You can now see the set list and reviews for the Detroit, MI concert at the Detroit Opera House. Tori set list included Blood Roses, Snow Cherries From France, Butterfly, Mother Revolution, Spring Haze, Not The Red Baron, Abbey Road and the covers Turn The Page (Bob Seger) and Penny Lane (Beatles) during Tori's Piano Bar segment of the show. If you were at this concert and want to send The Dent a review, please email Mikewhy at mikewhy@iglou.com with your review or comments. You can also post your review of the show on The Dent's Original Sinsuality Tour Forum. It would be nice to get as many different viewpoints about this show as possible!

More Details

Tori performed in Detroit, MI on Thursday, April 14, 2005 at the Detroit Opera House. Tori's special guest was Matt Nathanson and the show started at 8:00PM.

Set List

Special thanks to Matt Page for calling me with the set list after the show!

Original Sinsuality
Icicle
Blood Roses
Leather
Jamaica Inn
Snow Cherries From France
Bells For Her

Turn The Page (Bob Seger cover)
Penny Lane (Beatles cover)

Butterfly
Mother Revolution
Beauty Queen
Horses
Jackie's Strength
Spring Haze
The Beekeeper

1st Encore

Not The Red Baron
Rattlesnakes

2nd Encore

Abbey Road
Silent All These Years

Reviews

The latest reviews are at the bottom of this page. If you were at this show and want to send The Dent a review, please email Mikewhy at mikewhy@iglou.com with your review or comments.

You can also go to the Original Sinsuality Concert Review Forum and post about your experiences as well, or read additional reviews.


From Matt Page:

Tonight's show was unbelievable and had a great set list. Blood Roses was really intense and at one point Tori kept singing"Come on, Come on, Come On, Come On" over and over for what seemed like a full minute! Her cover of Turn The Page was really beautiful, and timely since Bob Seger is from Detroit. Spring Haze was even more powerful tonight than previously on the tour.

Early in the show before Blood Roses, Tori asked the audience if they remembered what happened the last time she was in the area, and reminded them about the black out that took place during the Scarlet's Walk tour. She also lifted her skirt to reveal black shorts and said something about a "black in" which was cute.

Tori was suppose to end the show with Mother according to her written set list, but ended it with Silent All These Years instead.

The song Abbey Road that Tori opened the second encore with was written by Tori and is quite rare for her to play. I think the last time she ever played this was during a radio program called the Acoustic Cafe on the weekend of November 16-17, 1996! You can see the lyrics to the song at hereinmyhead.com.


From Alicia:

I was at the Detroit Opera House tonight to see Tori. I didn't think that I would get there in time because of the huge accident on 696. I thankfully found an alternate route,orI wouldneverhave made it to the show. This is the second time that I have seen her live. I couldn't even get close to the merchandise table as it was just packed with wall to wall people. I gave up and decided that I would shop on line instead. It was a dynamic show and set list.Tori looked very beautiful and her voice just went on and on...

I was hoping that she would play honey, concertina, liquid diamonds,or pancake, but I was quite pleased. I loved hearing "Snow Cherries from France." She didn't talk as much to the crowd as in Vegas the first timethat I saw her. She said something about Bob Seger being a local boy and then I thought she said something girl. I couldn't make it out. Anyway, it was really cool to see her live I loved the "Piano Bar." The cover songs were excellent!!!! The crowd was very polite during the rush to the stage after the "Beekeeper."The only thing that I didn't like about the showwas the location of the Detroit Opera House and trying to get out of Detroit. I hopemgmt. books her in a better locationthis summer!!!! Ienjoyed seeing her solo for the first time, but I missed Matt and Jon.


From heather:

tonight's show at the detroit opera house was in one word *beautiful*. tori was pretty talkative, telling us that whenever she comes to detroit, something naughty happens, then goes right into leather. while i love this song, she seems to always play it in detroit, and i would have liked to hear some less played stuff from little earthquakes.

blood roses is a favorite, and very cool played on the organ.

snow cherries from france was just gorgeous - her voice sounded incredible. i loved hearing this since i don't know it too well and it isn't played often.

bells for her sounded closer to the album version than i have ever heard live, it was wonderful.

i'm not a huge bob seger fan, but "turn the page" was nice. before she played it she told us that this was a "local boy" - people were trying to guess what it might be.

