2012– A Virtual Tour…

2011–Night of Hunters Tour

Night of Hunters Tour

December 3, 2011
Beacon Theater, New York City

SHATTERING SEA
EXORCIST/GOD/RUNNING UP THAT HILL
SUEDE
VELVET REVOLUTION
FEARLESSNESS
GIRL DISAPPEARING
BEAUTY QUEEN/HORSES
ICICLE
LUST
WINTER
SPARK
STAR WHISPERER
RUNNING TO STAND STILL
BELLS FOR HER
JOSEPHINE
SNOW CHERRIES FROM FRANCE
HEY JUPITER
SPRING HAZE
CRUEL

ENCORE #1

CHINA
A MULTITUDE OF SHADES

ENCORE #2

LEATHER
SIREN
BIG WHEEL

December 5, 2011
DAR Constitutional Hall, Washington DC

SHATTERING SEA
SEASIDE
SUEDE
EXORCIST/GOD/RUNNING UP THAT HILL
NAUTICAL TWILIGHT
WINTER
CRUCIFY
OPHELIA
COOLING
FEARLESSNESS
MAYBE CALIFORNIA
STAR WHISPERER
THE WRONG BAND
IMAGINE
PRETTY GOOD YEAR
EDGE OF THE MOON
PRECIOUS THINGS
SPRING HAZE
CRUEL

ENCORE #1

A MULTITUDE OF SHADES
CARRY

ENCORE #2

CLOUD ON MY TONGUE
SPARK
BIG WHEEL

December 6, 2011
Orpheum Theater, Boston

SHATTERING SEA
SEASIDE
SUEDE
EXORCIST/GOD/RUNNING UP THAT HILL
NAUTICAL TWILIGHT
WINTER
CRUCIFY
OPHELIA
COOLING
FEARLESSNESS
MAYBE CALIFORNIA
STAR WHISPERER
THE WRONG BAND
IMAGINE
PRETTY GOOD YEAR
EDGE OF THE MOON
PRECIOUS THINGS
SPRING HAZE
CRUEL

ENCORE #1

A MULTITUDE OF SHADES
CARRY

ENCORE #2

CLOUD ON MY TONGUE
SPARK
BIG WHEEL

Tori Tour 2007–I Haven’t Been To Texas…

She had a january world
So many storms not right somehow
How a lion becomes a mouse
By the woods
But I have to get to TEXAS
Said I have to get to TEXAS
And I’ll give away my blue blue dress
—Tori Amos–

American Doll Posse Tour

 

 On her latest album, American Doll Posse (2007), Tori adopts the persona of five fictional women. Each of these archetypes symbolizes a particular side of her musical personality, and each is based on one of the female constituents of the Greek pantheon. Each fictional “doll” in the “posse” has her own unique look–the album cover features all 5 women. The artwork inside the album consists of individual photos and an individual back-story on each character. “It’s not just, ‘I’m going to wake up and play dress-up today,’ “ Tori says on her website, “I think it’s fair to say that all women are a different percentage of these archetypes, and each culture has different versions of these characters.” The posse is also on tour with Tori. For a portion of each show Tori performs as one of the dolls (performing songs that would be characteristic of each), plus each character updates her own myspace page and blog as the tour progresses. Being one of Ms. Amos’ most “ardent” fans, I set out on a journey to meet each individual character. 

        The first, named Santa, relates to Aphrodite and is the sensualist of the quintet. “Santa is somebody who’s a girl’s girl,” says Tori on her website. “She understands her fellow sisters and she believes that there is enough love and passion out there for everyone. But she won’t accept that there is something perverted about being very sensual.” With her short, blonde bob and a giant grin, Santa got the show in Dallas, Texas of to a crowd-thrilling start by emerging in full Dallas-Cowboy-Cheerleader uniform–-pom poms and all. I have been attending Tori’s shows since 1998. I have seen her live over 30 times. Santa brought a spirit to the show that I have not experienced before. It was by far the best Tori Amos show I have seen to date.

