Got No, Virginia. Love the songs, but it really does come across as a collection of individual songs rather than a full album. Admittedly, yes, that's what it is since they're a handful of newly recorded tracks and older material. It has a very mixtape quality about it. I may've been able to come up with a "better" track order. But everything sounds good. Even "Pretty In Pink," the sole cover doesn't seem out of place, really. Best bits are "The Mouse and the Model," "The Gardener," "Dear Jenny," and "Ultima Esperanza." It craves to be played loud.

Ironically, I'm starting to think they may really have been better off releasing 2 EPs. But I'll take what I can get. :)

EP 1: Dear Jenny, Night Recon, The Gardener, The Mouse and the Model, The Sheep Song

EP 2: Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner, Ultima Esperanza, Sorry Bunch, The Kill, Boston

I guess at that point, "Pretty In Pink" wouldn't fit very well. Ok, bravo.

New Dresden Dolls Songs:

"The Kill"
I really liked this song when I had the solo Amanda version. It retains it's slightly menacing, quiet sound, I wish the vocals were a little louder (but that may be a compromise from getting a leaked copy). The lyrics are curious, "I fought the British and I won," "I am... a closeted misogynist." I've never been ooh-ahh about the bridge, "Put Pat Sajak back in office." Mainly because I don't get it. It's an odd-ball, but a good track. The vocal effects are especially welcome, with the echos at mid-point. B+

"Dear Jenny"
An instant favorite, and in the same class as "Necessary Evil" or "Shores of California." Very repeatable, and could make for a good single... well, as good a single as the Dresden Dolls seem to get (little airplay, rare physical discs, and online-only music videos). Love it. A-

"Night Reconnaissance"
Again, another I first new from Amanda doing it solo (and this was one I saw her do live). A lot of fun, but perhaps I've heard it so often already with my solo Amanda-boots so it just seems less shiny compared to the completely virginal "Jenny." I know I love it, tho. A-

Can't wait for the rest of it all.

(for the record, I HAVE heard two other tracks from the 11-track album that were previously made available, "Pretty In Pink" which is cute B-side level track and "Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner" which is one of my favorite Dresden Dolls songs... so there are 6 more surprises for me.)

Tracklisting for the Dresden Dolls' upcoming No, Virginia album:

1. Dear Jenny
2. Night Reconnaissance
3. Mouse And The Model
4. Ultima Esperanza
5. Gardener
6. Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner
7. Sorry Bunch
8. Pretty in Pink
9. The Kill
10. The Sheep Song
11. Boston

Release date: May 20

Woohoo.

I stalled and stalled finishing the Sweeney Todd review I was going to make. I tried to encourage myself to complete it by leaving the LJ window open with it in it, knowing it would be lost if I didn't do anything with it. Fooled me. It's gone now. So, in short: awesome. And made me pretty obsessed with the material, especially the relationship between Todd and Lovett. I now own the 2005 revival and Concert version (love LuPone) and the original Broadway is on it's way.

Very much enjoyed Depp and Bonham Carter. There will always be things you wish they would also do, but it's rare, especially in musicals, where you don't wish that they didn't do something. There wasn't really any part of the film where I went "No! Don't do it that way!" Instead, I went off thinking "Awesome! They could have also done this!" So, no real grievance.

I was in a Voltaire music video, "Happy Birthday, My Olde Friend." Jordana, Genevieve, Regina, and I went, supporting White Elephant, and I even got an actual bit within the video. I am a doorman, asleep at his post, who unwittingly allows the events to unfold. I also got to funk and swerve in the crowd scenes. It was tremendous fun. No word when it goes up online, but it should look pretty great. Voltaire himself was VERY NICE to us and entertained us with Sweeney Todd parody songs. Seriously, that man needs to get into the studio and release an EP now.

(Yes,) Virginia is this weekend, where Genevieve, Christy (Genevieve's sister, with whom we stayed with during the Memphis excursion of 2003), and I are going to see the Dresden Dolls. I missed them, and it should be a lot of fun! During the road trip, Genevieve and I will have lots to gab about and lots of musicks to listen to.

This seasonal change (a bit early considering it's January) of weather is making my sinuses a bit slick and moist. Not a fan.

