Live photos: Amanda Palmer @ the Magic Bag

Yes, anyone reading this knows I love Amanda Palmer. I went to see her on Tuesday (Dec. 2), expecting it to be almost the same as when I saw her in August, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t! Obviously, I liked the first show enough to see it again, but this time she had four members of Australian theater group the Danger Ensemble, and also a violinist and cellist to play with her on many of the songs that were much more stripped-down at the NYC show, where it was just her and her piano.

I unfortunately couldn’t see a lot of what was going on (thanks a bunch, guy with the freaking TOP HAT and tall dude in front of me), but she came on stage after a recorded track of Neil Gaiman talking about her being dead (my Gaiman-loving best friend was flipping out), wearing a veil, and I think the Danger Ensemble carried her but I couldn’t really tell …

Amanda and the Danger Ensemble lip-synced to her song “Guitar Hero,” which isn’t one of my favorite on her album, so the lip-syncing with cheesy dancing was pretty awesome. They did the same with Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” which was hysterical. Then during the encore they did “Livin’ On A Prayer” with openers the Builders and the Butchers (who we didn’t get there in time to catch), in honor of the economic crisis — while the (unpaid) Danger Ensemble went around to collect money in their shoes. Also amazing.

Amanda Palmer’s setlist:

“Astronaut”
“Ampersand”
“Blake Says”
“Bad Habit” (Dresden Dolls)
“Yes, Virginia” (Dresden Dolls)
“Strength Through Music”
“Guitar Hero” – lip-synced with the Danger Ensemble
“Look Mummy, No Hands”
“Coin Operated Boy” (Dresden Dolls)
Ask Amanda!
“Oasis”
“Have To Drive”
“Half Jack” (Dresden Dolls)
“Umbrella” (Rihanna) – lip-synced with the Danger Ensemble

Encore:
“I Will Follow You Into The Dark” (Death Cab For Cutie)
“Livin’ On A Prayer” (Bon Jovi) – with the Builders and the Butchers
“Leeds United”

TONS of photos after the jump!