The State of All Things: September 2025 (Patreon)

• THE BIG OL' LIFE N DETH UPDATE...

• PATREON CATCH-UP (what's been happening here on the Patreon this month...)

• UPCOMING EVENTS (for ME SOLO UND THE DRESDEN DOLLS!)

• COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD (notices from the global community)

• RECS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM MY ART FRIENDS

• ART BEGETTING ART (art from the community, inspired by my/the dolls work)

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THE BIG OL' LIFE N DETH UPDATE....

Well, my loves.

I say a lot in the video, so watch it.

I was rummaging through and re-packing various suitcases in the kitchen in the run up to leaving for the airport and explaining the "Dear Daily Mail" debacle and song-lemoade to Brendon. It was 2013, ALL THE TOUR LUGAGGE was late, and I wound up just wearing courdorys and a bra for my huge Glastonbury appearance on the Theatre is Evil tour. Since it wasn't a stage bra, my boob escaped, and it led to this.

But I was reflecting...I am the sort of person who would spend their entire off day between Glastonbury and London writing and memorizing (and co-ordinating a kimono striptease) for an entirely new song JUST TO SAY FUCK YOU TO A SHIT TABLOID IN INTELLIGENT SONG FORM and that, my friends, that is why I am a crowdfunded artist who will never really ever make sense to anybody but you.

I'm literally about to board a plane for tour.

It was a race to the finish, and I said it to socials a couple minutes ago...

READY, SET, TOUR!!!…time to do my actual musician job for the first time in fekkin ages. 7 days, 14,000 miles of flying, 2 rehearsals, 8 crew members, 3 gigs, 30 songs memorized, 2 languages, 1 badass band, 1 ukulele…1 mother who will not quit this weird habit and also obviously said yes to the Lufthansa flight attendant who offered to take this shot when she saw me trying to get the perfect JFK selfie at Logan International Airport. She nailed the frame.

I’ve been doing this odd job for 25 years and it still feels like a miracle every time I get paid actual cash money to play my songs for large groups of people. I feel more grateful that usual lately to be welcomed onto the stages of ze world. Wtf is this dream.

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy but because they are hard” - JFK.

Leaving my safe little village in Boston nowadays basically feels like…going to the moon.

As I said to some friends yesterday, I feel unprepared as usual.....but as feel like I now psychically and musically prepare for tour by taking Ash to Jiu Jitsu, cleaning the kitchen, hosting sleepovers for Ash’s friends and making pancakes like a feckin Mister Miagi of Rock and Roll. Wax on Wax off, bitches.

WISH US LUCK OUT THERE!

See you on the moon.

Or in Los Angeles. Or in Austria.

xxxx

AFP

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PATREON CATCH-UP

What's been happening on Patreon this month? Well.... it wasn't a huge release month, I was deep in end-of-summer momm-ing and tour prep.

BUT I played a couple of little shows in New York - one in Woodstock just for patrons only, and one gorgeous public Tom Lehrer tribute at City Winery with a bunch of friends. I wrote a lot in the cracks, here and on socials. I'm flexing my muscles for book-writing and doing lots of boring meetings.

The Woodstock show was epic, and FILMED (YAY!), and we'll be releasing it here on Patreon in the next few weeks.

UND, here are a couple photos from the Tom Lehrer tribute show...

Me, Tess, Jonah, Teo:

Jonah on accordion:

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And the Woodstock show...felt necessary. Spirtutally.

I accepted my first live interview and review in a hot minute, from a local Woodstock journalist for The Overlook News....they're allies, I let them in. It was a risk that paid off. They got it.

It's a beautiful piece.

You can read the whole thing here:

https://theoverlooknews.com/amanda-palmer-returns-to-woodstock-to-mine-her-soul/

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Meanwhile, right here on Patreon, we had the latest patron webchat a few days ago...

nothing to see here....

We had a good ol' 2-hour catch up, I answered some questions, got some patrons up on screen to chat, and gave a little ukulele preview of the new piano material I've been previewing, on the uke...for shits and giggles....

You can catch up on the wholllllle 2 hour webchat here:

https://www.crowdcast.io/c/bn91nxsmqap6

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And also in webcast-land, don't forget.....

AMPERSANDER BOOK CLUB CHECK IN IS HAPPENING IN A COUPLE WEEKS!!!

We'll be meeting at September 19th 11:11am EST

OPEN TO ALL!!!!!!

Note: this ISN'T THE PROPER BOOK CLUB MEETING! That's happening in November - this is just a little check in to wave our hands, say hi, see where we're up to with the books without spoiling ro delving truly deeply into them.