penny lane was upbeat, fun, and happy. she seemed to be having a ball dancing at the piano.

butterfly was really rich and powerful.

spring haze is always a treat.

beauty queen/horses also was closest to the album version, on the piano as the original.

we were hoping hoping hoping for not the red baron and she played it for the first oncore! beautiful.

abbey road was lovely, and she told us before playing it that this song "never ever comes out to play". she also told the story of how the song came to be, and that she started writing this song while driving through michigan on a rainy day. this made the song so much more special and intimate to listen to, like something she picked out especially for us.

silent all these years was great, but another one i feel is played a little too often. still, it was gorgeous.

just a little side comment, i know people have their special requests, but quite a few times tonight, people were shouting out requests **while tori was in the middle of telling a story/leading into a song**. i think this is just rude. she even had to tell people to just "wait" or something like that at one point. if she is in the middle of telling us about the next song she is going to play, she obviously has it picked out and we are only rude to interrupt her and suggest she plays our requests instead. just my personal opinion.

all in all, a great show. right up there in my top 3 of 14 or so shows.

thanks for listening. i'm so jealous of all of you who get to attend more than one show - you have a wonderful tour ahead of you!


From Eric Rohman:

Just got home from the Detroit Tori concert about 10 minutes ago, and my friend Andrea and I are exhuasted. First of all, the show was simply amazing. Tori sounded so good tonight, I dunno if she's been doing new vocal warm ups or what, but she blew me away. We got to D-Town at about 12:30, and there was a small group of people outside the Detroit Opera house waiting, and numbering people. Yeah, the numbering was a good idea in theory, but never seems to work. Met some really cool people (shouts out to Kym, Damian, Soroya, Dominique, Armen, Sarah and James) and hung out for about 2.5 hours until they set up the barracades. I moved right into a corner, since the mob mentality kind of kicked in at that moment and the numbering system went right out the window. We stood there for at least another 45 minutes, and then Tori came out of the theatre and walked right over to ME!!!!! This was my first ever time getting to meet her face to face, and I was absolutely blown away. She asked me my name and I asked her for a hug, which she kindly offered to me. I gave her my Precious Things Promo CD to sign and she said "Wow, this is a special one," and signed it. Then, she posed for a picture with me and moved on down the line. She was so calm and so serene, and so REAL! Anyhoo, I'll be high for a week just because of that.

So - the show was absolutely stunning!! However, I do not know what people's problem is that they cannot sit still, or not be quiet for a Tori concert. People were up and down the aisles the whole time, and some couple behind us was completely drunk and singing and talking loudly the whole time - to the point where they were getting beligerant to people asking them to be quiet. For God's sake! I didn't pay money to hear you and your drunk spouse talk, I came to hear Tori. People really need to take a minute and remember their manners and not be complete a*$ holes during a Tori performance. So, there's my two cents! The Meet and Greet crowd was awesome, and this is a day I will not forget for a while!


From Leslie:

This was my fifth Tori show. I got to the venue early in the evening and could hear some sound-checking still going on; I could hear Butterfly, Penny Lane, and Bells for Her. So half of the suspense of "What will she play for Piano Bar?" was gone, but it was worth it for the tantalizing little preview of the night's set list.

Matt Nathanson, the opener, was cute (also, "'tussen", as he said, since was sick and therefore loopy on Robitussen) and reminded me a lot of Howie Day. His stuff isn't very memorable, but it's well-done.

The sound tonight was a little funky. The organ seemed kind of quiet, and during one song (I can't recall which) it seemed like the organ took a minute to kick in. Bass-y stuff on the Bosendorfer was a bit muffled. Tori seemed to be leaning over and checking on stuff with her instruments a lot during the show. (She also seemed mesmerized by her little hexagon video screen up in the corner of the stage.)

The show itself was wonderful, with lots of surprises. Original Sinsuality was just as strong as it is on the album, and she sang the "Yaldaboath, Saklas, I'm calling you" line twice. Icicle and Blood Roses made my night very early on--I could have left right then and been satisfied! Lots of Icicle was played much higher than it's done on the album version. In Blood Roses, she repeated "come on, come on, come on" a million times, which drew big cheers.

She chatted a little bit afterward--someone was yelling something at her and she was like, "great, but I have no idea what you're saying." She also threw out a few "love you backs" throughout the set. She asked if we remembered when she last played here and mentioned the black out, then said she had her "black in" and gave us a peek at the black shorts under her outfit. "Whenever I come here, something naughty happens," she said before launching into Leather.

