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Amanda Fucking Palmer

Amanda Fucking Palmer 0

It has been a long time since I've written a blog post. Life gets in the way of progress. Though when I heard that Amanda Palmer and her husband Neil Gaiman were going to be doing a show in Tucson, I jumped at the chance to see them. I had to make time.

I saw Amanda perform in a little venue in New Orleans this past winter. My husband and I rushed to the front of the stage and were a mere 10 feet away from her. I wanted to be a groupie and hang out after the show to meet her, but we were tired and flying home the following day. Fate would have to wait.

For the majority of my adult life I have followed Amanda Palmer in her various creative endeavors. I was one of her famous Kickstarter backers and I contribute to her Patreon every month because I believe in supporting artists. The arts will save this scary world, in my opinion.

Amanda is everything I want to be when I grow up (even though she is only 2 years older then I). She is a strong, opinionated woman who doesn't give a shit what people think. Though I know she tries not to let words hurt her, on her blog she shows her vulnerable side. She is a married feminist and her husband's support is obvious when you see them together.

The day of the show Amanda sent out an email to her Patreons stating that there would be an after party the 50 or so of us that would be at the sold out show. She asked for someone to organize it. So I immediately got on the forum, made some calls and had Hotel Congress reserve part of their outdoor venue for us. Amanda personally thanked me and the after party was happening. Thanks to little old me.

After the emotional show filled with songs, stories, poems, politics and fans both young (yes there were little kids and even a baby there) and old and everywhere in between all her Patreons drew hearts, clubs, diamonds and spades on their body in various places as we were told to do and we all filed across the street to Hotel Congress. In the outdoor area we all waited, chit chatted, avoided eye contact, made eye contact, drank, anxiously awaiting.

After Amanda showed up, trying to sneak in without being noticed, smoking her cigarette (color me shocked), she made an announcement that she wanted us to mingle, meet strangers, drink and sing. She took out her ukulele and we all joined her in Creep by Radiohead, the bad club music stopped. our voices were the only ones being heard. She mingled with the crowd and Jimmy made his way to her with me bashfully following. She asked what my name was and I told her. She silenced the crowed and introduced me to everyone and told them that I was the reason they were there. We talked for a while, took some photos, she gave me a pick she used on stage so I would practice my ukulele (someone put more hours in the day and days in the week and weeks in the month and months in the year) and it was a moment in time that I will treasure forever.

The 50+ people there were crowding around wanting to meet her too, so I took Jimmy and we stood on the outskirts of the crowd. I was so satisfied with what I had accomplished that I just looked at the happy faces of her fans as tears swelled in my eyes. Giving them the opportunity to meet someone they admire and love and respect, my work was done. It was a fun part of the ride.

If only for one shining moment in time, I made them happy. And in the words of Amanda herself she said 'congress hotel the weirdest fastest techno-defeating awesomeest party I've ever been to'. My work here is done! What an amazing ride!