The Dresden Dolls
Birmingham Carling Academy 2
9 May 2006
 | | The Dresden Dolls photo: Simon White |
Tottering into the Academy 2 in a pair of truly ridiculous heels and a bowler hat, I was greeted by a lady wearing what seemed to be a papier mache dress and the build up of a mixed crowd of fans. There was a sea of glitter and eye-liner and some people had dressed up in hats and theatrical garb, whilst others had opted for the casual look. One glimpse of the audience and you could see that the band playing that evening were certainly of an interesting style that attracted an unconventional group of devotees. Punk cabaret
 | | The Dresden Dolls photo: Simon White |
Describing themselves as Brechtian Punk Cabaret, The Dresden dolls duo Amanda and Brian are known for their eccentricity of dress, performance and music, making them a truly fascinating band to see live and giving them a very distinctive sound. The gig was certainly reminiscent of Cabaret, from the audience, to the support, to Amanda’s vivacious interaction with the crowd and her keyboard, and Brian's Mime-style garb. Quirky support
 | | The Dresden Dolls photo: Simon White |
The Dolls had two Support acts; onstage, the quirky Gypsy Punk DeVotchKa, and an official act who they had busking during the set change, the percussional group Bang On! Amanda made her first appearance during the last 10 minutes of DeVotchKa’s set to mass applause as she flung the first set of flowers (causing a slight surge) at the crowd and beseeched applause and support for the other two acts. Known for being quirky and theatrical, the Dolls did not disappoint their audience, throwing flowers and the occasional drum stick into the throng. Intimate
 | | The Dresden Dolls photo: Simon White |
The Academy 2 Venue was perhaps a little too small for the gig in my opinion. The hall was crowded and the shape of the venue made it difficult to see the band if you weren’t standing near the front in amongst the press of people. However the venue staff were helpful, passing free water to the overheated crowd after a girl fainted. The sound was excellent and if you were near the front (where I myself was standing) it felt more intimate and more appropriate to the band than perhaps a less personal bigger venue. Burlesque
The Dresden Dolls sound is perhaps best described as Avant-Garde, a mixture of punk and trade Goth influences with a French burlesque feel and something of the spirit of the more sensational parts of America like Chicago and New Orleans. Fans were not disappointed as the set and encore included a fair mix of classic Dresden Dolls tunes. The band also played a mixture of cover songs (notably the Cabaret song Amsterdam and War Pigs during the encore), and songs from their new album, “Yes, Virginia...”; certainly Modern Moonlight and Backstabber were as well received as popular tracks Bad-Habit and Missed Me and are set to be classic Dresden Dolls tracks. Avant-garde
 | | The Dresden Dolls photo: Simon White |
Amanda led into the final two songs with a very long instrumental which served to peak the crowd’s appetite and anticipation as they finished the main set with Half Jack and Girl Anachronism. The gig was excellent, the support led into the main act well and the way in which Amanda and Brian interacted with the crowd led to a very personal and intimate feel whilst still maintaining a flair for the avant-garde. Their new album is out now and definitely worth a listen to if you’ve liked their previous work.
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