Wicked Faire's around the bend, and planning for that is in full effect. I have to make some e-mails to people, but I am excited about the line-up we have for WEBS and the set list that I have been tossing around. We will be on the MAIN STAGE this year and be on from 10-11. Word.

The 2nd Dresden Dolls DVD is coming out July 10, and the tracklisting is awesome!

1: Sex Changes, 2: Gravity, 3: Modern Moonlight, 4: Mrs O, 5: Backstabber, 6: Coin-Operated Boy, 7: Two-Headed Boy, 8: Mandy Goes To Med School, 9: Lonesome Organist Rapes Page Turner, 10: Slide, 11: The Jeep Song, 12: Dirty Business, 13: Shores Of California, 14: Sing, 15: Mein Herr, 16: Mad World, 17: Girl Anachronism

* 2 Bonus tracks from the concert
* 26 minute documentary on the creation of the Roundhouse show.

I never actually wrote about _the day_ so let me get to that. Thursday was Dresden Day, and Dresden Days are usually about the best. Genevieve and Danielle picked me up at 2:30 for the Fuse TV "Daily Download" show, which the Dolls were appearing on. Having a very limited idea of what it is (having only heard Tori mp3's from it), I was expecting at least a song (maybe more) and an interview snuggled in a music topic show.

Turns out it's more like TRL... The Dolls were there to talk briefly and their shoo-in was that "Sing" was on the countdown. Apparently the idea is the charts reflect the most downloaded videos? Something like... Amanda and Brian were there, though, and that's what mattered. I got waves and smiles from them for my appearance. I schlepped in chunky heel boots, pleather pants, leather vest, white button-down shirt, bowler hat, and whiteface/lipstick and suffered most of the day because of it. But I was on TV, whoot!

No performance, alas. We knew that going in--no keyboards or drums, and unless they were going to do some hardcore a capella tribal dance... well, that would have been fine, too. Usual questions from the interviewers: how'd they meet, what's Yes, Virginia like, what's the deal with the fans that dress up like them. A bonus story about "Sing" where Brian said how his grandmother didn't understand why he was shirtless for the video: "he doesn't have the body for that!"

After the Dolls were done, we were stuck there for another 30 minutes because we couldn't just like leave 'cause they did. We went to Yoshinoya afterwards where I had a relatively unsatisfying snack of a chicken basket. The chicken was good, but the vegetables weren't really good.

I parted ways with Danielle and Genevieve and headed to the theatre. The Nokia Theatre didn't want the teamers to put up posters inside or outside, or hand shit out in front of or inside the venue. So we were kinda along for the show til Panic! left the stage and then we could go to the end of the street the theatre was on, and hand shit out. Despite the tepid-to-nasty reception the Dolls got, people gobbled the postcards and advance CD's up.

I was really fortunate, before the show, to meet Amanda and Brian again. I got hugs, and actually got to speak to them each and that's always very exciting and gratifying and a little sexy. They are awesome people. I want to be friends with them and have them come over my house and play for me. Yes, indeed I do.

Ok, Matt and I just made really hasty plans to go see a 12:45 showing of Superman Returns, so I am off.

Much love and respect to the Dresden Dolls tonight. If ever I thought the Panic! At the Disco tour was a shifty idea, it's been very much confirmed. First off, let me say: I don't like people in general. I really wish that I could simply limit it to people at concerts, or people at the movies, or people who do certain things... It's just easier to just say people.

The fact that you are unable to pry yourself from a band that you do not like and get on with your next 45 minutes speaks volumes about a person. The Dresden Dolls gave their all tonight, which amazed and inspired me--something I told both Amanda and Brian after their set, which they seemed genuinely touched by. They could have gone out there, rocked the fuck out of "Modern Moonlight," smashed through "Backstabber," and then realized the audience just wasn't feeling it for "Missed Me," and then phoned in the rest of the performance, and left mopes.

But they didn't! They are clearly in this for their music and their fans (and they're willing to suffer through the boo's, or catcalls from the 14 year old girls with "Fancy" or "2Cute" written in pink letters on their mini sweatshorts), and bringing out powerhouse performances.

It's also unfortunately seeming to have an unhealthy response for Panic! At the Disco because there's no respect at all between the two fans at that show, and probably many of the others; the Dolls fans just aren't having much to do with them. It's just not a cross-section of fans.