 November 24. 2007

Dallas, TX Nokia Theater

Act 1–Tori as Santa

Body and Soul

She’s Your Cocaine

Sweet The Sting

Sugar

Secret Spell

Raspberry Swirl

 ————— Professional Widow ————-

Act 2–Tori as Tori

Big Wheel

Father Lucifer

Tear In Your Hand

Cornflake Girl

Lust

Liquid Diamonds

Act 3–Tori Only

Improv–Stop Sign

Jackie’s Strength

Beulah Land

Act 4–The Finale (The band is back)

Horses

Bliss

Code Red

First Encore- Precious Things

Digital Ghost

Second Encore- Bouncing Off Clouds

 Clyde, who draws from Persephone–goddess of the underworld–wears her emotional wounds on her sleeve, but remains idealistic. She is looking at the effects of not being a whole person. She is trying to figure out what she believes in and she is dealing with having been disappointed in her life. Her back-story mentions that her father was killed in a car accident [Tori’s older brother was killed in a car accident 2 years ago]. Clyde with her long, brown hair partially hiding her face, presented a direct contrast to the cheerful, upbeat show Santa did the night before.

   

November 25, 2007

Houston, TX Jones Hall

Act 1–TORI AS CLYDE

Bouncing Off Clouds

Little Earthquakes

Juarez

Mary

Little Amsterdam

Beauty of Speed

————– Professional Widow —————-

Act 2–TORI AS TORI

Big Wheel

Space Dog

Pancake

Cornflake Girl

Doughnut Song

Glory of The 80s

ACT 3–TORI ONLY

Improv–Burn Until Then

Cloud On My Tongue

ACT 4-The Finale (The band is back)

Peeping Tommi

Virginia

Black Dove

Code Red

ENCORE- Precious Things

Not David Bowie

Hey Jupiter

 I met Pip in Salt Lake City, and I have to say that hers was the most dramatic show. It “rocked” more than the previous shows. The guitars made their presence known. Pip represents Athena–the heroic goddess or the goddess of victory. Pip swaggers in wearing tight, black, rubber pants, high-heeled black boots, and a bright green top. Pip pounds her way through the driving “Teenage Hustling, ” “Cruel,” “Fat Slut,” and a very racous rendition of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” Wow. Pip is loud and in-your-face. Tori describes her by saying, “Pip, being the warrior that she is, does confront issues and sometimes it’s explosive, but I really love her energy.” I enjoyed Pip’s grandeur.

November 29, 2007

E Center, Salt Lake City, UT

ACT I–TORI AS PIP

Cruel

Heart Of Gold

Fat Slut

Smokey Joe

Teenage Hustle

Waitress

 ————– Professional Widow —————

 Act 2–TORI AS TORI

Big Wheel

Crucify

Bouncing Off Clouds

Cornflake Girl

Amber Waves

Caught a Lite Sneeze

 ACT 3–TORI ONLY

 Mother

 Merman

 ACT 4–THE FINALE (The Band is Back)

 Digital Ghost

 Father Lucifer

 Code Red

 ENCORES

 Precious Things

 Pretty Good Year

 Hey Jupiter

 Unfortunately, I did not get to meet Isabel (Isabel went to Denver; I did not.). Isabel, a photographer, is a reflection of Artemis–goddess of the hunt–and is the most outwardly political of the bunch. She opens the album American Doll Posse with “Yo George,” a sarcastic ode to our Commander-in-Chief, suggesting that America has been led down a “horribly dark road.” Isabel is also responsible for the anti-war anthem, “Dark Side of the Sun.”  I downloaded the album and photos of Isabel, so that I she would not be excluded from my experience.

In addition to the posse, Tori was accompanied by long-time bandmates Jon Evans (bass) and Matt Chamberlain (drums), as well as a new addition–guitarist Dan Phelps–rounding out Amos’ new band. Its been over 4 years since Tori has toured with a band, and it makes for a powerful presence. However, the volume is never so loud as to cause pain or irritation. The notorious audiophile maintains a clean, comfortable, sonically perfect mix. And a full band does not prevent Tori from using her grand piano, her organ, and two Yamaha synth keyboards–often playing any two at a time. Her effortlessness has me convinced that she would play more than two instruments at a time if her wingspan would allow it.