Jamaica Inn/Snow Cherries/Bells was kind of a lull in the action. They were all definitely beautiful, but the show started off so, so strongly and with so much energy, and these were a little more subdued.

At the Piano Bar segment, she got a little chatty again. People were calling stuff out and to one suggestion Tori said back something like, "fuck her, love her, but no." She mentioned she was going to play something by a local. "How about Cat Scratch Fever?" she asked, and played a few notes. Before she started for real she told someone that he would have to help her if she forgot the words, and also said something like "see what you think after this." I wasn't familiar with the song, but I was surprised at how much I loved Turn the Page. Penny Lane was bright and playful.

The show was really back in full swing from here. Butterfly was gorgeous and very strong. Mother Revolution was amazing on both the organ and piano, especially the way she would sing one word and carry it over to the other microphone. Beauty Queen/Horses was another high point of the evening; the fuller sound on Beauty Queen worked nicely.

Jackie's Strength is one of those take-it-or-leave-it songs for me, but I really loved this one tonight, too.

Spring Haze--ahh, memories. When Tori played the Fox a few years ago on the Strange Little Tour, she started to play Spring Haze, stopped to talk to an audience member, played all of Bachelorette, then picked up Spring Haze right where she'd left off. One of my all-time favorite concert moments.

I love, love, love The Beekeeper on the album, but I wasn't feeling the live version so much. It's not quite as dynamic. The end was incredible, though. She really drew out that last "beekeeper" and it felt like the whole theater was humming with electricity.

Tori seemed to return for her encores pretty quickly both times. Not the Red Baron was a nice surprise (it's one of those songs that I like but "forget" about) and Rattlesnakes was true to the album version. The second encore opened with an even bigger surprise. Tori said this girl wanted to come out tonight, and that she doesn't get played very often (ooh, anticipation!) She went on to say that she started to write the song while driving through the rain in Michigan. She talked about her old boathouse that she loved ("I was so fucking stupid not to buy that house") by Abbey Road, then played--Abbey Road! Very unexpected. Silent All These Years was the staple crowd-pleaser that closed the evening out; she dropped a lot of words from the "years go by" part of the song.

I was hoping, as always, for more b-sides and more stories, but aside from the sound glitches, I have no real complaints. I love the organ/piano combination. A lot of the older songs took on darker inflections with the addition of organ, and it worked beautifully. I was also happy that she steered away from a lot of the big hit singles.

Tori looked wonderful tonight with her long, curled, peachy-red hair, a ruffled, layered, dusty pink dress, a big necklace or bejeweled collar, and sparkly high-heel sandals. After the last song she bounced up and down, grinning, her hands over her heart. Here's hoping she returns to Detroit for more naughtiness this summer!


From Amy (LauraPalmer):

Well, I just woke up after a spectacular night of Tori. Of the 8 times I've seen her this was my best experience.

We (my husband and best friend) arrived at the Opera House around 7 pm and the first thing that I heard when I got inside, was the sound of Tori's organ!! I grabbed my friend's hand and we ran towards the sound. Tori was still warming up!! So we listened at the door and heard her practice Jamaica Inn, Butterfly, Snow Cherries From France, Bells For Her and the 2 covers she did. It was great!! While standing with our ear to the door we met a super nice fellow fan from Dayton named Jeff (hi Jeff!!).

Finally the doors opened and we were seated....five feet from the stage!!!!! They were the best seats I have EVER had. We were in the orchestra pit smiling from ear to ear.

After a brief wait Matt Nathansen came on. He was very entertaining. He said he was sick and "high" on Robitussin. But his performance was very strong.

Then after a brief intermission, the lights were dimmed and there appeared Tori's shadow behind the curtain. The curtain went up as she went to the piano. She wore a beautiful cocoa colored dress, white fishnets, glittery aqua heels and a gorgeous beaded necklace.

The highlights of the set for me were as follows:

Icicle::Such a pleasure to hear!! My friend was hoping to hear it and she got her wish.

Butterfly::I was hoping to hear this and I got my wish!!

Spring Haze::Very beautiful and strong on both the organ and piano.

Snow Cherries From France::Absolutely breathtaking.

Jackies Strength::One of my least favorite Tori songs, but, she played with such emotion that I couldn't help but love the performance.

