During last night’s first of two sold-out, standing-room-only Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra gigs at Middle East in Cambridge this week (the second is Thursday), she performed several songs from her forthcoming album (Theatre is Evil), fan favorites from her Dresden Dolls and solo catalogues (Girl Anachronism, Missed Me, and Astronaut, among others), an impromptu cover of Enter Sandman, and dismissed the idea of taking zombie mermaids on the road (though she relented, eventually, promising they will somehow be incorporated into her fall tour, more than likely in bathroom stalls). 
Just another night for the million-dollar-kickstarter baby, eyes like bruises (yellow, green, a little glitter), lace bra, bustier, who looked like she was having the time of her life. In front of her, rabid fans with telephoto lenses (she remains one of the most generous artists concerning cameras/recordings at shows), wearing their best impression of what you wear when you’re Amanda, or when you’re rabid in front of Amanda.
These Boston shows, the last of a series of worldwide shows surrounding a traveling art show, before the band retires to secret rehearsal space at Bard College, where sets will be built, costumes sewn and stapled, and, given her penchant for performance, something pyrotechnic will probably be planned.
