The album debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart with 24,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, much of which can be attributed to her Kickstarter campaign.[5]
The album was written over the four years since her solo debut album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer, in 2008. The recording and release process was funded by a Kickstarter project that raised a total of over $1.2 million.[6][7][8][9]
An art book, filled with images inspired by the content of this album commissioned to artists Amanda knows, has been released.
About the Grand Theft Orchestra
The Grand Theft Orchestra is composed of Amanda Palmer, Michael McQuilken on drums, guitarist Chad Raines, and Jherek Bischoff on bass.[10]Thor Harris replaced McQuilken for the second half of the live tour of this album.[11] The band regularly switches instruments during their live performance, including in their version of The Dresden Dolls's song "Missed Me".[12]
Title
After posting the album name to her Twitter account, there was a debate amongst fans about whether the album should be spelled "Theater Is Evil" or "Theatre Is Evil". Palmer took a vote and "Theatre Is Evil" eventually won,[13] causing some of the CDs to have to be reprinted.[citation needed]
Kickstarter
The album was crowdfunded by $1,192,793.00 pledged via Kickstarter. Backers could choose from a number of bundles offered for different investment amounts.[14] At the time it closed, this was the most successful Kickstarter campaign by any musician.[14]
Promotion
The song "Do It With a Rockstar" was released on a limited basis to promote the album in June 2012,[15] followed by "Trout Heart Replica", "Want It Back" and "The Killing Type".
In September 2015, in promotion of the album, an EP called Selections from Theatre is Evil was released.
On December 19, 2015, a piano demo of "Grown Man Cry" recorded in 2007 was released.[16]
On December 23, 2015, a demo of the song "Bottomfeeder," under the name "Raggin' On The Man", was released.[17]
Music videos
The first music video released for this album was a stop-motion video for the song "Want It Back" and features Amanda Palmer prominently nude on a bed with the rest of the bandmates, clothed, as the lyrics to the song crawl across their bodies. It was "filmed on and around Brunswick Street in Melbourne, Australia in March 2012" and was produced, edited, and directed by Jim Batt.[18]
The second music video was for "The Killing Type," directed by Tim Pope, who had previously directed many videos for The Cure. It features scenes from the band playing in an all-white room, dressed in all-white clothes, playing all-white instruments and another scene where Amanda seems to contemplate killing her lover while in bed with him.[19] A music video for "The Bed Song" was also shot as part of the band's residency at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, which was the first residency in a new program led by Gideon Lester, to have artists do their work with student assistance on campus. The video was released February 14, 2013.
Amanda Palmer has also released lyric videos for every song on the main disc of Theatre Is Evil on her YouTube channel.[20]
Through Patreon donations, a retroactive music video was produced for "Grown Man Cry" and released on July 27, 2017.
Tour
Palmer planned an extensive tour schedule in support of the album. In June 2012, Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra began with a short six-date stint of small club shows throughout Europe and the US, beginning in Berlin and ending in Boston.[21] A full-scale tour began on September 10, 2012, this time reaching 33 cities throughout North America and Europe.[22] According to Palmer's husband, she planned to spend approximately 14 months on the road in support of Theatre Is Evil.[23]
Controversy
A controversy arose at the start of the full-scale tour, when Palmer crowdsourced volunteer horn and string players among her fans to back the Grand Theft Orchestra onstage for a few songs in each city. She was criticized, most notably by Steve Albini, who questioned her for asking for further indulgences from her audience.[24] Palmer had explained that most of the Kickstarter money was actually spent on covering the cost of creating the album, producing and shipping the rewards, and setting up the tour.[25] Albini called the breakdown "absurdly inefficient".[24]
On September 14, 2012, following an article in the New York Times[26][27] Palmer wrote on her blog that she considered the issue to be about artists' choice more than anything else.[28]
On September 19, 2012, Palmer announced that she had decided to pay the volunteer musicians. This included retroactive payment to volunteers at the start of the tour.[29]
On July 11, 2012, Ben Folds, fellow friend, producer and musician, posted the very first review of Theatre Is Evil on his Facebook page, stating that he was "listening to 'Theatre is Evil' everyday, more than once. It's good. It's really good," and in summary that, "This record is as good as it gets. You're going to shit when you hear it. It's going to be around for ages. Otherwise, it's total crap."[37][38]
Kate Mossman of The Guardian wrote: "Theatre Is Evil feels like sitting on the bed of your tattooed, far cooler cousin 30 years ago, while she tells you 'all you need to know' about music."[39] Adam Rathe of Spin said: "If Theatre Is Evil does anything, it should make clear that [Amanda] Palmer's not just a fundraiser par excellence but someone who's energized enough people with her work to be able to create exactly the kind of record that makes people love music in the first place."[40]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Amanda Palmer, except where noted
"Smile (Pictures or It Didn't Happen) (Commentary)"
1:28
5.
