weren't breaking). Yay. Thanks.
Morrissey is hot sex. I cannot believe he was at your show.
No, Scratch that.
I actually can believe it, because I think the dolls have made such an impression internationally, that someone like Morrissey is bound to hear about the you.
I wouldn't think of it as success, though. Success just messes with your mind and it's hard to go back. It sounds like you're in a wonderful place. Keep rocking!
Dear Amanda,
I don't know if you realize this, but all your blogs are really inspiring. you are an amazing person! your posts actually make me stop and appreciate and think about every thing. thank you so much!
xoxojustine!
ps. I think I'm going to your New Jersey show on the 28th . i hope i can go ! seeing as im in new york, but i'll try my best !
Hey Amanda,
I am so glad that the Dresden Dolls came back to Houston! I went to the 2004 show at Walter's on Washington (my first ever concert) and your ability to put on the best live show I've seen still astounds me. Everything about the experience is completely engaging and beautiful. I love the feeling that somehow by being there (singing along with every song) I'm contributing to the mood. I hope it's true.
In terms of Morrisey, by not meeting him you get the opportunity to evaluate your work for what it is, as opposed to what he would think it was. Don't second guess your amazing songs, they've given your fans a lot. No one else can do what you do.
My brother and I used to make huge forts out of couch cushions, boxes, umbrellas (the best roof material ever, even though they say it's bad luck to open them inside... whatever), chairs, and sheets. Now that I think about it, it's been way too long!
I actually used "Sing" as inspiration for one of my painting/drawing assignments where you "paint what you see" from a meaningful song. It turned out reasonably well, even though there's no true way to do the song justice.
Anyway, thanks for the cake in my shoes and the drumstick/flower projectiles; your performances are unforgettable. You and Brian are truly amazing.
Love,
Lex
I was at the LA show and I think that I might have died a little when I heard you do Astronaut (thank you for that.) It was...Astounding...I did, in fact, feel you let go in that moment. I would be nervous too! I was in the Brigade, doing tarot for the rest of the DD's devoted fans, and when Morrisey passed by, I had no idea what to do! I kind of just, waved at him before he was mobbed. It makes sense to be so wrecked. Don't worry! The show totally still rocked, I had a blast. I am SO happy the Cello and Violin were encorporated. I pretty much left time and space with the new set up of 'Half Jack.' Thank you both for being who you are! It was good times for SURE!
I was at the LA show and I think that I might have died a little when I heard you do Astronaut (thank you for that.) It was...astounding! I did, in fact, feel you let go in that moment. I would be nervous too! I was in the Brigade, doing tarot for the rest of the DD's devoted fans down in the bathroom side of the lobby, and when Morrisey passed by, I had no idea what to do! I kind of just, waved at him before he was mobbed. It makes sense to be so wrecked. Don't worry! The show totally still rocked, I had a blast. I am SO happy the Cello and Violin were encorporated. I pretty much left time and space with the new set up of 'Half Jack.' Thank you both for being who you are! It was good times for SURE!
Re: Dallas
I started to get a little nervous towards the end of the show - "can they really come to the 'Proud Home of President George W. Bush' and not play 'War Pigs?'" No. No, of course not. Thanks for not disappointing.
R
Ya hey I am Ross and I was at your guys's Albuquerque concert. You frikin rocked! I'm only fourteen and live three hours away so my parents(who also love your music) came with... You are so great. i love you and your music... Do you really read all of these comments? I saw the hate mail on the Dresden Dolls site... Do you read all of those comments? I mean i think it could be good for stress cuz there you have your own little list of people to take your anger out on-
Love,
Guy with walking stick and bowler hat (Ross Rad)
left right before the end of the show
>
left right after the beginning of the show
Question about Rothbury.
There is NOTHING else on the schedule during Dave Mathews's set. Can we have a Brigaders thing in the Establishment tent or something? ANYTHING.
I can teach yoga, hoop a little, hold a spelling bee...?
Yeah...I want that shirt.
please.
Thought you'd like to know this, Amanda.
You know PostSecret?
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
I have their book. One of the secrets was scrawled messily in Sharpie: "I WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH A PIANO." Well, okay, fair enough. Sounds a bit difficult, though. I wondered how it would be accomplished. Then I went to a Dresden Dolls concert and concluded that you do not simply have sex with a piano, you make mad, kinky, violent love to a piano. Congratulations.
about loving the music but being dissapointed in the musician...
you guys never stop making me happy!
i saw you for the first time this year in toronto in january, but ive been singing your songs for years.
you gave us chocolate! i waited in line since 11 am, managed to get in the front.
and you rocked my face off.
i cant thank you enough. and then i managed to get a hug from you and brian, somehow i got through the crowd.
and if thats not enough, you made my year by putting the picture of my tat's on the site, and the email.
hopefully i can make it back to TO to see you in august!
thanks
Emily
you're wicked
that t-shirt is wicked
and GetYourOJ.com loves your lemon pic!!!!
Jason
Amanda, hey from Russia! Been championing you here for some time, after No, Virginia can't seem to stop listening to your records most of the time. Wrote a review of No, Virginia as well (sorry, in Russian, bit anyway it's positive as hell - it ends with me air-drumming to Mouse and the Model, which I'm guilty of doing A LOT). It's fantastic to read about your shows, though it's unlikely we will soon have a chance to exprience it here in the flesh. Though if you choose somehow to come to Moscow, I'll be sure to come see you (I'm 4000 kms away from the city, but it won't stop me, no!) Anyway, thanks for being so great - just know that people appreciate your music and your lyrics that far from where you actually are :) just wanted to let you know that, you know %)
hey amanda
I feared that meeting you could ruin the magic. but it didn't.
glad you're coming to vienna again
i just bought a Harley Quinn graphic novel today, and it reminded me of what got me introduced to you... a youtube of Harley Quinn cartoons set to the music of Half Jack.
that was the best discovery of my life. ever.
thought you'd like to know!
ps: harley quinn... now there's a "delilah" figure if there ever was one.
love you!
Thank you SO SO MUCH for your show in Austin! I've been a fan for years but haven't been able to see you live until recently. It was one of the best shows i've ever seen. My only disappointment was that you didn't play "Sing," one of my all time favorite songs, but I do think your cover of Mein Herr more than made up for it.
-love ashten
My dear Amanda,
Not only was Morrisey at your show, he was standing just a few feet behind me!
I even wrote about it here:
http://www.godammit.com/2008/05/22/a-morrissey-experience/
What an amazing evening it was! My sons are 32 and 15 years old, and stood up front by the stage. So you had three generations of rabid Dresden Dolls fans, seeing you live for the first time.
God bless you and see you at the Troubador in August!
As a fellow Mancunian, I have it on good authority that Morrisey really is a bit of a dick.
Sorry!
Love,
Seán
amanda, you're amazing. like...extremely so.
and i have to say that after meeting brian at the totally normal event this past saturday, i am glad to have met the source of one of my more beloved bands. or rather, half of that source. i had a newfound appreciation for dolls' music afterwards.
i'm absolutely delighted to see that you both are very real people making art. (and good art, gah damn.) it gives me a lot of hope.
Just to let you know, I was at the San Francisco show. it was my first Dresden Dolls concert, cause the last time you fuckers were here it was 21+.
I was the crazy french speaking girl in the chair.
And it was the best night of my life. Thank you so much.
I absolutely loved your show in Arizona. I was in the second row of people and made the mistake of wearing heals to the concert, but you guys were so amazing that it took my mind off of how much my feet were hurting. I love your music so much. I can't wait to here more of it
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