The brand new album from Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra is on the way!  AFP’s new labor of love has been gestating over the last four years and now it needs a little help from YOU (the fans) to spring to life!  There are a ton of behind-the-scenes expenses that, back when Amanda was on a major label, would have been an afterthought.  Now that she’s on her own, she’ll need to pay for promotion, mixing, manufacturing, distribution, etc all from her own pocket.

That’s where you come in!  Team AFP have launched THE GRAND THEFT KICKSTARTER to bring this project to fruition.  What better way to give to Amanda on her birthday? Donate anywhere from $1 to $10,000 (or anywhere in between) to receive packages that include Limited Edition CD’s, signed art books, tickets to Art shows and rock shows, custom painted turntables, an evening with Amanda herself and much much more.  Stay tuned to AP.net and follow Amanda on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest!   

On May 15th, Music For Occupy will release a 100-track digital compilation – featuring AFP, Mogwai, Yoko Ono, Patti Smith, Yo La Tengo, Ladytron, and literally dozens of others – entitled “Occupy This Album.” While the 4-CD (78 track) version is Amanda-less, the digital collection features a previously unreleased live performance of “Ukulele Anthem” from her fall tour with Neil Gaiman. Pre-order yours (and see the full artist list) HERE on MFO’s website.

As reported by Pitchfork, a record-release party will take place on May 8th at the City Winery in New York. In addition to live performances and collaborations by some of the artists featured on the album, tickets are going to guarantee you a copy of the CD and a bottle of “Occupy This Wine.”

P.S. You can snag the the studio version of “Ukulele Anthem” right HERE for free + donation!

We’re pleased to announce that the video for Evelyn Evelyn‘s “Have You Seen My Sister Evelyn?” has been nominated for the 16th Annual Webby Awards in the Music category.  This gives the brainchild of Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley a chance to win TWO awards: The Webby Award and the Webby People’s Voice Award.  Take a few minutes to re-familiarize yourself with the video!

While the Academy selects The Webby Award Winners, The People’s Voice is selected by…that’s right…YOU!  Voting ends April 26th so go HERE to view the ballot and cast your votes.  You can sign in easily via Facebook or Twitter. The winners will be announced on May 1st and honored at the 16th Annual Webby Awards on May 21st.  The event will be hosted by Patton Oswalt and live-streamed at WebbyAwards.com! 

In February, Amanda and The Grand Theft Orchestra released a remastered digital single and music video for “Polly” (a haunting cover of the Nirvana classic).
We never expected that the song would find its way outside of the digital realm, but we are pleased to announce that it’s about to…and in the best way possible.
On April 21st, a 7″ vinyl single for “Polly” (limited to 2,000 copies worldwide) will be released in partnership with Record Store Day!

With the new album’s release looming, this single will be a gorgeous memento of what will become a historic part of AFP’s timeline; It features both the first Grand Theft Orchestra recording (“Polly”) as well as Amanda’s first collaboration with GTO member Michael McQuilken (the b-side is Radiohead’s “Idioteque” which has been mixed and mastered for vinyl).
For a complete list of Record Store Day exclusives (as well as other fun stuff like app-downloads, a shop, and more) please visit their site…and when you’re done? Then begins the wait…

With March drawing to a close, it’s about time to do some good old fashioned Spring cleaning and welcome new things into the world…AFP-style.
For a very short time, we are offering the first in a new series of limited edition shirts, as well as a coupon for $20 off all orders above $75. In other words, grab some goodies on Post-War Trade that you’ve been meaning to get around to ordering, and get the new shirt for FREE.

This tee – designed by Félix Marqués – was created after a Twitter conversation Amanda had in February about “true fans” and entitlement. The front reads “haters exit stage right, pursued by a bear” and the back has an Elizabethan-era “TRUE FAN” shouting “Get thee to a nunnery!” at the heavens. (Don’t get the reference? Then you should read more Shakespeare, dammit!)

Head on over to the shop as stuff’s selling quick, and you’re going to want to grab this first shirt in the series before it’s gone forever. And don’t forget, be sure to use the coupon code tomato for $20 off $75!

AFP and her new band, The Grand Theft Orchestra, are doing an exclusive five-night-residency at Melbourne’s Northcote Social Club…new band, new music, and special guests every night!

