Two Gigs - Pet Shop Boys and Proms 19 Bowie Night

In the last month or so I've been to two big gigs: Pet Shop Boys 'Inner Sanctum' show at the Royal Opera House to promote their new record, 'Super'; and the Proms tribute night to David Bowie with string arrangements of some of his classic songs at the Royal Albert Hall. Rather than gigs, these were really concerts given the venues and despite the pop/rock nature of them both. And there's nothing wrong with a concert.

As recent convert to all things Royal Opera House I was interested to see what the Pet Shop Boys would do with that venerable red and gold auditorium and how the place would cope with marauding Pet Shop Boys fans... well, not quite marauding because your average PSB fan is, shall we say, largely past the marauding age. The bar seemed to have discovered beer and the ushers even allowed you to take glasses into the auditorium (something unheard of!). Ten the lights went down, the grand curtains lifted and the thump-thump-thump of electronic beats started. It was time for the Pet Shop Boys!

The show opened with lasers flashing and two big domes slowly turning revealing the lads to the sound of 'Inner Sanctum' from the new album and then mayhem was released with the best laser show ever - the '80s were good for something after all! It really was astonishing sitting there with these incredible lights and lasers firing off everywhere and creating patterns and shapes of wonder with those loud beats (phat beats anyone?) pulsing around the auditorium. At one point I looked round wondering when one of the balconies might collapse due to the endless thumping.

Song after song kept the atmosphere electric with a very eclectic selection of hits and favourites as well as a liberal sprinkling of songs from the new record. 'West End Girls' was, surprisingly, the second song to be played, and I quite liked that - get the obvious hit out of the way to keep us guessing later on. I loved hearing 'Winner', their Olympic song from London 2012 and the best song that summer, 'The Sodom and Gomorrah Show', the bouncy 'Love, Etc', 'New York City Boy', 'The Pop Kids' from the new record, 'It's A Sin' and the great 'Go West'. The encore was 'Domino Dancing' and 'Always On My Mind' with an outdo version of 'The Pop Kids' for good measure. The 'fat-suit' dancers at the end were inspired, something totally alien to that stage which is used to the athletic, powerful bodies of ballet dancers.

The second concert was on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms summer series and was dedicated to the music of David Bowie. Back in January, Amanda Palmer and Jherek Bischoff released an EP of six Bowie songs as a tribute to his passing. All were rearranged by Jherek for a string quartet and they made a suitably startling attempt at reinterpreting some of Mr Bowie's classics. That worked really well, but would it translate into a two-hour concert with various composers and arrangers re-arranging his music for the string orchestra that filled the stage?

It was a strange affair put together by Andre de Ridder and his chamber orchestra Stargaze. I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't a long-rehearsed show of hits, but rather a set of re-arrangements for strings with guest vocalists but what worked for half an hour on Amanda's EP didn't really manage to sustain it over a full two-hours show. Possibly the problem was having too many different people doing the arrangements and too many different singers? If you're going to do something like this then you need big names and with the best will in the world you can't really consider someone like Neil Hannon 'big'.  The biggest pop name was Marc Almond and he wasn't really on form, only starting to come alive with a sing-along 'Starman'. The biggest 'cult' name was John Cale who actually brought most a band onstage for his three-song mini-set of 'Valentine's Day' 'Sorrow' and 'Space Oddity'. I liked his 'Sorrow' but 'Space Oddity' just went on and on and on ...

The women were far more powerful and imposing than the men. Anna Calvi did a haunting version of 'Lady Grinning Soul', Laura Mvula did a good job at trying to funk up a string version of 'Fame' and Amanda Palmer did a powerful 'Heroes'. Highlight of the evening was Amanda's and Anna's duet on 'Backstair' with Jherek prowling behind them with his guitar slashes.  That received a huge round of applause and, no doubt, lots of new fans for the two singers.

The concert ended with the usual 'get everyone back on stage for a sing-along' to the frankly weird choice of 'After All' from 'The Man Who Sold The World'. Why that song? Who chose it when there are so many great songs to send us out into the night on a high? Amanda, of course, brought her baby son on stage for that encore - what a collection of baby photos he's going to have when he grows up!

If a winner is needed then the gold medal easily goes to those Pet Shop Boys for a fabulous show - I want to live in that laser show! The Proms comes second for a worthy idea that, for me at least, didn't really work. But good on ye for trying.

All photos nicked from the internet, with thanks.

Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra at Koko

Last night I saw a thing of rare beauty and power. I saw Amanda Palmer both lead and be part of her band, the Grand Theft Orchestra, comprising Jherek Bischoff, Chad Raines and Michael McQilken. They gel, they're one unit, they're four great performers and artists in their own right. Led, of course, by Amanda Fucking Palmer.

OK, so Koko isn't one of my favourite venues - unless you're near the front of the stage or balconies, then you don't get a very good view of the stage or the performers, but the sound is fine and it's quite nice being surrounded by the red and gold baroque of what was called the Music Machine and the Camden Palace back when punk bands ruled there. The plus side is that it has a nice long bar and the bar staff are very attentive and friendly (which always helps). It also has a giant glitter ball hanging from the ceiling (which is always a good thing). But most of all it has Miss Palmer on stage.

