Recent Stories with tag the showbox

Sxip Shirey @ Showbox at the Market

Wednesday night at the Showbox was an experience to behold. Headlining was Amanda Palmer with Sxip Shirey, Evelyn Evelyn, and Jason Webley rounding out the bill. I knew of the Dresden Dolls and Amanda Palmer's gothic, over-the-top style, and I'm a huge fan of the song "Coin Operated Boy," but that was about the extent of my preconceptions. A friend at the show explained that this tour was one big act, despite the seriousness with which Palmer talked about Evelyn Evelyn.

The emcee, Sxip Shirey, started out the evening with an act of his own. He's a puppeteer by trade, having done a children's show out of New York for many years, but in this show he's a one-man orchestra extraordinaire. He doesn't take the typical cymbals-on-knees route, but instead has a case full of distortion pedals, so the only instruments he needs are his mouth and the array of small plastic noisemakers on the table beside him. The best way to describe is to say it's a combination of hip hop, rap, and children's rock music. His insane salt-and-pepper fro, red-and-black-pinstripe suit, and gravelly voice come together in an almost Tim Burton style.

Evelyn Evelyn @ Showbox at the Market

Evelyn Evelyn was the strangest (and funniest) part of the evening. Two ladies shyly made their way on stage wearing one huge dress whose material resembled a Victorian couch. They both had straight black hair held back by a headband and very pale skin. Something seemed a little funny about these two, especially since one of them had an adam's apple. They regaled us with several amusing tunes all having to do with their sister Evelyn, which Sxip had already told us happen to be both of their names, hence the band's name. Of course, it was Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley under that big dress and their voices in unison were ham and cheese (really great by themselves, but fireworks when put together)....

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