[Mood: bathing in the afterglow]
[Music: Sorry Bunch, my beloved Dolls]

FOR A BETTER VERSION, CHECK TEH LJ.

Yesterday was The Dresden Dolls at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. I was estatic as soon as I woke up yesterday morning, and from then to when I finished my white and black eyes and hopped in the car, I nearly exploded. As I put on my Dolls shirt, I got so overwhelmed than I nearly started to go insane. However, I managed to get on my white and black eyeliner and red lipstick without too much of an issue. My mum and I drove to SF, and as soon as we drove down O'Farrell, we saw them. Dresden Dolls fans have a certain look to them that you certainly not deny: they're amazing. When my mum and I got in line, we saw girls dressed as fourties movie stars with veils covering their eye and black devil horns, more than three people in Renaissance clothing, plenty of early-1900s suits with brocade vests and top hats, and a multitude of cross-dressers, men in black suits and glasses, and living dolls. As we got inside, I learned that cameras were allowed...and I had not brought mine. I felt like a moron as I took my place on the floor: a mere 5 feet from the stage. The Great American Music Hall is tiny, but stunning- it has murals on the celings, chandeleirs, low lighting, and details in gold. People ballroom danced to the Amiele soundtrack as two stilt-walkers-male and female-mingled with the crowd. The music ceased, and the lights dimmed, as a small, portly, bald man with a moustache and glasses came out. He was Paul Nathan, our master of ceremonies, decked in a 1800s suit with black vest with purple brocade. He then told us what a "nice, mild mannered, sweet, polite" auidence we were, promptly adding:

"This show is going to fuck you up."

The crowd? We went mad.

Enter the first band: Rosin Coven. Their stage was set up with a xylophone, cello, double bass, drumkit, trombone, violin and guitar, and as they entered, in their top hats, corsets, and cabaret gear, our minds were blown. As the lead singer: a petite, rail-thin woman with long, lifeless platinum hair and a white and black corset and a white ball skirt walked up to the microphone and purred "Welcome to the Pagan lounge," the audience was enthralled. They had a dance troupe with them, the Vau de Vire Society, who were STUNNING. They contorted, danced, and tumbled their way into our hearts as they surrounded us in the stage. The music was intoxicating as men with vines covering their suits and wild, white eyes had us say "love" and "decadence." I have since learned that they were trying to re-create Edward Gorey's The Disrespectful Summons. However, during the finale, you could notice a familiar female figure in a black dress and peculiarly drawn on eyebrows dancing like a maniac with the dancing troupe.  As they left the stage, mildly disturbing men in tophats wove through the audience with silver trays laden with candy and fliers for the crowd. When they finished, stilt-walkers lead human marionettes through the crowd and strains of cabaret graced our ears. It was a circus-like atmosphere, and so decadent and lush that I did not want to leave.

But then it hit me. A stricken, panicky feeling, where my chest nearly caves in on itself. I tend to get it when I am overwhelmed with excitement, and it feels like if whatever I am anticipating does not happen soon, I will keel over and stop breathing. Finally, our master of ceremonies came out. He performed a magic trick involving whipping cards out of a man's mouth with a bullwhip, and then told us a dirty, dirty story about the Dolls that had never left the conversations between them before...or so he said.As the lights dimmed and the toy piano starting "Good Day" twinkled overhead, I was screaming so hard that I made my poor, sore throat go mute. They entered, and I nearly became shell-shocked: I was so close, I could have touched them. And to see Amanda's shining face and Brian's big grin caused me to nearly double over with joy. The songs they played, as I remember, were something like this...

[The first two are in order. The last one is right as well.]

Good Day
Ultima Esperanza
Missed Me
-new song-
Coin-Op Boy
The Mouse and The Model
Gravity
Backstabber
Mandy Goes To Med School
Amsterdam
Half Jack
Girl Anachronism
[Add a buch of songs I do not remember the name of]

[ENCORE]
Two solo Amanda songs
Sex Changes

I started crying during The Mouse and the Model. It is my favorite, and to sing my heart out to it whilst standing right in front of them was amazing. Not only were they amazingly dramatic, but they were FUNNY. Here is an example of the snappy banter...

Fan: AMANDAAA!
Amanda: -looks up- Yessss? -everyone starts laughing- It always is so weird when someone calls my name...I'm afraid I have to do something.
Brian:  -into mic- Amanda, go to the principal's office.

It was hilarious at the time. What can I say?

Brian is one of the most amazing people to watch live, ever. He is a beyond brilliant drummer, and he makes very dramatic faces whilst doing so. However, he was having problems: his snare drum kept getting loose. He joked that it was made of paper maiche and cardboard, but he was starting to get frustrated because he had to tighten it after every song. Finally, he snapped.

Brian: AARRRGGGHHH!
Amanda:  Uh-oh. Brian, are you having trouble?
Brian: YES!!!!
Me: We still love you, Brian!
-Brian sees me and kisses in my direction-
Amanda: Contain yourself, Brian! -is laughing madly-
Brian: -goes into lotus position- Ommmmmm....ommm...-giggle giggle-
Amanda: Oh yes, find your core, Brian. -laughing hysterically-

Yes, Brian Viglione, my dumming hero, blew a kiss at me. I seriously am still smiling about it. :]

The dance troops joined them on Girl A and Missed Me. Missed Me was HILARIOUS: all the female dancers were dressed up as kinky school girls, and the males, old, perverted men. The principal dancer was beaituful, and she disappeared for half the song, only to return as the school girls got their revenge and started to beat up the old men whilst her "mister" watched from behind a cage. She was, of course. pregnant! She tried to get to him in total vain. Girl A was just as good: the dancers were in straight jackets and black tutus, and threw toilet paper all over the stage and climbed around like possessed spiders. The doctors simply stared, took notes and talked quietly to eachother. During the second stanza, out came the Girl Anachronism: she was unraveled like a mummy from her gauze entrapments to reveal a black leotard and tutu, black pointe shoes, and scars all over her body. She was twitchy and neurotic in her movements, and couldn't hold the yellow roses and toilet paper thrown at her as she twitched so badly. It was an amazing display of dance and music, that I certainly plan NOT to forget it.