Tori's set included God, Liquid Diamonds, Landslide (solo), Scarlet's Walk, 1000 Oceans and Spring Haze. If you were at the Charlotte show, please email me with your reviews and/or set list or post your review or comments in the Dent's Concert Reviews forum. (You can post under any name without registering, so it is quick!)

More Details

Tori performed in Charlotte, NC on Tuesday, February 25, 2003 at Ovens Auditorium. The opening act was Jeffrey Gaines.

Set List

Many thanks to Danica Knox who phoned me with the set list after the show.

Wampum Prayer
a sorta fairytale
God
Pancake
Cornflake Girl
Liquid Diamonds
Caught A Lite Sneeze
Black-Dove (January)
Wednesday

Band Leaves

Jackie's Strength
Landslide
Cooling

Band returns

1000 Oceans
Sweet Sangria
Take To The Sky (Included a small bit from Carole King's "I Feel The Earth Move Under My Feet")
Scarlet's Walk
Spring Haze
I Can't See New York
Iieee (only the first part, but then stopped due to technical difficulties)
Precious Things

1st Encore

Talula
Tear In Your Hand

2nd Encore

Taxi Ride
Past The Mission

Reviews

The latest reviews are at the bottom of this page. For more reviews, please check out the Dent's Tour Reviews Forum. Please post your own review if you were at this show!


From Danica:

Danica enjoyed the show tonight in Charlotte. After Pancake, Tori talked using a fake southern accent saying she saw her family today and that this is where she was born. She also said that something good always happens when she comes home. Tori then said that her cousin was a "Fed". Tori then did a little improv with lyrics that included, "Go to the white house for me..."

During Take To The Sky, Tori did the chorus of Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet", singing the words, "I feel the earth move under my feet, I feel the sky tumbling down" three times.

Tori began Iieee but then stopped saying that her "sampler is fucked, we have to do a different song". Then she started singing "I ran faster" which led to Precious Things closing out the main set.

Tori followed her written set list exactly except for the last song, which was supposed to be Putting The Damage On, but she performed Past The Mission instead.



From Lee Chaix:

I just got home from the Charlotte show - wow! The set list was:

Wampum Prayer
A Sorta Fairytale
God
Pancake
**talking to audience and improv about her cousin**
Cornflake Girl
Liquid Diamonds
Caught a Lite Sneeze
Black-Dove (January)
Wednesday

ROADSIDE CAFE:
Jackie's Strength
Landslide
Cooling
1000 Oceans (with band)

Sweet Sangria
Take to the Sky
Scarlet's Walk
Spring Haze
Iieee - Precious Things

FIRST ENCORE:
Talula
Tear in Your Hand

SECOND ENCORE:
Taxi Ride
Past the Mission

My husband, Patrick, and I got there in time to see Jeffrey Gaines. He was okay, but I agree with the previous reviewer who suggested he learn a few more chords. I think he's a poor man's Willy Porter, but a decent opener.

Tori started shortly before 8:30pm with Wampum Prayer, and when she came on stage, she seemed so comfortable and happy to be there. She was wearing a blue/white long flowy gown over a strappy tank, jeans, and tan boots, with a turquoise necklace - very pretty!

A Sorta Fairytale was great as far as Tori is concerned, but the bass was way too heavy and it distorted the song. In fact, for most of the concert, the bass was a problem. We were in the third row, so our proximity to the speakers might have something to do with it.

God was a pleasant surprise - very reminiscent of 1998 Plugged Tour, but without the "you dropped a bomb on me" part.

Pancake was beautiful, and slower than the album version. Tori seemed to get in her groove with this one.

Tori then said hello to the audience, and mentioned that she was born here (like we didn't know). She talked about how everytime they come to Charlotte, something good happens, whether it's "apple butter, or a funny picture, or something funny..." and that today, it was getting to see her family and all the cousins. She mentioned that her cousin Emily was a Fed (FBI agent, I presume), and went into a lovely improv about how beautiful Emily has grown, how she has her badge and can fight the bad guys, and can "take the badge to the White House." (I'm paraphrasing, but you get the idea).