 As an added bonus, many of the shows on the American Doll Posse Tour are available online for digital download within a few hours of each show’s completion. Each bootleg also includes album artwork as well as photos from the show. I am enjoying that Dallas show again as I write. Tori Amos has always been an inspiration to me as an artist, a writer, a performer and as a woman. The American Doll Posse tour was not only brilliantly concieved and stunningly executed, but it was also personally inspiring. “All of these women are different components of a complete female essence,” Amos says “and I’m exploring bringing these different components together in one woman.”  As am I.

Tori Tour 2005–Sin and Sinsuality

 

 

April 25, 2005
UCLA

Original Sinsuality
Silent All These Years
Parasol (on organ and piano, wow)
Doughnut Song
Yes Anastasia
Jamaica Inn (organ)
Cool On Your Island
———-
covers:
Livin’ On A Prayer (Bon Jovi)
All Through The Night (Cyndi Lauper)
———-
Barons of Suburbia
Take To The Sky
Cloud On My Tongue
Ruby Through The Looking Glass
The Beekeeper
———-
Encore:
Tear in Your Hand
Toast
Sweet The Sting
Twinkle

September 6, 2005
USANA Amphitheater–Salt Lake City, UT
Tori in Orange Dress

Original Sinsuality
Space Dog
Little Earthquakes
Virginia
Take To The Sky
Mother Revolution
Rattlesnakes
———–
Covers: Mountain Song (Bjork)
Time (Tom Waits)
———–
Barons of Suburbia
Cloud On My Tongue
Winter
Pick Out Your Cloud
The Beekeeper
———–
Encore: Sweet The Sting
Cooling (and tears)
Not The Red Baron
Twinkle

September 14,2005
San Diego, CA
Tori in Long, Blue Dress

Original Sinsuality
Amber Waves
China
Goodbye Piscies
Spark (and a helicopter)
Way Down
Virginia
Rattlesnakes
———-
covers:
People are Strange (The Doors)
We Belong (Pat Benetar)
———–
Sweet Dreams
Doughnut Song
Black Dove
Running Up That Hill/God
The Beekeeper
————
Encore:
Here In My Head
Sweet The Sting
1000 Oceans
Putting The Damage On

September 16, 2005
Phoenix, AZ
Tori In Green Dress

 

Original Sinsuality
Beauty Queen/Horses
Space Dog
Marianne
China
Goodbye Piscis
Cool On Your Island
——–
Covers: Bette Davis Eyes (Kim Carnes)
Years May Go By
——–
General Joy
Mother
Hotel
Mr. Zebra
The Beekeeper
———
Encore: Tear In Your Hand
Never Seen Blue
Pretty Good Year
Toast

 

 

September 17, 2005
Los Angeles, CA
Tori in White Dress

Original Sinsuality
Little Amsterdam
A Sorta Fairytale
Jamaica Inn
Carbon Made
Winter (she forgot the lyrics!)
God
———-
Covers:
Black (Pearl Jam)
Knights in White Satin (Moody Blues?)
———–
Little Earthquakes
Barons of Suburbia
Playboy Mommy
The Beekeeper
———–
Encore:
Cars and Guitars
Cooling
Toast

Tori Tour 2003–Lottapianos

 In the July 10, 2003 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine (#926 with Clay Aiken on the cover), Rolling Stone released their list of the “20 Greatest Live Bands.” Tori Amos came in at #5, as a solo artist.  I guess someone at Rolling Stone saw Tori on her Lottapianos Tour in 2003.  Unfortunately, I never got to see Ben Folds (the opener) even ONCE!

