New Years Eve we were all ready to settle into an evening of really good steaks, caramelized onions, cooked mushrooms and a better bottle of red wine than we may drink all year. But we won tickets to see Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra’s Purple Reign concert, their ode to Prince. So we scampered down to NYC to bring in the new year covered in purple confetti instead.

Whatever you think about her music, this is one passionate woman. She seems to be in a constant slight squat, her legs spread apart, her arm muscles gleaming with sweat as she sings with tons of heart and ferocity. Rarely do we see women spend much time with their legs spread as they walk in the world. The way she lives and moves in her body is refreshing and strong.

Amanda Palmer is like a sexy tyrannosaurus rex in a corset. I mean that as a compliment. Strong, squatting, fierce and singing with all her might. She is passionately projecting her particular flavor of art out in the world and that is always inspiring.

Off stage she seems entirely comfortable with her own nudity, having fans write all over her body, taking photos of herself naked and appearing in her videos in various states of undress. Again, however you feel about that and whatever you might choose to do with your own body she is a woman self-determining how much of her body she shares with the world.  She does this wild eyebrow painting thing where she shaves off her eyebrows and paints on a design. She is choosing to represent a particular kind of expression on and with her body.

The bonus of the concert was her husband Neil Gaiman giving us all a wish for the new year.

“It’s a New Year and with it comes a fresh opportunity to shape our world.
So this is my wish, a wish for me as much as it is a wish for you: in the world to come, let us be brave – let us walk into the dark without fear, and step into the unknown with smiles on our faces, even if we’re faking them.
And whatever happens to us, whatever we make, whatever we learn, let us take joy in it. We can find joy in the world if it’s joy we’re looking for, we can take joy in the act of creation.
So that is my wish for you, and for me. Bravery and joy.”