History of Amanda Palmer in Timeline
Amanda Palmer is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and performance artist, best known as the lead vocalist of The Dresden Dolls. She's a versatile artist, having also performed as a solo act, as a member of Evelyn Evelyn, and with Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra. Palmer has cultivated a devoted fanbase and is notable for pioneering the use of crowdfunding platforms to support her artistic endeavors, making her a prominent figure in the intersection of music and online communities.
April 30, 1976: Amanda Palmer Born
On April 30, 1976, Amanda MacKinnon Palmer, the American singer, songwriter, musician, and performance artist, was born. She is known as the lead vocalist, pianist, and lyricist of The Dresden Dolls.
1998: Graduates from Wesleyan University
In 1998, Amanda Palmer graduated from Wesleyan University with a BA. She would then spend several years busking as a living statue.
1999: Founds Shadowbox Collective
In 1999, Amanda Palmer founded the Shadowbox Collective, a performance group devoted to street theatre and putting on theatrical shows.
2000: Forms The Dresden Dolls
In 2000, Amanda Palmer met Brian Viglione at a Halloween party, leading to the formation of The Dresden Dolls.
2002: Directed "Hotel Blanc"
In 2002, Amanda Palmer directed "Hotel Blanc" with the Shadowbox Collective.
2002: Records Debut Album with The Dresden Dolls
In 2002, after developing a cult following, The Dresden Dolls, fronted by Amanda Palmer, recorded their debut album with producer Martin Bisi before signing with Roadrunner Records.
December 9, 2006: The Onion Cellar Premieres
On December 9, 2006, Amanda Palmer's musical production "The Onion Cellar", based on a story by Günter Grass, premiered with The Dresden Dolls in collaboration with the American Repertory Theater.
2006: The Dresden Dolls Companion Published
In 2006, "The Dresden Dolls Companion" was published, featuring words, music, and artwork by Amanda Palmer, providing a history of the band and the album, along with lyrics, sheet music, and a DVD interview.
2006: Yes, Virginia... Album Release
In 2006, the album "Yes, Virginia..." was released, and later featured in The Virginia Companion released in 2008.
January 13, 2007: Final Performance of The Onion Cellar
On January 13, 2007, the final performance of Amanda Palmer's "The Onion Cellar" was held with The Dresden Dolls and the American Repertory Theater.
June 2007: Tours with True Colors Tour
In June 2007, Amanda Palmer, as part of The Dresden Dolls, toured with the True Colors Tour 2007, marking her debut at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
July 2007: Performs With Band in New Format
In July 2007, Amanda Palmer played three sold-out shows in Boston, Hoboken, and NYC in a new "with band" format, backed by Boston alternative rock group Aberdeen City.
August 2007: Performs at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
In August 2007, Amanda Palmer performed in the Spiegeltent and other venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, and also appeared on BBC Two's The Edinburgh Show.
September 2007: Launches Evelyn Evelyn Project
In September 2007, Amanda Palmer collaborated with Jason Webley to launch the Evelyn Evelyn project with the EP "Elephant Elephant".
December 2007: Collaborates with The Danger Ensemble in Australia
In December 2007, Amanda Palmer collaborated with the Australian theater company The Danger Ensemble in Melbourne and other venues around Australia.
2007: Identifies as Bisexual
In 2007, Amanda Palmer stated that she is bisexual in an interview with afterellen.com.
June 2008: Solo Performances with Boston Pops
In June 2008, Amanda Palmer established her solo career with two well-received performances with the Boston Pops.
July 2008: The Virginia Companion Released
In July 2008, The Dresden Dolls released a second book, "The Virginia Companion", which featured the music and lyrics from the "Yes, Virginia...(2006)" and "No, Virginia... (2008)" albums.
September 16, 2008: Releases "Who Killed Amanda Palmer"
On September 16, 2008, Amanda Palmer released her first solo studio album, "Who Killed Amanda Palmer", produced by Ben Folds.
2008: Writes "Melody vs. Meditation" Article
In 2008, Amanda Palmer wrote an article titled "Melody vs. Meditation" for Shambhala Sun, discussing the struggle between songwriting and meditation.
2008: The Dresden Dolls Break Up
In 2008, the Dresden Dolls broke up, however, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione have continued to collaborate since then.
2008: Toured Europe with a Broken Foot
In late 2008, Amanda Palmer toured Europe with Jason Webley, Zoë Keating and The Danger Ensemble, performing songs mostly from her debut solo album with a broken foot.
April 2009: Performs at Coachella
In April 2009, Amanda Palmer played at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
July 2009: Releases "Who Killed Amanda Palmer a Collection of Photographic Evidence"
In July 2009, Amanda Palmer released "Who Killed Amanda Palmer a Collection of Photographic Evidence", a companion book featuring photography by Kyle Cassidy and stories by Neil Gaiman.