The official book club meeting is November 23rd, at 3pm EST and the books we're reading before then are:

• Lydi Conklin - Songs of No Provenance (FICTION)

• Molly Jong-Fast - How to Lose Your Mother (MEMOIR)

• Geraldine Brooks - Memorial Days (MEMOIR)

• We Will Not Cancel Us (And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice) - adrienne maree brown (ESSAYS)

So pick up your books now, join us in September to check in with each other and see where we're at, then join in November to discuss everything in full glorious gory detail!

Link for September's check-in webcast is here:

https://www.crowdcast.io/c/8wb3sho8mxt1

And the link for November's full book club meeting is here:

https://www.crowdcast.io/c/6k79mtcvenof

You can RSVP for both meetings NOWWWWW and get reminders before we go live!

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And not strictly patreon-related, but..... it's never a bad time to remind you that I HAVE MERCH!!!!

We have two merch stores: one based in the US, and one based in the UK - although both do ship internationally, so hopefully wherever you are in the world, you can have beautiful things sent to you...

The US store is here!

The UK store is here!

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UPCOMING EVENTS

We're just about to head into some quick-fire DRESDEN DOLLS TERRITORY.

First up, next Wednesday September 10th we're playing ONE teeny tiny little show in LA....

This wasn't a ticketed show, we gave away tickets via applications last week... I know a good number of you are gonna be there, and I can't wait.

YEEESSSSSS

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And then quick as a flash, the Dolls will be heading over to Austria for our ONLY European show this year... and the first time we've played mainland Europe in almost TWENTY YEARS.

We're playing this show as part of the Tangente Festival based in St Pölten, about an hour outside of Vienna.

We're headlining, but the rest of the lineup (Laundromat Chicks, Dry Cleaning, and Jehnny Beth) are all amazing, so it's gonna be a great night.

Tickets are STILL AVAILABLE (it's a pretty massive venue, like, 5,000) and you can pick tickets up here:

https://www.festspielhaus.at/en/events/domplatz-open-air-pop-am-dom/46723

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And once again - we had this gorgeous artwork created by Niki for the show, and we'll be printing it up on merch to sell at the festival. If any is left after, it'll be up on the UK store!

And if you're interested ins eeing some of Niki's progress shots, and how the piece all came together, I posted some WIPs and drafts the other day here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/138051644/

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And finally.... MIDWESTERNERS: KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED!

I'm coming, and Seattle and Portland, you may be next.

Stay tuned.

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COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

This section is for YOU, the community, to share projects and other notices with the community - if you have something you'd like to share, email us at patronhelp@amandapalmer.net!

The first bulletin board posting this month is from Sasha, one of our patrons here.

I’m a stay-at-home/work-from-home mom (I own a queer-friendly/owned barber shop). After having my kiddo last year I’ve felt very called to birth work. I’m finally trying to answer the call by getting my doula certification! I want to serve marginalised communities in particular.

The class is a little out of budget for my wife and I to afford, so I’m crowd funding, or at least trying to. If anyone here would be able to spare even $5 it would be very much appreciated to help me hit my goals to at least save my spot. I need $375 to register and I’m currently at $250.

It’s a very hard thing for me to ask, but I’m trying to get better at that. So here we are!

Here's the link to the crowdfund if you're able to donate!

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The second posting this month came in via email from Mellan Kunta, a musician from Uganda:

My name is Kalyowa Michael Melan, known as Mellan Kunta, a 23-year-old Ugandan music producer, composer, songwriter, and performing artist from Kawempe, a slum area near Kampala.

Recently I applied for the Sontronics Scholarship at Abbey Road Institute, the world’s premier music school, and I was thrilled to be shortlisted for interviews. Unfortunately though I wasn’t selected, the board recognized my potential and offered me an unconditional place to study the Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering. This opportunity could transform my career, but the £23,500 tuition feels out of reach without support.

My goal is to harness my skills to create music programs for underprivileged youth in Uganda, using music as a tool for social good.

Here's a link to Mellan's music on Apple Music if you want to check it out.

And here's the crowdfund to help him get to Abbey Road!

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RECS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM MY ART FRIENDS.....

This month I've got a number of things to recommend and suggest for you from all my wonderful talented art friends, so decided to put them all together here in their own little section...

First up, I wanted to share this new artwork - and the story behind it - from our beloved Niki McQueen:

It's a piece called REQUIEM

This artwork was made for a friend from days gone by, who is now a friend from now, and a collector of some of the best and most meaningful pieces I have made. She is one of the people who sees into my work and knows that what it means for her, is the truth in the art, and the most important element of my work. Not what it means to anyone else, especially me.

The couple married in their 20’s, in a beautiful ceremony. Tragically, she lost him to a massive heart-attack, very young. No love that profound should perish that swiftly, I felt as I started making this, but life isn’t fair.

My friend mentioned that her husband had once written her a poem, and that she would be interested in seeing if I could interpret it as a commissioned work, some time in the distant future.