I love the Dresden Dolls, and downloaded the mp3's and listen casual to Panic!, but I just was so turned off by the attitude that I just didn't want to see Panic! anymore. I don't expect Panic! to say something like "Dudes, audience dudes... that's fucked up--stop that," both because I just don't think it occurs to them, and also just because I just don't have that kind of faith in most bands.

The fact that the Dolls pulled out "War Pigs" mid-set showed they were going head-first and giving their all; having Meredith Yayanos come out for "Missed Me"-- c'mon, it's almost wasted. During "Coin-Operated Boy," Brian stopped after one of the "I want a..." and said something like "Ok, get it out of your systems; 'you suck,' 'fuck you,'" and let the audience that clearly wasn't having it shout a-frenzied. And then they went back and killed again with "Half Jack" and "Girl Anachronism." It was disheartening to see people just so fucking rude for the sake of being rude.

I ended up meeting another street teamer named Seri, and just ended up waiting to be told where to go (the Nokia Theatre did not allow posters to be hung inside or swag to be handed out in or right outside the venue). Amazingly, I was let in with my bag. The other two street-teamers weren't so lucky; when the security saw they had promo stuff confiscated it til after the show... And I don't understand why, considering, well, it's licensed and you'd think the label would plan for something like that. That's ok; it was a nice theatre and not in the same way Webster Hall is, where hanging posters with duct-tape looks ultra-underground and snazzy. After the show, we did hand out lots of stuff, and much of that went over well (and the posters went like hot cakes, all things considered... guess we got the people who just wanted free shit, or the 3rd of the crowd that weren't assholes).

I didn't see much of Panic! at all; I mostly just wasn't in the mood, and I wanted to be accessible for the street team in case someone appeared and offered some word of what to do. I saw "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies" and their cover of Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight." I wasn't particularly taken, but the audience was ecstatic. I heard almost all of it though, from outside the theatre room (guests could roam pretty freely during the show). I'm not sure if I was underwhelmed because the reception the Dresden Dolls got, or just because the music wasn't particularly inspired onstage... that it really did seem kinda phoned-in.

Dolls still get high kudos... and I can't believe how many more dates they have to struggle through.

Today in the mail, I got a package from Roadrunner Records. As a thanks for working on the New York show I went to, I expected it, 'cause they asked me what CD's I wanted as a reward. I got to have 2, and since I don't really care for the general sound of the rest of the Roadrunner musicians, I asked for two copies of Yes, Virginia, figuring I could easily deal with having multiple copies and maybe send one off to someone.

What I wasn't expecting was one of them to come with a signed insert, and a 8x10 glossy of Brian and Amanda, also signed.

I heart the Dresden Dolls.

I just came home from a Dresden Dolls-filled day. Genevieve and I got into the Dolls' New York show at Webster Hall for free because we're on the street team. We were there to hang up posters (which eventually all got ripped down by fans, and kept) and hand out paostcards and CD's. Before the official show, there was an In-Store at Virgin Megastore in Union Square.

We were apparently supposed to buy a copy of Yes, Virginia (an album I've already bought twice; once on disc, and once on iTunes so I could get the damn 1 bonus track, "Two-Headed Boy") to gain admittence in the cafe area where they were performing and then signing CD's. Signing stuff is cool, but we were just there for the music. The music was very good!

They began their brief set with "Good Day," and followed through with "Sex Changes," "Coin-Operated Boy," "Backstabber," and "War Pigs." The version of "War Pigs" was especially incredible. Actually, it was all really great; "Sex Changes" had a nice intro that built up beautifully; "Backstabber" had an impromptu chorus of Semisonic's "Closing Time," after Brian pointed out to a disenchanted Amanda that the two songs share the same chords. I also got it all on tape; I recorded it with my mp3 player, but I have feeling none of it came out very well, considering the very heavy bass of the speakers. Jordana video-recorded the entire show, though, and it looks like it came out splendidly; I'll be able to rip the audio from that when she gives me a copy of the DVDVD; whoot! "War Pigs" was incredible, and it's the first time I've really gotten into the song; Brian looked thrilled that someone yelled it as a request. It narrowly beat out "Half Jack" as the final song.