The improv led into a raucous version of Cornflake Girl. I think this song is where the show really got going! Her higher vocals sounded excellent, and it was clear how much she was enjoying herself.

Liquid Diamonds was next - a surprise for me! It was very well done, and the lighting accented the nuances of the music.

Next, a personal favorite, Caught a Lite Sneeze. Damn, if Matt Chamberlain isn't the best drummer ever. He really stole the show on this number. I wish Tori had included the NIN "I hurt myself today" part, but it was still terrific.

Black-Dove (January) was equally as beautiful. Very slow, very moving, and a nice contrast to...

Wednesday! How much fun is this song?!? Although, I especially enjoyed the slower parts, and the extended "America" at the end.

Here we move into the Roadside Cafe section, which absolutely blew me away. If I could pick one word to describe it, it would be "gentle." A gorgeous Jackie's Strength (with Tori looking up toward the balcony/heavens at the end with a great smile), a stunning rendition of Landslide, and then Cooling... good lord, it doesn't get any better than that. I've seen her perform Landslide at least four other times, and tonight was the best yet. 1000 Oceans with the band was a natural extension of secret time, and it was a nice close to the cafe.

Sweet Sangria got the concert rockin' again. I must admit, I was really looking forward to this one, and it didn't disappoint. Awesome.

The highlight of the evening, without a doubt, was Take to the Sky. When did this little number get fleshed out? Damn, it was incredible! I have never cared much for this song before (I feel like a traitor saying so, but I'll be honest), but with the band, it is just amazing. I wish people wouldn't clap, but what can you do? The three rocked out during the end, and it was just great fun all around. My favorite part of the show, hands down.

Spring Haze was a wonderful jewel as well. I've never heard this one live, and was so excited. I thought it was more powerful tonight live than on the album, and quite moving.

I Can't See New York was next, and what can I say? Lovely.

Here comes the funny part. The band and Tori get about one verse into Iieee, when Tori stops singing and announces that her sampling is fucked up. She does a little improv - "I bit the big one, we need to find another song..." - and then started singing "So I ran faster..." several times, which led into an awesome version of Precious Things! I miss this song from the Plugged Tour big time, so this was a wonderful, if unexpected, way to end the main part of the show. Beautiful things can come out of mistakes. :)

At the beginning of the first encore, everyone rushed the stage. I'm not a big fan of this, especially because I'm only five feet tall, but I guess I understand the desire to see Tori up close. Still, I do think it's rude. Anyway, both Talula and Tear in Your Hand are old favorites of mine, although I prefer Talula on the piano. Second encore included a great Taxi Ride, and a fun Past the Mission. A terrific ending to a great show.

This was my ninth Tori concert, and my husband's first. I'm headed to Greensboro tomorrow, and can't wait!



From XWilmbois:

I was in Awe to say the least. I was so happy this show I finally got to hear every song I have wanted to hear live. The best thing is she did†† Landslide . I love it when she does that song, she also did Talula, and Taxi Ride. This by far was her best show ( I say that simply because during the encore we rushed the stage, I was all the way in the back of the theater dealing with people who where to busy going to the bar to listen to her) then I was 3 people behind her. It was the best. Simply the best.

I simply love it when something doesn't go right at her shows , like her SLG show one microphone wasn't turned on while she sang past the mission, and she for got the words to 1000 Oceans, and tonight the iiee sample was messed up. The story about Tori's cousin was so cute escpecially when she talk about giving her a T-shirt that said "Trim my Bush" LOL. It was great.



From Meredith:

I was at the Charlotte show tonight and it was AMAZING!! One of the best shows I've seen Tori put on. The crowd was much better than the last show I saw on this tour. Just the normal tori screams (atleast in our section). We were close to the front and the sound was good. Jon's bass was still a little heavy, but it didn't take away from the show where we were sitting (orchestra right). No one in my line of view stood up until the encores, so it seems like an order has been established as to when to stand and when to sit.

