Saturday, January 21, 2012

Three Days, Two Islands...Part One


I am home and brimming with happiness after an amazing three days of adventuring. First stop was Hobart to see my beloved favourite band The Dresden Dolls. Jude and I headed down on Thursday and though I was a bit, ahem, nervous about driving into Hobart after never having done it before  it was fine. I mean, I have been driving for 11 years and road rules are road rules...I think I had just psyched myself out. Jude and I checked into our hotel and met up with my beautiful friend Georgie. She and I are coming up to a decade of friendship...we did our first uni degree together and I try to see her whenever I'm down south and usually manage it. Anyway, we had a quick catch up and gave her her ticket for the show as she had to meet us there at 9pm due to rehearsals of her own. Jude and I did a bit of wandering and shopping before heading back to the hotel to get ready for THE SHOW. We had dinner at a beautiful Italian restaurant in Salamanca called La Porchetta and then headed across to the Prince's Wharf shed, the site of the MONA FOMA festival. The Dolls weren't on til 9pm but I was very, very, very keen to get a good spot so we went inside the site at 8pm, got some drinks and went to the stage. No one else was really waiting yet so we stood right at the stage barrier and I decided that nothing would make us move from that spot. I have loved the Dolls for 9 years, and could face standing and waiting for an hour and a half. Here we are in position (another early arrival kindly took our photo).


That's Brian Viglione's drumset right behind us...He, along with Amanda Palmer, make up the Dolls. We had a great position. We are holding glasses of a very regretful purchase...a $25 bottle of what was supposed to be beautiful Tasmanian sparkling wine but tasted like Passion Pop. No joke. We ended up giving the rest of the bottle away. Very disappointing, Moorilla Vineyard. Anyway, moving on from that shananigan...Georgie arrived at 9pm and managed to make her way through the fast-growing crowd and get to us in the front row. Thankfully, it was quite a friendly crowd and she had no problems.


The show was beyond amazing. I couldn't believe that the Dresden Dolls had come all the way from Boston to little Tassie, and that I was standing right in the front row. Just incredible. Georgie and Jude aren't fans (well, they weren't til now!) but they enjoyed it too. The Dolls rocked it. I was right in front of Brian and was singing along to all the songs, and he kept looking right at me, grinning, and singing along too. 


I didn't get the best photos as I was too busy watching, plus my camera isn't the best in low light. Jude got some great ones so I'll try to get them from her.


After the show we headed outside and lined up (nearly at the front of the line, go us) for signing. I had brought one of my CDs and bought a T shirt for Mr Bebb, who also loves the Dolls but sadly had to work. I had also brought along a gift for Amanda and Brian. Last time I met Amanda, after her solo show in Melbourne in 2006, I gave her a pair of black and white stripey knickers as it was her thing back then to wear black and white striped stockings. She loved them and I decided to keep with tradition and give her another pair of decadent knickers as she loves fancy lingerie and often wears it onstage. I also popped a few of my handmade soaps in the bag and wrote them a card. I mentioned on Twitter that I was choosing knickers for @amandapalmer that afternoon and when I gave her the gift bag she said "Ooh, is this the knickers?" She loved them and I think they liked the Tassie soaps too. Here's Amanda checking out her new underwear and Brian saying "I want them!"




The tour manager had announced at the start of signing that there wasn't time for photos with everyone, but if people really wanted them they could hang around until after the signing. We were part of a small dedicated group of fans who did indeed hang around and I was very happy to get a photo with them.


For interest's sake, here's me with Amanda in Melbourne back in 2006 after her solo show.



What an amazing night. Georgie dropped Jude and I at the hotel and we had fun getting ready for bed and giggling like college room-mates. The next morning, after a yummy breakfast and a bit of Salamanca shopping, I bid farewell to dear Jude (her husband was on his way to meet her for another night in Hobart) and Georgie and I set off to catch the ferry to Bruny Island to visit my parents, who are working as volunteer caretakers for Parks and Wildlife for six weeks. To be continued in Part Two...


2 comments:

  1. It was a FANTASTIC little trip away! I had such a ball and didn't want it to come to an end! I LOVED the Dresden Dolls, I may have only just 'liked' them before but 'love' them now!! Exploring Hobart, wining, dining, seeing a fantastic band, gambling and yes giggling until I thought my stomach was going to explode from excessive laughter made for a very enjoyable couple of days with a very special, dear friend. Xx

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    1. Aw, I didn't want it to come to an end either! It was tops. xx

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