The Beekeeper::Very intense.

Abbey Road:: Oh.My.Goodness. What a treat. Before she played it she told a story of how she began writing it in Michigan years ago and that she rarely ever appeared. She told of pressing her face against the glass to see the water of the ocean. And mention that she should have bought that house?? When she played it there was a new verse and the transitions from verse to verse were slightly different. It was great!

Overall, Tori seemed very intense and thoughtful. You could tell by the expressions on her face that something or someone was on her mind. It was just a wonderful night and I can't wait to see her this summer!!

(Incidently - I purchased the tour book. It is gorgeous. I highly recommend spending the $20 for it)


From Emily:

Wow. I was very very very lucky for this show. While my tickets were for balcony row N, I entered the essay contest for front row tickets (I didn't repeat "I love you" over and over, I talked about our shared feminist traits, etc., along with the effect her music had on me) and won! Wow. That was all I could say for a while, because I was speechless. It was amazing to see her so close. I've always had very bad seats for every other show. This time, we could see the sparkle of her wedding ring, every facial expression. We even saw her drool a couple times at the end of a song :) The show itself reminded me a lot of the Pele tour (Dew Drop Inn) in the summer 1996 (I say summer because I saw her again that same fall, and liked her better in the summer). Generally, it was pretty mellow. It was sit-down-and-shut-up-and-be-amazed music (though some people don't know how to shut up, a little girl next to me, whose parents paid $1,000through a RAINN auction for those tickets,kept covering her ears in anticipation of the shrieker behind her). Some songs were more intense than others, but it was nothing like the Choirgirl show I saw, where lots of people were standing and dancing during Raspberry Swirl, etc. It seemed like the other people around me (on the covered over orchestra pit) all knew each other from prior shows. How do people in general get such good tickets? I'm afraid to go to another concert now because I fear it will be a disappointment after this one! I'd love to keep trying for such close seats if only I knew how to do it! Also, I saw several camera flashes, but I could not take any pictures because it would have been very obvious and I would have been kicked out. If anyone has any digital photos from the concert and would be willing to email them, I would be most grateful. The show was beautiful, and I highly recommend entering the essay contest!


From Bob:

Normally I leave it to the more seasoned fans to write reviews as what could I possibly say that others haven't already for the most part. But you see folks, this was a very special evening for me. I'm in a wheelchair and have Cerebral Palsy and, at least in Michigan, any other venue the has handicapped accommodation that really do not allow you to really see the show, even with a screen. The claim in that is for the protection of handicapped not to be allowed on the floor because you might get trampled on. This was not only the first time I was ever at a Tori Amos concert (my friend Ohio friend Darrell introduced me to her in 96 or 97 but I never had the means to go to a show), this was the first time I'd been front row anywhere. Being on the far left of stage still could not ruin that experience. My Ohio friend was able to drive up and see her with me, and he was delighted. My mom and my friend Mike was there as well but they get to be front row>:) The biggest disappoint was not being able to meet Tori as I disparately wanted to just say hi and tell her that this was my first concert I was ever at where I didn't feel like a second class citizen and that the show was wonderful.

As the show went Tori's voice was strong, confident and beautiful. (Moreso then the opening night which I was able to snag a recording of). She is definitely less fiery compared to the last time she soloed, and doesn't push her voice to the wailing highs now, but the emotions are all still there. She's a mom now for sure. The set list was great and I love how it's different at every show as I've been using The Dent to follow her set lists. After hearing Original Sinsuality, Icicle, Blood Roses and Leather, I leaned over to my friend and said "Tori is in a dirty mood tonight!" I hope no one around was annoyed Darrell and I didn't stop singing the whole show. Of the first few songs, Blood Roes was a favorite and worked well on the Hammond, which I have to say, before Tori was my least favorite keyboard instrument. Being in the front row I did try to interact with Tori asking "How do you like the Opera House!?" But as she herself noted "I can't understand a word anyone is saying." or something to that effect. I got a huge kick out of it when she said she was going to cover a local boys song and someone guessed "Cat Scratch Fever."

