Approaching forty years of gigs and this was my Tori Amos show. I really went more out of interest than a burning love of her back catalogue but, the end result was 'I was Converted'.
First off we had the charming and magical Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou. From London and three albums down the road, it was nice to catch up with the pair. Vocally superb they harmonise together around one mic with two acoustic guitars. 'Cheap Wine' is still the classic. Headline tour is planned for September, dates are HERE.
Sitting in the middle of the 'Toriartti' there was a lot of speculation around the set list going on and a will she, won't she play Metallica's 'Nothing Else Matters' or, not? (She did). On stage at 9.10pm and running late because of problems with her leather trousers (apparently), Tori Amos plonked herself down legs astride the piano stool with a keyboard one side and piano the other. The keyboard gets replaced for an organ towards the end of the set.
The first segment of the concert was quite outstanding. Just the solo voice and piano, 'Parasol' opened the set followed by 'China' which had only been play once on the tour before. Songs came forth from various albums but sung solo (She can even play the piano with one handed behind her back) they had an heartfelt intensity.
The 'Lizzard Lounge' section is the 'covers' part of the show which starts tonight with a rather tasty version of the aforementioned Metallica's, 'Nothing Else Matters'. Only the second time she seems to have played this song live (Italy 2008 being the first), this brought a standing ovation amongst her most ardent followers in the audience. Cat Steven's 'Moonshadow' was the second cover (last performed in 2011).
Back to her own material, ' Forest Of Glass' (the additional song on the deluxe CD/DVD version of Unrepentant Geraldines) was performed for the first time, leaving me wonder why the song did not make the standard album as well.
The songs continued through to the encore where a look back even further over the shoulder brought 'Cornflake Girl' (would have been better acoustic without the drum machine), 'Baker, Baker' and 'Pretty Good Year'.
It was certainly more than a 'petty good' gig indeed much of it was spellbinding but, not being a Tori expert I have no previous concerts to compare it too. There were however, many smiling faces exiting the venue at the end of the gig.
Pete
Set List
Parasol
China
Caught a Lite Sneeze
Little Earthquakes
Cooling
Jamaica Inn
Black-Dove (January)
Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover)
Moonshadow (Cat Stevens cover)
Forest of Glass
Mother
Tear in Your Hand
Scarlet's Walk
Take to the Sky
Encore:
Cornflake Girl
Baker Baker
Pretty Good Year