I asked if she would share it with me. After reading it, and crying a lot, a vision formed on the edges of my mind, and I set out to see if I could coax it into life. I think it is maybe the best work I have made this year.

As I finished, it occurred to me that I was wrong. Love is one of the few things that survives death. It didn’t perish, it just changed shape.

This was one of those commissions filled with the eery synchronicities that working with someone sometimes brings. Moments, that are the chief reason I’m married to the idea of the collective unconscious. They usually come when I’m most tempted to doubt that there are things bigger than me that I don’t understand. Spiritual things, not Sydney Opera House things.

UGGGGGGH. Can you tell why I love this woman?

Niki has prints of this artwork (and tons of her other gorgeous art) available to buy on her etsy store:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/nikimcqueenart/

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I also got to hang with another of my favorite art-weirdo-queerdos a few days back: JINKX MONSOON!

If you don't know Jinkx: she started as a little drag queen on RuPaul's Drag Race over ten years ago, WON THE SHOW, went on to become a cabaret powerhouse, and is now absolutely SLAYING on Broadway. She starred as Mama Morton in Chicago, then Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors.

Now she's playing Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary! - a show about Abraham Lincoln's wife in the lead-up to his assassination...

I'd argue the show is one of the most hilarious and important pieces of theater I've seen in yeeeeears......

Jinkx is in the role til the end of September, so if you're around NYC, then please GO GO GO SEE HER!

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And out THIS WEEK is the new book from Elizabeth Gilbert.

I got cancelled by a writer I follow on Substack for defneding Liz Gilbert the other day....I can't wait to read this shit!!!!

It's called "All The Way To The River", here's the blurb:

In 2000, Elizabeth Gilbert met Rayya. They became friends, then best friends, then inseparable. When tragedy entered their lives, the truth was finally laid bare: The two were in love. They were also a pair of addicts, on a collision course toward catastrophe. What if the dear friend who taught you so much about your self-destructive tendencies became the unstable partner with whom you disastrously reenacted every one of them? And what if your most devastating heartbreak opened a pathway to your greatest awakening?

Pre-orders are open now for the book - or head to your local indie store after September 9th! All details are here:

https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/

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I've also recently fallen in love with Nikita Lev, a singer from New York....

Her EP I Believe It At The Time is a beautiful thing - listen to it here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/0KCANQbJ2B0bSmQcdeoXBu?si=yC91HXdRThOO57gABC91Rw&nd=1&dlsi=756240cd8e254ce8

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And finally for this month - my pal Rizo is performing at Joes Pub in New York next week, September 10th, 12th, and 13th.

As a special offer for patrons, she's given me a discount code to share with you - if you use the code RIZOARK at checkout, you'll get $10 off. YAY.

Tickets for the show are HERE:

https://publictheater.org/performances-jp/2025/r/rizo/

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ART BEGETTING ART

This section is allllll artwork from the community, inspired by my artwork - if you have some artwork you want to share, email it to us! art@amandapalmer.net

This beautiful piece is by @lesbianryanross on IG:

And this one has come in from Sylvia K, who's been a stalwart of the community for yeeeears, and provided art for Theatre Is Evil. Her IG is @foraged_illustrations

That's it, my loves.

I'm reading comments.

See a lot of you SOON.

xxx

AFP

------THE STUFF I SAY AT THE END OF THE POST---------

Some of this is a little outdated. I need to do some work on it. But:

1. If you are a patron and new to my work, don’t forget your patronage allows you access to ALL of my patreon releases to date. HERE is the link to download my latest big solo record, “There Will Be No Intermission”, and HERE is a link to download the PDF of the art/essay book that goes with it.

2. If you’re a patron reading this post via an email notification, please click through to comment on this post. at the very least, if you’ve read it, indicate that by using the heart symbol. that's always nice for me to see, so i know who's reading.

3. You can see All the Things I’ve made so far on patreon…though this page badly needs updating.

http://amandapalmer.net/things

4. FIND EACH OTHER! JOIN THE SHADOWBOX COMMUNITY FORUM, find your people, and discuss everything: https://forum.theshadowbox.net/

...AND USE THE CHAT IN THE MOBILE APP AND DESKTOP TO FIND PATRONS AT ALL HOURS!!! BE. IN. COMMUNITY!!! Answer strangers. They won't bite. We're all nice here.

5. New to my music and TOTALLY OVERWHELMED? TAKE A WALK THROUGH AMANDALANDA….we made a basic list of my greatest hits n stuff (at least up until a few years ago, this also desperately needs updating) on this lovely page: http://amandalanda.amandapalmer.net/

6. General AFP/patreon-related questions? See a troll or something weird? Broken link? Bad typo? Ask away, someone will answer: patronhelp@amandapalmer.net & management@amandapalmer.net