Ah, yes, we also met up with Jordana and her sardonic, often witty friend Jess. We had to pick up some supplies (I forgot my camera like a fucking idiot; tape to hang up the posters), and headed off to get food at this Italian restaurant Patsy's. I got a splendid calzone.

We headed to the theatre and eventually met the third steet teamer, a girl named Hayley. We wasted little time splattering the walls with the posters we had (the "propaganda paintings," the yellow flower shot, and the album cover) I'm pretty I saved one copy, but I don't know where it is. I still have a bunch of the 2-track advance CD's and the postcards, though.

We were there for soundcheck. It was so weird. I was taping up pictures on the stage that Amanda and Brian were performing on, completely ignoring us (probably because we were distracting). We kept to ourselves (I had no illusions of hanging out with them before the show, or even really talking to them), but we were able to hear them soundcheck a Leonard Cohen song they would play that night, most of "I Love Rock and Roll" (which they also played--I had no idea that Amanda played the drums for that song, when I listened to the mp3's), and the chorus of "Backstabber" repeatedly (which they never ended up playing). We also saw/heard some of the other acts try stuff out, since there was an opening act (who didn't soundcheck), and some great novelty (which sounds derogatory, but isn't intended to) acts.

There aren't any seats in Webster Hall, so we just had to ensure we got stage-front spaces, which we did. We were on the left/Amanda side, and had an excellent view of both of them. I want to see the shots I got with the disposable cameras.

Oh, before them, we also saw Humanwine, who opened up most extensively for them. They performed I think like 8 songs, and they were good. The femla evocalist had a disturbing tattoo on her neck, and chin, and presumably lower on her body, which was distracting. It just looked like tribal spinal bone or something... I don't know. But the music was good.

They also had a topless blonde woman that had a gigantic balloon and she sealed herself inside it. It was very strange, but fascinating. Another act was a strange performance art trio that I didn't understand, or really care to. They seemed game, but I just couldn't follow it. The M.C. was a 40-year-old man in a blue, see-through spandex bunny costume, with a thong on. He was pretty amusing.

When the Dolls actually came out, they did a nice smattering of both albums, although they ignored some that I thought would be pretty obvious ("Good Day," "Mrs. O," "Truce," [damn], and "Backstabber"). The differences were actually totally for the best. Except "Truce." Damn. I haven't seen that one, and they were "supposed to" do it at the Clifton Park show (it was on the set list).

The set list was: "Sex Changes," "Missed Me," "Modern Moonlight," "Shores of California," "Coin-Operated Boy," "Bad Habit," "Amsterdam" [Kurt Weil], "Cosmic Dancer" [T. Rex], "Delilah" [with Mali Sastri and Humanwine's Holly Brewer], "Dance With Me to End of Love" [Leonard Cohen], "Necessary Evil," "First Orgasm," "Dirty Business," [fan shout-out request], "I Love Rock and Roll" [Joan Jett and the Blackhearts], "Half Jack," and "Girl Anachronism." Encores: "Me and the Minibar" [Amanda piano solo], "Sing," and "War Pigs" [Black Sabbath].

"War Pigs" sounded amazing, again. In fact, everything but "Cosmic Dancer" (I was bored) and "Necessary Evil" (it needs the album effects) sounded top notch. "Sing" was powerful, "Sex Changes" had an even longer intro, "Modern Moonlight" was incredible, "Coin-Operated Boy" and "Girl Anachronism" sounded as fresh as ever alongside the new stuff, "Dirty Business" sounded great, and "Me and the Minibar" was harrowing. It was a really great concert.

Alas, they bolted from the venue right after the show, as they were already late for their curfew (there was another event happening there), and we handed out the CDs and postcards as the crowd piled out. The Webster Hall people were vocally pretty rude about kicking us out, but they didn't really force us or anything. They just sort of barked, but then went away. Weird.

It was a really day and night. And now back to life as usual.

Short cuts:

- I am going to see the Dresden Dolls on the 22nd. Genevieve and I will be handing street team stuff out. Whoot.

- I am getting new Frank shoes. They should be arriving late next week.

- Taping Grey's Anatomy on Sunday only to discover that it was a repeat on the night I finally have the chance to watch it, makes baby Cthulhu cry.

