All in New England Music News

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New England Music News

Boston music news: August 10, 2007

VIDEO: The Dresden Dolls, "Shores of California"

The DRESDEN DOLLS played Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” tour this summer. They released a DVD, Live at the Roundhouse, London. And just when you thought singer/pianist Amanda Palmer was finally back in Nashville, working on her solo debut with Ben Folds, she pops up on July 26 playing five new songs with alt-rockers ABERDEEN CITY at the Middle East upstairs. Does this mean Ab City may be on the new disc? “I am still in la-la land about what is actually going to be on the record,” says Palmer, “but anything’s possible at this point. Hearing my music played with guitars is a totally wonderful mind fuck. I love the guys in the band so much that the most fun part of the process was rehearsing. Sweaty rehearsal spaces in Allston! Amps! Miller Time! Amazing.” Dolls drummer Brian Viglione — in heels, dress, and wig and playing acoustic guitar, closed the Cambridge set with Palmer on “Mein Herr” from Cabaret. (Various combinations of musicians also covered Avril Lavigne’s “Together,” Magnetic Fields’ “Take Ecstasy with Me” and Prince’s “Kiss.”) As for the new songs, there was the kind of tension and release you’d expect from Palmer, but, at least with Ab City as a backing band, this was not Dolls-like punk cabaret or piano balladry — more rock and roll. None of which tells us how they’ll come out in her collaboration with Ben Folds. Currently — through August 18 — Palmer is in the midst of solo gigs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Brad San Martin wrote and played guitar in OKAY THURSDAY for two years. When the Boston quartet split, San Martin, drummer Rebecca Mitchell, and bassist Clint Reeves continued as ONE HAPPY ISLAND, and they’ve just released a homonymous EP, with the aim of creating, as San Martin writes us, “humble, hummable pop songs.” The trio play P.A.’s Lounge August 16 and T.T. the Bear’s Place September 27.