2009: Collaborates on "With The Needle That Sings In Her Heart"
In 2009, Amanda Palmer collaborated with Steven Bogart on "With The Needle That Sings In Her Heart", inspired by Neutral Milk Hotel's album and The Diary of Anne Frank, at Lexington High School.
March 30, 2010: Evelyn Evelyn's Debut Album Released
On March 30, 2010, Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley released their debut self-titled album as Evelyn Evelyn.
2010: Engagement to Neil Gaiman
In 2010, Amanda Palmer, then 33, and Neil Gaiman, then 49, confirmed their engagement.
January 2011: Marriage to Neil Gaiman
In January 2011, Amanda Palmer married Neil Gaiman in a private ceremony.
2011: Minor Reunion of The Dresden Dolls
In 2011, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione had a minor reunion under the band name The Dresden Dolls.
April 20, 2012: Kickstarter Album Pre-Order
On April 20, 2012, Amanda Palmer launched a Kickstarter campaign for her new album. It raised $1,192,793, which was the most ever raised for a musical project on Kickstarter at the time. Later, Palmer faced controversy related to the tour when she asked for "semi-professional" musicians to volunteer for exposure, instead of money.
September 2012: Theatre Is Evil Released
In September 2012, Amanda Palmer released the album "Theatre Is Evil" with the Grand Theft Orchestra, produced by John Congleton.
November 9, 2012: Releases "Do it With a Rockstar" Music Video
On November 9, 2012, Amanda Palmer released the music video for "Do it With a Rockstar" on The Flaming Lips' website. The video was co-created and directed by Wayne Coyne.
2012: Minor Reunion of The Dresden Dolls
In 2012, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione had a minor reunion under the band name The Dresden Dolls.
February 2013: TED Talk
In February 2013, Amanda Palmer gave a TED talk that was later expanded into her memoir.
August 9, 2013: Lincoln Center Debut
On August 9, 2013, Amanda Palmer made her Lincoln Center debut.
November 2014: The Art of Asking Released
In November 2014, Amanda Palmer released her memoir, "The Art of Asking", which became a New York Times Best Seller.
March 3, 2015: Starts Patreon
On March 3, 2015, Amanda Palmer began soliciting financial support on the crowdfunding platform Patreon.
June 21, 2015: Speaks at Hay Festival
On June 21, 2015, Amanda Palmer spoke at the 2015 Hay Festival about reconciling art and motherhood, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
July 2016: Performs Concerts in Support of "You Got Me Singing"
In July 2016, Amanda Palmer and her father, Jack Palmer, performed concerts in support of their album "You Got Me Singing".
2016: Minor Reunion of The Dresden Dolls
In 2016, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione had a minor reunion under the band name The Dresden Dolls.
June 2017: Tours with Edward Ka-Spel
In June 2017, Amanda Palmer toured with Legendary Pink Dots frontman Edward Ka-Spel to support their album, "I Can Spin a Rainbow."
2017: Minor Reunion of The Dresden Dolls
In 2017, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione had a minor reunion under the band name The Dresden Dolls.
2018: Minor Reunion of The Dresden Dolls
In 2018, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione had a minor reunion under the band name The Dresden Dolls.
March 8, 2019: Releases There Will Be No Intermission
On March 8, 2019, Amanda Palmer released her third solo studio album and first in seven years, "There Will Be No Intermission".
October 31, 2020: Performs for Wisconsin Democrats Livestream Fundraiser
On October 31, 2020, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione performed "Science Fiction/Double Feature" to open the Wisconsin Democrats Livestream fundraiser.
2020: Launched The Art of Asking Everything Podcast
In fall 2020, Amanda Palmer announced she would be releasing a podcast called The Art of Asking Everything.
November 2022: Divorce Announcement
In November 2022, Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman announced in a joint statement that they would divorce.
2022: The Dresden Dolls Reunite
In 2022, The Dresden Dolls reunited and started work on a new album.
2023: The Dresden Dolls Tour the US
In 2023, The Dresden Dolls, fronted by Amanda Palmer, toured the US.
January 2025: Implicated in Gaiman Abuse Allegations
In January 2025, a Vulture article implicated Amanda Palmer as complicit in the alleged sexual abuse by Neil Gaiman of at least two women, however Amanda Palmer declined to speak with police.
February 2025: Sued for Human Trafficking
In February 2025, Amanda Palmer was sued for alleged human trafficking, conspiracy to commit human trafficking, and negligence; Palmer has denied these allegations.