- Speaking of Cthulhu, I don't know if I mentioned that I am gaming again. Michael is hosting the Call of Cthulhu game taking place in London, and which presently stars Willow as a madam, Genevieve as a reluctant socialite, Danielle as a quietly secretive geek, and myself as a brash American reporter. It's been going two weeks now (Mondays), and has been exquisite.

- Matt and I won a stay in Florida, after filling out a form at the GLBT event. I think we're going next January, to coincide with the Florida trip that we're taking in December, for his mother's birthday present.

- Hat Pick Night is coming this Saturday. Very excited am I.

- Katie's final show is the week after, which will be bittersweet, but a-rocking as well, considering its off-the-wall casting.

Amy, Genevieve, Danielle, and I saw Amanda Palmer tonight. She was quite amazing. After some roundabouts getting to Amy at the Garden State Plaza (our connecting flight, so we could get food beforehand--which didn't happen), we managed to make our way to Joe's Pub. Jordana, Randi, and Lauren were also there. We entertained ourselves in the line, waiting, until we were allowed in.

Joe's Pub is beautiful. It's got this nifty stage, where the piano was. We had front-row table seats. This meant Amy and Danielle mostly saw Amanda's legs, and Genevieve and I had a decent view slightly over the piano. The sound was excellent.

The set-list included mostly songs I did not know, or not know very well. Of the Dresden Dolls material, Amanda sang "Bad Habit," "Me and the Minibar," "Sex Changes," and "Thirty Whacks." She also did "Blake Says," which is from her solo period. She did two completely new songs (I don't even know if Brian has had time to arrange drums in them) named "Ampersand" and "Last Recognisance," which were gorgeous. She also did several covers, including this beautiful torch song about prostitution that was originally by Kurt Weil.

Meredith Yayanos, who I've heard on two mp3's of "Missed Me," is a very talented, and adorable violinist. They did a song I didn't know by a band called the Pink Dots. Their second song was "Material Girl." I was so happy. So completely happy. Best moment of the night, although "Sex Changes" came pretty close.

She threw in a snippet of "672," which I didn't hate, and even some Chopin, which was great, too. She also did Regina Spektor's "This Is How It Works." It was a very nice showcase. I was happy.

The dynamic between Genevieve, Amy, and Danielle, and myself is a nice one.

Oh, I met her again, too. This time she spoke (she was on vocal rest when I met her the first time), and she was very sweet.

Word on the New Dresden Dolls Album
From Roadrunner Records--

A giant groundswell of interest - and a fan base that grows exponentially as the band [the Dresden Dolls] tours - is setting the stage for an explosive response when Yes, Virginia, the band's newest collection of songs, is turned loose on an eager public this spring.

Produced by Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie (Radiohead, The Pixies, Hole) and recorded over several weeks at Allaire Studios (a converted turn-of-the-century mansion in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York), Yes, Virginia is a rich tapestry that showcases the band's road-sharpened musical chemistry and digs deep into recesses of the human heart usually considered taboo. Songs like "Sex Changes" and "Dirty Business" blast listeners with earsplitting Marshall Stack Power and explore the pathology of identity crisis. Torch cousins "First Orgasm" and "Me & The Minibar" finds Palmer back alone at her piano, delicately unfolding her pained confessions. Viglione solidifies his place in the Drummer Pantheon as he delivers mind-boggling fills and flourishes on fast-and-furious tunes "Modern Moonlight" and "Necessary Evil." On "Mrs. O," a slightly cryptic mid-tempo ballad about the re-writing of history, Palmer takes on the dangerous character of a holocaust-denying old woman with the words "There's No Hitler and No Holocaust/No Winter and No Santa Claus/And Yes, Virginia, All Because/The Truth Won't Save You Now..." This line, and the title of the record itself, is a reference to the now-famous 1897 New York Sun letter to the editor in which 8-year old Virginia O'Hanlon questions the existence of Santa Claus. Palmer's ambiguous reaches at answering life's impossible questions whether about identity, loneliness or technology - may echo dark, but underneath lies a timid optimism and a childlike wonder.

The Dolls have not lost their sense of the absurd, however, and the blacker-than-black-humor on "Mandy Goes To Med School" finds Palmer imagining a scenario in which she and drummer/cohort Viglione play a lighthearted and childish game of let's-pretend-we're-back-alley-abortionists. The album's final track, the pastoral and positive first single "Sing," brings it all home as Palmer boldly announces, "Life is no Cabaret/We're inviting you anyway," underlining The Dolls' real-life attempt to invite everyone into their party while maintaining the individuality that has enabled them to be a fixture rather than a fad.

