by DJ Peter Corsets, bowler hats, black three-piece suits and gloves abounded September 28. Yet even the stifling humidity and heat of the Wonder Ballroom could not temper the enthusiasm of Amanda Palmer’s devoted cabaret rocker fan base. Hundreds of be-glittered theater kids did not wear their newly purchased Palmer-wear they’d gotten at the merchandise table; instead, they came to be seen in their carefully chosen ensemble. Though several, in fact, decided to shed a couple of layers to show off their also carefully chosen bras and bustiers. But even as the mascara ran and the eyeliner smudged, Palmer somehow shared the spotlight with her supporters. The indie queen performed nearly all from her latest release Theatre is Evil with her DIY and locally organized Grand Theft Orchestra for nearly two hours. (Most notably missing from the set was the single “Do It With Rock Star.”) Even though Steve Albini, indie rock’s canonized producer and resident curmudgeon, recently criticized Palmer for her alleged exploitation of local musicians by not compensating them, the Orchestra’s horns and strings musicians enjoyed the spotlight with warm recognition and, yes, even some audience elation. The group’s cover of the Wham! pop classic “Careless Whisper” is all the proof needed to show Palmer’s dedication to community arts. About halfway through the set list, while the musicians took a break, Palmer read from a box that contained confessions written by audience members. Near silence fell as she read single sentence divulgences about fan’s molestation, rape and rejection. This was followed by the sad tale of relational demise in “The Bed Song.” But in true cabaret fashion, the crowd was reanimated with the swelling surge of “Berlin,” which was then followed by rousing pleasers “Melody Dean,” “Olly Olly Oxen Free,” and “Lost.” The latter was accompanied by projected photos of people, items and pets Portland fans had “lost” and were recently uploaded to Palmer’s website. Palmer’s performance was energized and felt tailored to the personality of the Portland audience. The show proved her chops as a performer but also demonstrated her ability in being a force effecting local communities. Her devoted fan base is testament to both of these facts.

Anti-Folk darling Regina Spektor played the first show of her U.S. leg of her current tour at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on August 8th. Her last visits to Portland saw her play at The Roseland and The Crystal Ballroom, but The Schnitz and its Italian Rococo Revival architecture seems to be more attuned to Regina’s theatrical voice and simple rhythm section. Spektor, currently supporting her new album [i]What We Saw From the Cheap Seats[/i], played an hour-and-a-half long set, replete with both songs from the new album as well as favorites from her old ones, including the song “Fidelity” from her 2006 breakthrough album [i]Begin To Hope[/i]. Since her signing to major label Sire, some fans believe that Spektor’s quirkiness, both through vocals and unusual instrumentation (such as tapping feet on chairs and the like while playing) have been tamped down by major label execs looking for a more mainstream sound. Indeed, it would appear as such: 2009’s [i]Far[/i] was highly produced, taking away from some of Regina’s natural talents and stripped-down instrumentation. 2012’s [i]What We Saw From the Cheap Seats[/i] even features a rerecording of the song “Ne Me Quitte Pas” from her 2002 independent release [i]Songs[/i], adding instruments and removing vocal bridges. Still, in concert it’s [i]Regina’s show[/i], and she treated the audience to a solid performance that her fans have come to know her for. Regina took center stage at the Schnitz, featuring a small group of back-up musicians including only a drummer, cellist, and keyboardist, used primarily for filler and additional noises on certain songs such as her fun “Dance Anthem of the 80’s.” Despite the size of the venue, Spektor made the show intimate, keeping a delightful rapport with the audience, and even politely asking a couple of drunk girls who were standing at the stage in the front row if they could sit down so that those behind them could enjoy the show. In fact Regina’s only miss (and a ultimately rewarding one at that) was a brief memory lapse as she forgot a section of lyrics in her song “Eet.” Said Regina after: “I forgot some words in the previous song, and I thought that really [i]is[/i] ironic to forget the words to a song that is [i]about[/i] forgetting the words to a song.” Despite Spektor’s sharp performance and connection with the audience, one can sense a hesitancy from her, as if she is surprised as to why people would come to see her play. It’s that modesty and the atmosphere that she creates that continues to build Spektor’s strong fan base, and increases the size of the venue she plays every time she visits.