Tickets are on sale NOW! Grab ‘em (and RSVP on Facebook):

• TUESDAY, February 28th – TICKETS | RSVP

• WEDNESDAY, February 29th – TICKETS | RSVP

• TUESDAY, March 6th – TICKETS | RSVP

• WEDNESDAY, March 7th – TICKETS | RSVP

• MONDAY, March 12th – TICKETS | RSVP

Get additional info (ages, openers, etc) at the shows page, read more about The Grand Theft Orchestra (including these shows and the new album) on the blog, and if you can spare a minute to help us promote…Join The Reconnaissance (street team) and distribute the hell out of the poster and handbill we made: http://bit.ly/NorthcotePromoFind

You may remember SPIN Magazine’s celebration of and tribute to Nirvana’s “Nevermind” on the 20th anniversary of the record’s release, last fall. You hopefully also recall that Amanda recorded a spine-tingling cover of “Polly” for it alongside her new band, The Grand Theft Orchestra (Michael McQuilken and co-conspirator, Chad Raines).


Shot in Connecticut in November 2011, the video - directed by GTO-member McQuilken and featuring actors Christopher M. McFarland and Jillian Taylor with a special guest appearance by Blake Brasher – is available exclusively on Amanda’s YouTube.
The single, a newly mixed and remastered version engineered by Raines and produced by Michael, is available on Amanda’s Bandcamp for 50¢ + donation (just enough to cover licensing and transaction fees) as well as iTunes, AmazonMP3, and other digital-music-retailers.

For additional information on the song, making-of the music video, and pictures documenting the film-shoot, read Amanda’s new blog – “new video for ‘polly’ (nirvana cover)…with some explaining.” – at amandapalmer.net

About the song, (via Amanda’s blog, and various sources Wikipedia):
“Bass player Krist Novoselic remembers Kurt Cobain writing “Polly” after reading a newspaper article about the abduction, torture, and rape of a 14-year-old girl who had just finished attending a rock show in Tacoma, Washington. In June 1987 Gerald Arthur Friend picked up a 14-year-old female friend after leaving a concert at the Tacoma Dome. Upon trying to exit the car the girl was handcuffed and held hostage at knife point. The girl was taken to a mobile home where she was tortured and raped with various objects for two days. She was also threatened with a blowtorch.”

We’re happy to announce two more special dates in Melbourne this month!  Amanda will appear as a special guest at the infamous Club Spiegel cabaret show presented by the Arts Centre of Melbourne.  The raunchy hijinks go down at 11:45PM on February 17th.  You can get your tickets HERE and be sure to RSVP.

Also, be sure to catch international cabaret diva Meow Meow when she joins Amanda on stage for “Amanda Palmer and Meow Meow are Frank.”  It will be a special discussion about life, love and creation on February 24th at 7:30PM at the Athenaeum Theatre.  Tickets are available HERE and you can RSVP to the event HERE.   

Be sure to follow Amanda on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest!

The Dolls’ Reunion Tour may be over, but Amanda Fucking Palmer isn’t finished with Australia just yet.  We’re announcing two more appearances later this month.  On February 17th, Melbourners can catch AFP at Federation Square for the Sustainable Living Festival 2012.  This free, all ages show will feature a special ukulele only set.  Then, on the 19th, Amanda will be make a guest appearance at The Thornbury Theatre for Women of Letters.  Tickets for this event should go quickly, so go HERE and reserve your spot.

Stay tuned to the upcoming shows page and be sure to follow AFP on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest! 

Aside from being a musical legend in Australia, Paul Kelly is a dear friend of Amanda’s and an ally to all here at Team AFP.  He will be finishing up a tour of the UK before heading over to the States for a month of what will surely be unforgettable shows.  Check out a complete list of his tour dates HERE.  You can learn more about Paul Kelly, his music, and his incredible memoir How To Make Gravy HERE.

One of those UK shows will take place on Sunday, February 5th at Ten Feet Tall in Cardiff, UK and we’d like to give four lucky winners the chance to see Mr. Kelly in action.  Take a look at the widget below and take SOME action to enter.  The more tasks you complete, the more likely you are to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can tweet about the giveaway once per day, so help spread the word for a chance to see a living legend in action.