Evelyn Evelyn

I had a blast yesterday at the Evelyn Evelyn show in LA at Largo at the Coronet. The show was simply amazing. It opened with Sxip Shirey, who plays songs using found instruments and instruments he alters himself. Some of his instruments include a marble in a bowl, an antique hotel bell, the Sxipenspiel (a present from Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman), and three penny whistles taped together. The sounds he makes with these instruments and how he manipulates them is like nothing I've ever heard before.

Evelyn Evelyn are the absolutely unique singer and songwriter duo that are also conjoined twins. Their new album just came out and I couldn't be happier with it. They sing in a variety of styles, including country, ragtime, 80's pop, as well as their own unique style. The story of their tragic, yet inspiring life occupy three tracks of their new album. The twins were reluctant to even enter the stage, only encouraged by the audience's most enthusiastic of applause. They carefully cleaned every instrument they were handed with a cloth from their purse and cringed in fear and disgust as the stage boy placed instruments on them. They seem painfully shy, which is hardly surprising considering the events they have experienced. Some say they bear a striking resemblance to Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley, but I don't really see it. ;) Their performance was awesome. They succeeded in playing the accordion, the piano, the ukulele, and the guitar with each twin being designated the left or right hand parts. Here are some great videos of other performances:

Jason Webley and Amanda Palmer also performed separately. I loved Jason's song, Dance While the Sky Crashes Down. When he sings, he is incredibly passionate and brings his whole body into it. He sings kind of like a young Tom Waits. His passion and enthusiasm for music is absolutely infectious. Amanda Palmer also took the stage, singing a Fuck the Police/Do You Swear to Tell the Truth the Whole Truth So Help Your Black Ass* mashup (which was hilarious!), Oasis, Coin Operated Boy, Astronaut, and a beautiful cover of a Radiohead song. She also sang Electric Blanket with Jason Webley and Sxip Shirey. The show ended with a drinking song, where we all got dizzy (much cheaper than alcohol) and joined in singing.

This was such a fun show with super talented and creative artists! If you live in the LA area, I would highly recommend going to the show. Tonight is the last day of the show, so this is your last chance for now.

* This song is available for FREE here to celebrate her separation from Roadrunner Records.