Ask me to write a song about your country in twenty minutes

I missed getting to see Amanda Palmer last time she was in New Zealand because The Dead Weather were playing on the same night, and there was no way in hell I wasn't seeing that. So when she announced a new tour in 2011 to support her new album Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under, I knew this was my chance to go see her live (and nothing clashed with her this time!). She was in NZ when the massive earthquake hit Christchurch, just 1 day before her performance in Auckland. Luckily she was able to get here alright (though, slightly late) and perform for her loving fans. She brought Jason Webley as her supporting act, he is the other half of Evelyn & Evelyn and a bad ass piano accordionist. I'd never heard of Jason before but I was so impressed with his vocals and his performance that I went to see his solo show the next night as well. The song that really caught my attention was Dance While The Sky Crashes Down, which I managed to record a bit of (I also talk about it more in a previous post). Amanda arrived in the craziest way possible, as usual, by starting the show outside with her ukulele. She made her way inside and walked over the bar, then got crowd surfed to the stage. She was dressed like a slutty Geisha and was throwing glitter and stars into the audience. Her set consisted of her playing a lot of her solo work and even some Dresden Dolls material too. The highlight of the night for everyone was when she played New Zealand, a song she had written about our little country. Jason Webley joined her on stage later in the show and they performed together, doing some stuff from Evelyn & Evelyn. They played well past their estimated end time and would've played all night if they could. It was a brilliant and extremely audience-friendly show.

Amanda Palmer w/ Jason Webley. 23/02/2011. Kings Arms Tavern, Auckland, New Zealand.

Jason Webley

Jason Webley

Jason Webley - Dance While The Sky Crashes Down

Amanda Palmer

Amanda Palmer - Sex Changes

Amanda Palmer - New Zealand

Evelyn & Evelyn

Amanda Palmer & Jason Webley - Evelyn & Evelyn

Me & Jason Webley

Me & Amanda Palmer

Jason Webley. 24/02/2011. Thirsty Dog Tavern, Auckland, New Zealand.

Jason Webley

Jason Webley - Dance While The Sky Crashes Down

It's raining leprosy and acid.

On the 23rd of February, I saw Amanda Palmer (The Dresden Dolls) at the Kings Arms Tavern. The KA's is one of my favourite places, it is just perfect for hosting the smaller, slightly less popular bands. It is quite an intimate venue so you always get a chance to have a drink and talk to the musicians. Ive seen quite a few shows there before, including The Black Dahlia Murder, Unearth, Cancer Bats, Cairo Knife Fight, Street Chant, Cobra Khan and The Dauntless. But on that night, I was blown away by AP's opening musician who was a man named Jason Webley, a Seattle-born singer-songwriter known for playing a mix of gypsy, folk, and punk. He is the most badass piano-accordionist I have ever seen and his performance was violently beautiful. Needless to say, I highly recommend you check this guy out. That's him down there, he loves sweaty hugs right after a show.

My favourite song of Jason's is a post-apocalyptic tale of remorse and destruction called 'Dance while the sky crashes down', it is fucking amazing. But it really got me thinking...and now it has become my life's purpose to dance while something epic is happening in the background. It is a repeating theme that occurs in the music I listen to and I've decided I can no longer ignore this message, surely it is a sign that this will be my destiny. So just as Jason Webley dances as the sky crashes down, Lamb Of God dance as the palaces burn and The Black Dahlia Murder dance by night and drink the blood of a child's broken neck, I too, will one day achieve this epic feat

It is my calling.