Friday September 20, 2008, Soundfix Records Bar area (?): Amanda Palmer free in-store ...I guess

I still don't get how it's an in-store performance if it's actually in a bar. But apparently Soundfix is that Williamsburg hipster-heaven that has a bar in the back of the CD store. Or a CD store at the back of the bar...not sure.

I would have been pissed off if I had paid for this. As a free show however, it was just a somewhat amusing disappointment. Amanda Palmer never seemed focused, and spent more time talking to the audience than playing. At times it was nice to observe the easy connection she forged with the audience. However, long waits between songs meant that the set was very short on actual music. And while I enjoyed hearing about her crazy mother and about how Ben Folds would drag a baby grand piano to every show he played, I found myself growing bored and restless.

I think she had some difficulties arriving. While I was browsing in the CD store, I overheard the manager speaking with her on the phone. The show was supposed to start at 8pm, but she walked into the building just a couple of minutes after 8. We were able to observe her entrance since we were seated right at the back next to the door.

We thought that was going to be our only chance to see her since the place was extremely crowded, the stage was low and Amanda has to sit to play piano. Thankfully, Amanda made everyone sit on down for the performance. As a result, we had a perfect unobstructed view of the stage. At least until she decided to move over to the house piano after the first song. Apparently her keyboard didn't sound very good on stage. From where we were sitting it sounded fine. The second song was much more energetic than the first. As a result, when she polled the audience, they voted for her remaining at the acoustic piano.

She maybe played 2 or 3 more songs (one of them on ukulele) before inviting her friend (Jason Webley?) to join her for a sing. They got about a minute and a half in before they were shut down. Apparently the fire department was on their way to shut down the show. This struck me as odd since it was only 9:30 and the loudest thing there was the applause. Amanda Palmer promised to continue the performance outside on the street, but I was too tired to wait for that. So I went home. Just didn't seem worth the trouble.