Inclusion is an art form that The Dresden Dolls have perfected. The artwork for Yes, Virginia was culled from over 600 submissions from fans, painters and designers from around the globe. Each panel of the booklet includes original images directly inspired by the songs. Featured is up-and-coming New York painter Barnaby Whitfield, who plays Warhol to the Dolls' Velvet Underground, creating beautifully disturbing scenes within the CD booklet reminiscent of post-WWI German Expressionists Otto Dix and Christian Schad.

When it rains, it pours. Or in this case, when it's warm, it's boiling.

Our thermastat upstairs stopped working. Last week was quite chilly. And then this guy came over and "fixed it." The thermastat (long-story short) is off the wall. It's "off." And it's very warm. We actually have windows open. Less fun.

Some squee:
- I think I have found my favorite version of the Dolls' "Backstabber," which is one of my favorite songs from them. Glorious. And there's like seven or right that I really like.
- "Delilah," too. I love the Internet, and I cannot wait for the new album.

This Saturday I will be debuting as Riff Raff at the show, with Danielle as my Magenta.

On February 3rd, I will be seeing Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls at Joe's Pub in New York.

Night 3 was far, far superior to night 2. This was evident to me being in a really great mood after the show, and fully pleased with 2 of the 3 shows we did in total. Next year, Halloween is on a Tuesday, so we'll probably have the Saturday and Tuesday shows, which sounds a whole lot... better.

It's November 1st, which means it's Willow's birthday today. And it's also Jake's birthday.

I sold off two more Lil Attila comics, which will probably be the full tally. In the two weeks, I conned Randi, Jordana, Richy, Sarah, and Christian into buying them. Since Katie was sick, I gave her a free copy. I'll hang onto the extra's for now, in case anyone eventually wants one. I still have computer files.

The actual show seemed to go pretty well. Working with Katie was great, and while I bega the show completely not in the mood to play Brad (after going off-the-wall for Frank and Rocky the nights previous, Brad seemed so much the straight-man), I ended up enjoying it all, and having fun, and I think throwing in a good performance.

The preshow went off I think the best it ever did. It was "Coin-Operated Boy" by the Dresden Dolls. It was a black-and-white reinterpretation of lab scene (essentially) with Genevieve as a Germanic matron version of Frank. Sarah and Danielle were pretty much direct-from-the-film Columbia and Magenta, respectively. I was Rocky, and the title character of the song. I wore my white shorts and had black suspenders and a bowler hat on. The audience responded well, Matt taped it, and I'm just very happy with it.

As awful, overcast, underehearsed, and ill-received as "This is Halloween" was (and, well, it was), "Coin-Operated" was that much better. "This is Halloween" was just so grand in it being bad, and it was no fault of the performers; I knew after the first night that it sucked and we had to go through two additional nights with that very clear. "Coin-Operated" however seemed to be the favorite part of the show for a lot of people, and I was flattered and ecstatic with the compliments I received. It was completely a group effort, and everyone did a fabulous job. I will have to get to mastering it and sending it to the Dolls and see if it gets on their website. 'Cause, gee, that'd be nifty.

This week will be the recovery time til Saturday, which is not all that far away.

Squeal! On the official [partial] track list confirmed by dresdendolls.com--

- Backstabber
- Mandy Goes to Med School
- Shores of California
- Mrs. O
- Delilah
- Sex Changes
- Modern Moonlight (formerly www.wwwiii)
- First Orgasm
- Me and the Minibar

(not necessarily in that order, and likely several others to follow)

But this is exciting! And they've finally released (live) mp3's of several songs previously requested by the band to not circulate.

The Dresden Dolls' DVD setlist has gone out...

