Formed in Boston in 2000, The Dresden Dolls quickly built a devoted cult following with their self-described “punk cabaret” sound, blending Amanda Palmer’s theatrical, piano-driven songwriting with Brian Viglione’s explosive drumming. After releasing two studio albums and establishing themselves as one of alternative music’s most distinctive acts during the mid-2000s, the duo largely stepped away from the band in 2008 to pursue other projects. While reunions have been sporadic since then, their chemistry has never diminished.
This tour celebrates 20 years of Yes, Virginia, which has recently been re-recorded and re-released. With the band’s original recording contract now expired, Palmer and Viglione regained control of the album and chose to revisit the songs, recording them largely live in the studio. The result captures the energy the tracks have developed through years of live performance, while allowing room for subtle tweaks and flourishes. Playfully titled Tailor’s Version, the name is a nod to Taylor Swift’s own catalogue re-recordings.
Support came from Sam Buttery, writer and performer behind acclaimed shows including A Divine Comedy and Dolly Birds. Armed with a razor-sharp wit and a powerful voice, Buttery won over the crowd with ease, mixing songs with warm, quick-fire banter.
From the moment Palmer and Viglione took to the stage, the energy never let up. More than two decades after forming the band, they remain a formidable live partnership. Viglione attacked his drum kit with a relentless and theatrical enthusiasm, while Palmer commanded proceedings from behind the keyboard with the same charisma that made The Dresden Dolls such a compelling force in the first place.
The crowd responded in kind. Every pounding rhythm, dramatic pause and singalong chorus was met with deafening approval from an audience that clearly hadn’t forgotten these songs during the band’s lengthy absences.
Palmer remains an undeniably magnetic performer. Yet given the recent allegations surrounding her, there was also an unavoidable sense of discomfort. Being so close to the stage created a strange tension between admiration for the music and awareness of the wider conversation surrounding one of its creators. It did not define the evening, but neither was it easy to completely separate from the experience.
Ultimately, though, the music carried the night. Fan favourites including ‘Backstabber’, ‘Coin-Operated Boy’ and ‘My Alcoholic Friends’ were met with huge singalongs from a surprisingly young audience, creating an electric atmosphere throughout. Palmer delivered a song from the balcony surrounded by delighted fans, while Sam Buttery returned to the stage for an emotional rendition of ‘Delilah’. The set closed with a frantic performance of ‘Girl Anachronism’, prompting one final scream-along from the crowd.
Passionate, chaotic, theatrical and bursting with energy, the show was a reminder that few bands have ever occupied quite the same space as The Dresden Dolls. Twenty-six years after their formation, they remain utterly captivating.
Dresden Dolls: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube |
Sam Buttery: Instagram
Photography and Review by Kristy Eighteen
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