Amanda Palmer at The ICA

The long awaited gig from the marvellous Amanda Palmer happened tonight at the ICA. She was supported by a band and by the Puppini Sisters but I didn't see them, only one song by the band and then the bar beckoned. The theatre is a bit bare and soulless, turned into a concert hall for the night, but with great lights and sound.

Miss Palmer appeared at 9pm in her best underwear, miming along to a Ben Folds song doing the Dylan thing of having words on bits of paper and and then got behind her piano to open the set with the gorgeous and moving 'Ampersand', one of my favourites. She was off to a grand start with that song, plonking away on her piano and her fearless voice filling the hall - I love the way Amanda sings and the sound of her voice, one of the most expressive and powerful voices I've heard in a long time.

She spent the whole gig behind the piano (until the final encore) treating us to some Dresden Dolls classics, some covers and songs by friends (such as 'I Google You' by Nial Gaiman), and half a dozen or so songs from the new album (due out on 15 September). She chatted inbetween songs, swigged from a plastic pint glass half full of red wine, regaled us with anecdotes and even held an 'Ask Amanda' session with questions submitted by the audience before the gig started. Oh, and she said 'fuck' was one of her favourite words and said it a lot, so that's ok. She's not afraid to admit she'd forgotten the words to one of the covers and, when someone shouted out the next line, started the song again to get it right. This was a very confident and mature performance from someone who's played all over the world in the last few years and is comfortable with herself on the stage and comfortable with handling an audience.

Amanda came back for two encores, the first one including a touching, long version of 'Hallelujah' during which a girl had her long hair cut by the EmCee, and the second encore was Amanda's trademarked version of 'Creep' with her strumming a ukelele. Someone made the mistake of saying he didn't like Radiohead and became the focus of the performance. Amanda got down from the stage, meandered through the crowd (and right past me!) and climbed onto the sound mixing desk at the back and finished the song. Then jumped down and moved past me (I patted her back and got sacred Amanda-sweat on my hand) to rework the last verse with the Radiohead guy before climbing back onto the stage, saying goodbye and vanishing backstage after entertaining and thrilling us for two hours.

Favourite songs included 'Ampersand' (of course), the great 'Mrs O', 'Coin Operated Boy' and 'Half Jack' from the Dresdens catalogue, and 'Leeds United', 'Guitar Hero' and 'Astronaut' from the new record. After a stonking version of 'Leeds United' she said she was looking for volunteers to be extras in the video for the song to be filmed next Sunday... I accidentally picked up the contact details at the end of the gig and might accidentally get in touch...

Amanda was lovely and put her all into the show and her performance. I'd forgotten how small she is - she's a giant on record and in her videos. The new songs on the album sound excellent and I'm so looking forward to listening to it for the first time - and then watching all the videos for the songs she's been posting everywhere. It's always a delight and a privilege to see the wonderful Miss Palmer and she was on top form tonight. I look forward to seeing Amanda perform for decades into the future.

And the gold medal for marvellousness goes to Amanda Palmer!