The Dresden Dolls

Formed in Boston in 2000 after a chance meeting at a Halloween party, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione quickly established The Dresden Dolls as a singular force in the underground music and art scene. Their fusion of theatricality, punk energy, and cabaret sensibility helped define the “punk cabaret” genre.

In 2003, the band won the prestigious WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble and released their self-titled debut album, featuring enduring songs such as “Coin-Operated Boy” and “Girl Anachronism,” the latter later featured on the HBO series Weeds. A support slot with Nine Inch Nails in 2005 helped propel their international profile.

The band has toured extensively worldwide and shared stages with artists including Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, The Cure, and Panic! at the Disco and has appeared at major festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Fuji Rock, and Glastonbury. They have also collaborated with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall and received multiple Boston Music Awards. Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Lady Gaga, and Jinkx Monsoon have all publicly celebrated the band and Palmer’s songwriting as influences on their own work.

Following an unofficial hiatus beginning in 2008, both artists pursued wide-ranging creative paths. Viglione has performed with acts including Nine Inch Nails and Violent Femmes, while Palmer has built a multifaceted solo career spanning theater, crowdfunding, and public speaking. Her TED talk is about to achieve a milestone 20 million views, and her 2014 memoir The Art of Asking became a New York Times bestseller. Now, after years of individual evolution and intermittent reunions, Palmer and Viglione return.