No matter what you think of Amanda Palmer's music, or the Dresden Dolls for that matter, there can be no denying her magnetism as a live performer.
Download: Amanda Palmer - "Astronaut: A Short History of Nearly Nothing"
In support of her recent solo debut, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, the show was a far cry from her last trip thru town. While the last performance found her alone on stage with nothing but her piano, apparently warming up to the idea of performing on her own and leaving the focus on the songs, the most recent set at the Metro offered a little more of the flair that her other project has become known for. Armed with some string accompaniment and a troupe called the Danger Ensemble, who added on-stage antics throughout the show, the evening became much more of a complete production. The troupe played on the theme of Amanda Palmer's death, which included a eulogy reading by Neil Gaiman, and culminated in Amanda Palmer being lifted from the audience in a white veil and propped behind her piano.
Opening with "Astronaut: A Short History of Nearly Nothing," the set contained mostly newer material, but she did manage to squeeze in a few older numbers such as "Half Jack" and "Coin Operated Boy." Ironically, amongst all the evenings theatrics, the most bizarre moments came from the most 
mainstream of songs, with a lip-synched routine to "Umbrella" and a cover of "Livin' on a Prayer." While her bold and confrontational vocals can amount to a difficult listen on album, it is precisely that which helps to drive the music live and when coupled with her brazen style behind the keys she can often sell even the most inconsistent moments from her record. While the performance seems a little overly intent on being garish for the sake of entertainment, it ultimately hits the mark.
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