The Dresden Dolls concert

I went to the Dresden Dolls concert tonight. It was a breath-taking experience. Probably one of the most fantastically intense and highly dramatized shows that I've ever seen! On the downside it reiterated my hate in mankind. Mostly the lack of respect that people have for others. Though I hate to be a whiner, I must express my complaints of those folks who stand tall as giants (so tall they could stand outside the building and still see inside from the 15 foot windows) that are right smack dab in the front row. "Um, excuse me...I'm a midget, I come up to your belly button...would you mind if I got to stand in front of you? You're not even dancing!" But of course they stand their like statues guarding their exquisite spot like its their child. Same with the lazy asses who steal all the seats and never leave. Next to mention is the people that were in the row second back --the people next to me-- who were not only NOT singing, but not even swaying their bodies to the fabulous music! (Get out of my fucking way so I can jam out with the band!) Same thing, stand there like statues. BUT on top of all of that petty stuff, there were those few, no, MANY people who just could not SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! I guess its semi-forgivable to talk during the loud songs (even though we all know its not "talking" but more "shouting") ... but when you insist on talking about how tired your legs are or how the rash on your ass itches during the concert? ...What?? Are you serious?? Aren't these things that you could talk about AFTER the show?!?? Why must it be known that you're ass is sore while the beautiful and talented Ms Amanda is trying to lovingly sing her heart out to the immaculate revised version of "Hallelujah"? Now about the performance.

The high intensity of this show is enough to give the healthiest person a heart attack (from over-stimulation of course). I can't even put into the words the rapture I was feeling listening to the live, powerful performance of these songs that I have been singing along to for however many years. It was more than I had expected and I must say, my expectations were high. The only part of the performance that disappointed (besides the ridiculously irritating crowd) was the fact that Amanda didn't get up and dance! However, this was all thanks to the Utah police saying the dancing is too "risque". How can someone refuse someone else the right to be sexy?? The right express themselves HOWEVER they want!?!? It's a fucking ridiculous excuse for a state I live in. Thank you Utah police force.

The music portrays such an all-consuming form of sexual angst, that I was really looking forward to seeing some high kicks and sensual cabaret dance styles on stage. Perhaps at the next show? Just put the piano on auto play. ;)
With that I must say that one of the absolute best parts of the show had to be the impassioned connection between Amanda and Brian. The way their eyes would lock gaze and hold it and you could just see/feel that they were reaching each other on a level so great that at that moment no one else in the room existed. It suddenly became just those two.. their music... that gaze... that feeling of total love and understanding.
The smooth back and forth rocking and slightly sexual humping motion of Amanda on her piano bench conjoined with fierce motions of Brian as he pounded on the drums causing clenched flexing muscles, provided such a sensual, suggestive combination! They were not only communicating with their instruments, but also with their bodies, mostly their eyes.
The full on feeling that the music gives me is such an overtaking rush of excitement. There is so much emotion Amanda puts into her songs. By just listening you can not only feel, but KNOW that these songs, and these words mean so much to her. How she can belt these songs out from the bottom of her gut in such a way that it grabs you and pulls you in, lets you feel exactly what she is feeling, possibly taking you to the place where she was when she wrote it. Whether that be a full song-finishing session where she sat down and wrote every lyric all at once... word after word, feeling after feeling; Or whether it took her days, weeks, months, of contemplating and writing and re-writing and thinking. Too much thinking. How she would shut her eyes at the parts that seemed to be just too much for her to sing while starring out at so many people starring right back at her, watching her confess her darkest secrets and mystified stories. Screaming to the world of her hurt and her pains, her good days, her difficult days, the loves that left her, the loves that hurt her, and the love that stayed. Again, the looks between her and Brian.
Simply magnificent.

~2006