The thing that I really want to mention though has to do with disabled concert goers. When people rushed the stage at the beginning of the encore tonight, I noticed a man being wheeled out from the front section. I think that everyone should take into consideration those who have a disability or who are wheelchair bound and have no other choice but to sit at these concerts. If there is someone in the front and in a wheelchair, please don't stand directly in front of them. Include them in the concert experience as well. I know not all handicapped seating is in the front row, but if it is just be aware. I felt bad that this person had to leave the area just because people wanted to be right at the stage at the end. I'm not complaining about the crowd tonight, I just want to make people aware that there are all different types of toriphiles :)



From MrsMalkav:

Woo, what a week, what a week...

Having a Tori concert to go to last night was a definite up to a very down
week. My sister and I raced to Charlotte after dealing with a major
family emergency and we ended up totally missing the opening act. But
after some frantic running around, we made it to our seats and relaxed a
little before the show. I had another pair of tickets on me because some
friends bailed, so we had a choice between 12th row center or 6th row left
center. We opted for 6th row left center for optimal hand-viewing action
and gave the others to some random toriphiles stuck in the nosebleeds.
I'm glad we picked the ones we did! I haven't been at a position where I
could see her hands that clearly before. It was great! Kinda sucked that
her monitors were where they were- I couldn't see her shoes! :(

Anyway. On to the show:

Before Tori came on in the intermission, they were playing some old
Massive Attack. Yay Massive Attack :) The standard sage was burning and
people around me were confused. I straightened them out ;)

The show started at about 8:35pm and ended at roughly 10:35pm. The
set-list was exactly as posted above. I just have the following to add:

After pancake, she talked for a bit about good things always happening to
her when she comes home (to here), like (roughly) "someone gives me apple
butter, or a funny picture that makes me giggle." She said she saw her
family and cousins, and that she found out her cousin was a fed (which
surprised her). She said she gave her cousin a gift and promptly went
into an improv about "Presents for feds from the redhead ... for Emily ...
you go get them bad guys for me".

Glees:
I was so happy to hear: Caught A Lite Sneeze, Scarlet's Walk, Cooling,
Wednesday, Take to the Sky, Spring Haze, I Can't See New York, Precious
Things, and Past the Mission. I'm glad she brought the energy back up
again after Roadside Cafe. I love seeing her totally animated on stage!

I haven't been paying much attention this tour to the descriptions of her
little antics on stage, but oh my was there a lot of pelvic thrusting
going on! I don't think I've ever seen Tori stand up that much before.

There was definitely a lot of communication going on between Tori & Matt &
Jon. It's always a pleasure to see how they all work together without
actually talking.

The little improv before Spring Haze was awesome. I liked the "I
feel the earth move" in Take to the Sky. And when the keyboard's sample
was messed up and Tori improved out of it into Precious Things, that was
absolutely awesome. She sang about how she "bit the big one" and almost
conversationally sang "so I run faster" over and over again - as if in
response to the mess-up. It's hard to really hear/understand it when
you're seeing it in text, but it was almost sneaky how she led into
Precious Things.

Being close enough to see Tori's hands is amazing. I think it was during
Spring Haze, she had one of her 'trademark' single sustained high-notes on
the piano, but *just* as she hit the key with her right hand, she pointed
at her right hand with her left ('point' like one of those
gun-hand-things). It was so cute!!

And also, Take to the Sky was *perfect* for the family emergency. "You
can say it one more time what you don't like... have a seat while I take
to the sky." Absolutely poignant. Thank you, Tori, for your grounded
perspectives and great timing :)

Amusing glee- My sister and I were never stopped and asked for our
tickets. Ever. Good job there, Ovens Ampitheatre. We walked all over
the place and not once were we stopped.

Gripes: Shut up please, yes, thanks. Goodness. Sometimes I wonder how
she has the patience to tolerate people yelling in the middle of her songs
at every quiet part. Honestly, the crowd wasn't as bad as some shows I've
been to, but still. At least the people around me weren't yelling or
talking during the show. So thank you to all you guys in the front
section of ORCHL :) You rock!

The bass was *way* overpowering. *pout*

And it makes me sad to be the only one feeling the uncontrollable need to
boogie. :( The guy in front of me fell asleep during the Roadside Cafe.
It's sad to see a good seat go to waste like that.

It was a great show and always a wonderful treat to see and hear Tori
live. I just hope that she plays Virginia tonight in Greensboro!!