 

 

July 31, 2003

The Joint @ Hard Rock, Las Vegas

 

Wampum Prayer

A Sorta Fairytale

Professional Widow

Father Lucifer (with an added verse)

Cornflake Girl

Horses

Tombigbee

Wednesday

——————-

I’m On Fire

Crazy

Marianne

—————–

Bells For Her (with the upright bass)

Concertina (funky version)

God

Don’t Make Me Come To Vegas

Take To The Sky/I Feel The Earth Move

I Can’t See New York

Precious Things

—————–

Sapcedog

Rattlesnakes

In The Springtime Of His Voodoo

Lust

 

 

 

 

 

August 1, 2003

Greek Theatre, Los Angeles

 

 

 

 

 

Wampum Prayer

A Sorta Fairytale

Bliss

Sweet Sangria

“My Coffee Was Magic” (Improv)

God

Bells For Her (with an extra verse)

Sweet Dreams

Jaunuary (Black Dove)

Wednesday

—————

Jackie’s Strength

Abraham, Martin, and John

Seaside

———————-

Putting The Damage On (in a jazz style)

Upside Down

Cornflake Girl

Amber Waves

Hotel

I Can’t See New York

Precious Things

Professional Widow

Rattlesnakes

—————-

Take To The Sky

Horses

Tori Tour 2002–It’s About A Journey….

December 7, 2002
E Center–Salt Lake City, UT

Wampum Prayer
A Sorta Fairytale
Precious Things
Liquid Diamonds
Sweet Sangria
Lust
Crucify
Pancake
Wednesday
Silent All These Years
Cool On Your Island
Cooling
Pandora’s Aquarium
Juarez
Crazy
Girl
Take To The Sky
I Can’t See New York
Spring Haze
In The Springtime Of His Voodoo
Cornflake Girl
Taxi Ride
Northern Lad

 

December 10, 2002
Key Arena–Seattle, WA

 

 

 

 

 

Wampum Prayer
A Sorta Fairytale
Caught a Lite Sneeze
Sweet Sangria
Take To the Sky
Liquid Diamonds
Pancake
Wednesday
Improv–“I Have a secret…They’re looking to you”
Baker Baker
Carbon Made
Landslide
Northern Lad
Concertina
Sugar
Cornflake Girl
Precious Things
I Can’t See New York
Spring Haze
Encore:
Taxi Ride
Waitress
Tear In Your Hand
Pick Out Your Cloud

 

December 14, 2002
The Joint–Las Vegas, NV

 

 

 

 

 

Wampum Prayer
A Sorta Fairytale
Bliss
Black Dove
Siren (at MY request!)
Liquid Diamonds
Sweet Sangria
Caught a Lite Sneeze
Wednesday
Toodles Mr. Jim
Cloud On My tongue
Cool On Your Island
Cooling
Pick Out Your Cloud
Cornflake Girl
Amber Waves
Girl
Hotel
I Can’t See New York
Spring Haze
Encore:
Taxi Ride
Tear In Your Hand
Don’t Make Me Come To Vegas
Pancake
Putting The Damage On

1999–The 5 1/2 Weeks Tour (with Alanis Morissette)

September 24, 1999
Mandalay Bay Events Center
Las Vegas, NV

God
Sugar
Cornflake Girl
Riot Poof
Bliss
Blood Roses
Silent All These Years (solo)
Merman (solo)
Suede
Professional Widow
Hotel
Waitress

Encore:
Precious Things

 

Photo from Rolling Stone.

 

The first time I heard Tori Amos’s Little Earthquakes, I played the record in its entirety, lying on my living room floor, and I just bawled my eyes out. It felt like the first time I could relate to a woman on that level through her music and I was so grateful. I felt that she’d been through a lot of the things I’d gone through.”  Alanis Morissette in Q Magazine, March 1996.

September 2, 1998 (My First Tori Show)

Tori Amos Plugged 98 Tour

September 2, 1998

The E Center

 

 

 

 

Precious Things
Things F#@* Up Sometimes (improv)
God
Spark
Crucify
Liquid Diamonds
Black-Dove (January)
—————–
Tori without the band:
Leather
Marianne
—————-
Bells For Her
Cruel
Cornflake Girl
The Waitress

1st Encore:
She’s Your Cocaine
Raspberry Swirl

2nd Encore:
Horses