The Dresden Dolls will perform on September 4, 2026, at the ARCHA+ club.

The Dresden Dolls
Formed in Boston in 2000 following a chance encounter at a Halloween party, Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione soon established The Dresden Dolls as a major force on the underground music and art scene. Their blend of theatricality, punk energy, and cabaret sensibility helped define the “punk cabaret” genre.

In 2003, the band won the WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble competition and released their self-titled debut album, which features the tracks Coin-Operated Boy and Girl Anachronism, the latter of which later appeared in the HBO series Weeds. A 2005 tour as the opening act for Nine Inch Nails helped significantly boost their international profile.

The band has toured extensively around the world, sharing the stage with artists such as Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, The Cure, and Panic! at the Disco, and has performed at major festivals including Lollapalooza, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Fuji Rock, and Glastonbury. They also collaborated with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall and won several Boston Music Awards. Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Lady Gaga, and Jinkx Monsoon have publicly cited the band and Amanda Palmer’s songwriting as an inspiration for their own work.

Following an unofficial hiatus that began in 2008, the two artists embarked on diverse creative paths. Viglione performed with projects such as Nine Inch Nails and the Violent Femmes, while Palmer built a multifaceted solo career encompassing theater, crowdfunding, and public speaking. Her TED Talk is approaching 20 million views, and her 2014 memoir The Art of Asking became a New York Times bestseller. Now, after years of individual development and occasional returns to the stage together, Palmer and Viglione are back.

It’s time for punk cabaret again.