Fuck The Back Row
a brief history

The idea for Fuck The Back Row began as the DVDs and video links began coming in the (e)mail. Our fans were, unbidden, using the music of the band to create their own movies. Knowing that 3 inches on a computer screen could only do so much justice, I fantasized about bringing the full-screen beauty of these to our fans, but HOW? hmmmm. Meanwhile, our collection of friends and collaborators were cranking on their own film projects and animations, but finding a venue for short films nowadays in as difficult as it ever was. There was all this talent without an obvious outlet. When we were offered the Panic! At The Disco support slot, and we knew that most of our fans not be able to get tickets, it all became clear. We'd be free by 10 pm every night. Why not screen the films while we made our way over there and then do some dresden dolls style madness to boot? So that's what we did. We called it Fuck The Back Row, after the call-back shout in Rocky Horror during the song "Science Fiction Double Feature".
("Where's the best place to fuck?" "In the back row..." "FUCK THE BACK ROW!!") 

We put the call out, with a quick deadline, to all the filmmakers and fans we knew, and waited for submissions. I contacted fans who had sent us stuff long ago and asked if they might want to be included. We reached out to all our fancy film friends.  Michael Pope and Brianna Olsen sorted through them, curated, and strung them together in two acts of about 45 minutes. When we saw the finished package the first night at the Brattle Theater, we were blown away. Some of the films were specifically Dresden Dolls-oriented, some weren't. But they were all fucking great. This wasn't no art school shit. This was really good. We got excited. We hit the road. Two shows a night was fucking insane, but more than worth it. The venues that our FTBR tour manager, Jen Gapay, found to house these film nights were unparalleled treasures, from the hidden magic of Studio 35 in Columbus to the post-modern video-surrounding-you-in-the-bar at Cinespace in LA.  We saw a parade of local MCs, in drag and out, thread together the entertainment every night in their own punk cabraet style.  There were aerialists, punk rock marching bands, burlesque dancers, actors performing beckett, penis-igniting performance artists and opera-singing drag queens all gracing the stage with fervor. Titler himself (see his link below) even made an appearance in Boston and Brooklyn and shared some songs on piano. It was epic.

Many special thanks go out to our ringmaster, Jen Gapy. check out her site

At the end of the night, yours truly miss amanda took the stage and struggled through an assortment of (mostly) cover songs, all inspired from film soundtracks.
The set included some or all of these (it changed every night):

Perfect Day - Lou Reed (from "Trainspotting")
I Don't Care Much - Cabaret (NOT from the film! From the musical! But I didn't know that. So I played it anyway)
My Favorite Things - Sound of Music

Mr. Brian usually joined me on his snare drum for 
Mother - Pink Floyd (from The Wall)

and on guitar for
Science Fiction Double Feature - Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rainbow Connection - The Muppet Movie
Mein Herr - Cabaret (from THE FILM, the film)
Exit Music (for a film) - Radiohead

I also often played "Lua" by Bright Eyes, just because it made me feel better. I broke out a few new solo songs and some old ones, and Brian and I played a few "Amsterdam'"s (Jacque Brel) and 
"Two-Headed Boy"s (Neutral Milk Hotel) by request.

Fuck The Back Row 2006 - Schedule

Sunday June 25th / Boston, MA / Brattle Theatre
Other Performers: Michael Pope, The Walsh Brothers, Titler, Lily Moonstorm

Wednesday June 28th / New York, NY / Brooklyn Lyceum
Other Performers: Miss Astrid, Jollyship the Whizbang, Taylor Mac

Thursday July 6th / Columbus, OH / Studio 35
Other Performers: Anatomical Scenario, Pretty Balanced

Friday July 7th / Chicago, IL / Subterranean

Sunday July 9th / Minneapolis, MN / Varsity Theater

Sunday July 16th / Montreal, QC / Mile End

Saturday July 15th / Toronto, ON / Bloor Cinema

Thursday July 20th / St. Louis, MO / Hi-Pointe Theatre

Saturday July 22nd / Denver, CO / Oriental Theatre

Wednesday July 26th, Portland, OR / The Mission Theatre

Friday July 28th / Seattle, WA / Capitol Hill Arts Center 

Sunday, July 30th / San Francisco, CA / Bridge Theater

Wednesday, August 2nd / Los Angeles, CA / Cine Space

Fuck The Back Row 2006 - Photos
click the images to enlarge

Columbus!	Amanda and Brian rockin' acoustic for the under 21+ crowd that couldn't get in (portland)	busts at cinespace
pure rock love!!!! (san fran)	"gravity plays favorites" burlesque pole dancers!!! in st. louis	Brian in THE DRESS and Amanda posing with MC Peaches Christ (san fran
Brigade in San Fran	deer me!!! (cambridge)
kitty diggins (cinespace in LA)	prince poppycock (cinespace in LA)	Amanda poses with a bust of herself in san fran
Brian jamming out (lost stick means use of hand!) in LA at cinespace (during "mother")	Portland.....	sissy pants boys (portland)
"the lusty level wrenches" (chicago)	mr uncertain! (LA)	lord of the yum yum, our chicago MC
brain rocking.	Amanda is really tired (minneapolis)	jake flowers (cambridge)
Amanda checks in with mom	Kitten on the keys in san fran	kissy.