"Smile (Pictures or It Didn't Happen)"
6:28
6.
"The Killing Type (Commentary)"
1:32
7.
"The Killing Type"
4:29
8.
"Do It with a Rockstar (Commentary)"
1:04
9.
"Do It with a Rockstar"
4:25
10.
"Want It Back (Commentary)"
1:08
11.
"Want It Back"
4:09
12.
"Grown Man Cry (Commentary)"
1:36
13.
"Grown Man Cry"
5:16
14.
"Trout Heart Replica (Commentary)"
1:41
15.
"Trout Heart Replica"
7:09
16.
"A Grand Theft Intermission (Commentary)"
0:57
17.
"A Grand Theft Intermission"
Jherek Bischoff
2:07
18.
"Lost (Commentary)"
1:55
19.
"Lost"
4:31
20.
"Bottomfeeder (Commentary)"
0:36
21.
"Bottomfeeder"
6:13
22.
"The Bed Song (Commentary)"
1:45
23.
"The Bed Song"
6:07
24.
"Massachusetts Avenue (Commentary)"
1:45
25.
"Massachusetts Avenue"
4:40
26.
"Melody Dean (Commentary)"
0:57
27.
"Melody Dean"
4:02
28.
"Berlin (Commentary)"
1:04
29.
"Berlin"
7:17
30.
"Olly Olly Oxen Free (Commentary)"
1:30
31.
"Olly Olly Oxen Free"
4:06
Selections from Theatre Is Evil
Before the release of the album, Palmer sent a free 3-track digital download EP to fans through her newsletter, titled "Selection from Theatre Is Evil" featuring three promotional singles.
All tracks are written by Amanda Palmer, except where noted
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Want It Back"
4:09
2.
"Trout Heart Replica"
7:09
3.
"Do It with a Rockstar"
4:25
Piano Is Evil
On July 27, 2017, Palmer released an acoustic remix album titled Piano Is Evil. It is a track-by-track cover of Theatre Is Evil (excluding the Intro and Intermission) performed solely by Palmer on piano.[42]
Michael McQuilken – vocals, drums, percussion, programming (Thor Harris replaced McQuilken for the second half of the live tour of this album.)
Chad Raines – vocals, guitar, trumpet, keyboards, programming
Guest musicians
Meow Meow featured on "Meow Meow Introduces The Grand Theft Orchestra"
"Trout Heart Replica": Paris Hurley - violin 1 & 2, Alex Guy - viola, Maria Scherer Wilson - cello, Paul Kikuchi - concert bass drum, orchestra arrangement by Jherek Bischoff
"A Grand Theft Intermission": Paris Hurley - violin 1 & 2, Alex Guy - viola, Maria Scherer Wilson - cello, Horns: Mick Fraser, Benjamin Gillespie, Eamon McNelis, Phil Noy, and Paul Willy, orchestral arrangement by Jherek Bischoff
"Massachusetts Avenue", "Berlin", and "Olly Olly Oxen Free": Horns by Mick Fraser, Benjamin Gillespie, Eamon McNelis, Phil Noy, and Paul Willy. Horn arrangements by Chad Raines
Production
Produced by John Congleton at Sing Sing Studios (Melbourne, Australia)
Assistant Engineer: Adam Dobos
Mixed by John Congleton at Elmwood Studios (Dallas, Texas)
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound (New York, New York)
^Wakin, Daniel J. (September 12, 2012). "Rockers Playing for Beer: Fair Play?". Proquest Digital Microfilm New York Times. photo by Jude Domski/Getty Images. The New York Times Company (published September 13, 2012). pp. C1, C6. ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
^Palmer, Amanda (September 13, 2012). "poetic placement of the day: the New York Times..."Amandapalmer.Tumblr.Com. Amanda Palmer. Retrieved September 18, 2012. Mostly a picture of page C1 the NY Times with the cited article on September 13, 2012
^Inviting performers to join her onstage is a time-honored tradition in the vein of sharing joy and having fun. The three main performers in Grand Theft Orchestra are salaried. In some cities, horn and string players will be hired as "known quantities" while other venues will have volunteer "wild cards."[citation needed]"an open letter in response to amy, re: musicians, volunteering, and the freedom to choose". Amanda Palmer. September 13, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2012.