The last time I saw Amanda there was in 2008 for the 'Who Killed Amanda Palmer' tour. Back then she went on stage by walking through the audience - or on that night, hobbling through the audience on a crutch with her foot in plaster after a car accident in Dublin. That didn't hold her back, though, it just gave the Danger Ensemble more scope for their performance art.

Last night the ticket touts were out in force and I just couldn't help but grin at the sight of them. When they turn up to gigs you know you've arrived. There was Koko with its facade all lit up with pink and purple lights blaring out into the Camden night,  and a huge queue snaking round the side of the building. I joined it with a private smile remembering when I saw Amanda years ago without having to queue.

Amanda came on stage in a kimono and general's cap to introduce the first support band, Jherek Bischoff and  a crowd-sourced string quartet to do a few of the songs from his new album.  Jherek was followed by Chad Raines and his band, The Simple Pleasure, which played some really dirty '80s synth riffs and rocked us with some pink flamingoes. They were great fun and Chad is a good frontman. I downloaded their album from Bandcamp a month or so ago and it's well worth listening to. It must be handy having your support bands led by members of your own band. Michael McQilken doesn't have a record out or a band but a record is coming out shortly, so he was given the honour of playing one of his songs during the main set. Equality for all has always been Amanda's approach to these things and praise up anyone on the bill.

After a break (and a trip to the friendly bar), on came the Grand Theft Orchestra in white suits, all nicely different but similar at the same time, along with Amanda in a slinky posh white-gold frock. They launched into 'Smile' from the new record, 'Theatre Is Evil' and stayed on stage for most of the next two hours. Amanda has moved onto a new level with a big light show and a screen filling the back of the stage with both crowd-sourced and custom made projections, spotlights following her around and great sound. This is Amanda Palmer the Rock Star and she fit the bill perfectly. Her frock even stayed on for the first few songs before falling down to reveal a black bra (that's the AFP I know and love!).

Most of the songs were from 'Theatre Is Evil' and they sound great live. We had 'Missed Me' (during which the band swap instruments) and 'Girl Anachronism' from her Dresden Dolls days and 'Astronaut' from 'WKAP', all of which sound amazing with a full band behind them, adding volume to very familiar songs. We had cover songs (including 'Careless Whisper, accompanied by a great sax player) and guest stars including Scroobius (doing 'Letter From God') and then Neil Gaiman with his Sawchestra performing 'Psycho'. We had a light show and I knew I was at a punk/rock/cabaret show.

Favourites included a really powerful 'Smile (Pictures Or It Didn't Happen)' and 'Bottomfeeder' during which Amanda crowd-surfed around the crowd, even getting close to where I was standing at the back. 'The Killing Type' sounded great live as did the lovely 'Trout Heart Replica' with Jherek's string quartet adding to the swirling feel of fish swimming hypnotically round and round as Amanda sings and tells us what she wants from the Wizard.

My favourite of the evening was 'The Bed Song', a beautiful and tragic song about the loss of communication in a loving relationship - why didn't you say something? It's a tender song performed by Amanda on her own on stage with no light show, just Amanda doing it old school.

My second favourite was her cover of Yazoo's 'In My Room' (yes, *that* song!) if only because it was so unexpected.  Complete with all the weirdness and synth-sounds, a faithful rendition with Amanda standing at the front of the stage with the projection of all the things you'd find in an '80s bedroom projected onto her and the screen behind her. I loved it but I think I was probably one of the few in the hall that recognised it. When it finished the crowd didn't seem to know whether it was a deliberate gap or the end so I started the clapping to help them realise it was over. Yes, mine were the first hands clapping and a second or two later everyone joined in.

My third favourite was a stonking version of 'Time Warp' from 'Rocky Horror' with guest star Richard O'Brien on lead vocals. Amanda sung Magenta's lines and Chad sung the Little Nell part. It was great fun, especially seeing all the middle aged people suddenly going into sweet transvestite mode and doing the dance.

It ended after 11:30pm with Amanda and the band in one of the theatre boxes at the side of the stage doing an encore of 'Want It Back', getting us to stamp out the beat on the wooden floor of Koko before gathering everyone back on stage for a final applause. On the way out I picked up a poster of Amanda's drawing about 'The Bed Song' (I saw the original at her Art Show over the summer and it's included in the GTO Art Book).

I had a lovely evening, thank you, with some great songs and sights. Amanda has quite clearly moved to another level with this album and tour. That makes me sad that hanging out after a show isn't going to be the same as it used to be but it also makes me proud of her. And she's still Amanda Fucking Palmer.

She's coming back to London in March to play the Roundhouse with GTO. The Dresden Dolls played there two nights running and recorded their live DVD there so it holds some nice memories. It was also the site of Poly Styrene's last gig so is a special place. I've already ordered tickets. Have you?