DVD Set:
Good Day / Missed Me / War Pigs / Perfect Fit / Christopher Lydon / Bad Habit / Half Jack / Girl Anachronism / Pierre / Truce

The original set-list (according to flashback8 on theShadowbox.net forum):
Good Day / Gravity / Missed Me / Coin-Operated Boy / War Pigs (cut due to Brian going into hyperspeed mode) / War Pigs / In the Port of Amsterdam / The Jeep Song / The Perfect Fit / Christopher Lydon / Bad Habit / Glass Slipper / Half Jack / Girl Anachronism
Encore 1: Pierre / Truce (cut due to Amanda coughing) / Truce
Encore 2: Two-Headed Boy

...The favoritism for the covers ("War Pigs," "Pierre") over album tracks is surprising, but I guess ok. I really would've liked "Glass Slipper," and "Gravity" on there. Also on the DVD will be the "Coin-Op" and "Anachronism" videos, and a documentary.

Also, in the same press release announcing the DVD info, they confirmed "Backstabber," "Shores of California," "Sex Changes," "Mrs. O," and "My Alcoholic Friends" will be on their next album. Amanda previously mentioned "Delilah" also being included. Of a likely 12 or so songs, that's at least half confirmed...

More about Vegas when I'm in the mindset.

1. 40, now in the office, is sitting on Matt's computer and crying.

2. The Dresden Dolls' DVD shoot (which Genevieve, Danielle, and I were initially intending to go to until we got shafted by a late reply) was yesterday. Not only that, but on June 3rd, the guy with whom we were dealing with, sent out a message at the Dolls' forum that they still had room for performers, which is what we were told they didn't. Well, golly.

3. The setlist for their DVD-shoot (which could be altered in post-production) is as follows: Good Day, Gravity, Missed Me, Coin-Operated Boy, War Pigs, Amsterdam, Christopher Lydon, Jeep Song, Perfect Fit, Bad Habit, Glass Slipper, Half Jack, Girl Anachronism; Encores: Pierre, Truce, Two Headed Boy

So, it's a good mix of album stuff and covers. I would've loved for "Backstabber" or "Mrs. O" to have gotten on there, but they didn't do any unreleased originals, like "Modern Moonlight" or "Shores of California" or "First Orgasm." Which is weird, but also means this DVD is almost guaranteed to come out before their second album, which will bridge a gap between releases, finally.

From the Shadowbox.net report, they had to re-record "War Pigs" and "Truce" because they didn't like their first versions of them. But huzzah for the setlist, because really, there is nothing not beautiful there.

What I have learned for today:

-- Couches are heavy. Especially if it's one person moving them. And even if they're divided into different parts... still heavy.

-- "Truce" may very well be my favorite Dresden Dolls song. If not, then one of my favorite songs of all time.

-- While, yes, it is wonderful that I lost 5 pounds so far on Weight Watchers, I could still go for a huge gigantic pizza right now.

On Friday, was Genevieve's birthday party. A number of faces were there, many from cast or gaming. I finally met (albeit briefly) Noah and (less briefly) Joanna...

The party was lots of fun, and involved impromptu Tenacious D video-watching, and (towards the end) progressive Soul Calibur 2 playing.

On Saturday, Amy came over and Genevieve, Danielle, and I headed over to Clifton Park to see the Dresden Dolls. Detours included sneaking Nathan's Hotdogs food into the Roy Rogers eating section at the rest stop, and non-ending traffic that featured unreadable www.bumperstickers and a woman driving, dressed as a clown.

By the time we got to Clifton Park, we were concerned that the huge gathering of people outside the venue would mean we were clearly not thinking arriving an hour before showtime was enough. Not really a problem. After (I'm sure) an amusing quick-change outside of Amy's car, we walked into the club, me as cabaret choirboy, Danielle as Magenta, and Genevieve as Panda-Riff Raff, and Amy as (her own words) The Mom.

They were playing Extraordinary Machine before the show and that made me really amused. I danced with Danielle dramatically to "Red, Red, Red."

Eventually (and it seemed like a long eventually especially in those boots), the Dolls took the stage.

The Setlist (as per theshadowbox.net)
Gravity / Missed Me / Backstabber / Modern Moonlight (a.k.a. www.wwiii) / Coin-Operated Boy / Girl Anachronism / Mrs. O / Shores of California / Glass Slipper / Life on Mars / First Orgasm / My Alcoholic Friends / Slide / Half Jack / Happy Birthday / Good Day

( Read more... )We headed a long way back home and I got dropped off for much-needed showering and sleeping. I swear, that bed makes the most convincible argument for sleeping all day.