Some people just seem to be creative nexuses. No only do they themselves produce new creations as part of their existence in a seemingly effortless manner, they act as a center for others in a web of expression. The Dresden Dolls are such a pair.
Beyond their work as a “Punk Cabaret” band (coined by the Dolls so they weren’t labeled as “Goth”) they have inspired the The Brigade, done a sound track for the Company One production of A Clockwork Orange in Boston, worked with the ART on “The Onion Cellar” (a musical conceived by Palmer of the Dolls), sparked the traveling film festival Fuck the Back Row, and I’m sure a bunch of other stuff I don’t know about or have forgotten. Right now the group is on hiatus and Amanda Palmer and Brain Viglione are off pursuing their own projects. Palmer has been working on a solo album, played at the Spiegel Tent at Fringe Festival, recorded an album with Jason Webley and Evelyn Evelyn, and started a collaboration with Estradasphere.
The match up of Palmer and Estradasphere may be the best match up in the Dolls’ creative collaborations web since Amanda and Brian joined up as a duo. I witnessed the beginnings of their collaboration at Estradasphere’s home base in Seattle.