The rest of the set list was great as well. She played Bells for Her, which is having an increasing meaning to me lately and I really feel it's one song that works so much better striped down, again, just my opinion. Butterfly is an old favorite as well, even though I confess I really don't know a meaning for it, I just really love the song. I thanked her as loud as I could for both Bells for Her and that one. The next biggest stand-out for me was Not the Red Baron, and as far as covers go a screamed out a YES!! when she played Rattlesnakes. In terms of raw performance quality Spring Haze and Beekeeper were the real showpieces even if they aren't songs that are as much a part of me. (The Beekeeper is a stand-out track as far as the new album goes.) My only disappointment is that Yes, Anastasia was not played despite my begging for it between songs. Oh, that and the fact this was the first show "Marys of the Sea" was not played.

I have to note because I've glanced at someone mentioning people yelling at her when she was talking. I didn't do this, but I didn't think it was so terribly rude, everyone there was respectful during the songs, no one did anything stupid, and people are just excited to see her in the Opera House. Besides, she not only handled it, or even handled it politely, but did so cheerfully. She knows people are going to do that. She told people, in a nice way, to shut up for a minute, and they did:)

Oh, as for some side notes if no one else has said it, Matt Nathanson's set was cut short due to the fact he has a cold and was a bit high on 'tussin. I hope he feels better for the next show.

My friend Mike commented on two things, he loved Silent As These Years, and (this is a complement from him mind you) that Tori reminded him of the girl fraggle from fraggle rock. :)


From Kym:

hi. not really so much of a review as it is a quick note to let you know how wonderful the detroit show was. my husband and i got at the venue around 130 for the meet & greet, and we met some truly amazing people (soroya, eric, cyn, andrea, armand...). the numbering system for the meet & greet was a good idea in theory, but didn't hold up once the barricades were set up. i'm still in complete and utter disbelief about what happened, and i keep finding myself going back to the pictures to remind myself that it did, indeed, actually take place. i was able to meet tori (for the very first time), she signed a pic for me, shook my hand, and posed for a pic with me! i don't know if you remember the email i sent you telling you about the part tori had in my husband and i meeting, but it just meant the world to me to have met her. there was so much that i wanted to say to her, but nothing really came out. i'm actually a little surprised that i remember my name and how to spell it! lol she's so amazing...sincere and genuine. anyway, the show was incredible. we had front row seats (behind the pit), and we were a little off to the left, so i was afraid we'd be looking at her back the entire night, but that wasn't the case at all. she was constantly moving back and forth playing different instruments and the view from our seats was perfect. i don't know if it was having had just met her or what, but i found myself feeling much like those crazed beatles fans that i've seen on tv and never quite understood. i spent the majority of the show either all choked up and fighting off tears or just out and out bawling. it was just so emotional. i've loved all of tori's cd's, but this one has really "hit" me, and has made me feel things none of the others have. ribbons undone and the beekeeper are especially emotional for me, as i've always wanted a little girl but have had complications and cannot have anymore children (i do have a 12 year old son who is amazing, but i've always wanted a girl), and this song is just so visual for me and almost hurts. the beekeeper...ahh, what to say about that? my mom was diagnosed with parkinson's disease a few years ago, and i just feel like i can really relate to what she's saying in this, and again, it's almost painful to listen to.


From Carrie RaCosta:

Tori sounded amazing at the Detroit show. Well, when doesn't she but she sounded especially out-worldly this time. When she starts playing my whole body just shivers inside with excitement. The venue was a great place to see her. The ambience like the Fox Theatre suits Tori I think because of it's mystical velvety darkside. Staring at the artwork which contained images of devils, I couldn't help thinking if Tori was the Antichrist-I wouldn't be able to resist. That is a testament to just how amazing and mystical her personae and performanig is.

When I (and I'm sure many others) are at her concerts, it feels like you've stepped into a sacred realm and you are extremely fortunate to gain such wisom and vision from doing so. I love Tori's whole music library, but tonight she played a lot of my least favorite. I liked how she started off with Original Sinsuality, Icicle, Blood Roses, and Leather. As she said "something naughty always happens in Detroit" and I was quite excited, because that is the Tori I Iove to see. The one singing come on, come on, come on like a voodoo trance. The one lifting her skirt and gyrating to her own glorious music. The one lost in the individual song's extreme transportation. Although I like her slowersongs-I LOVE and would loveto see her perform Springtime of His Voodoo, Take to the Sky, Little Earthquakes, Sweet the Sting-songs which exhibit her range vocally, physically, sexually, and full on sass.As far as the piano barpart I was hoping for something a little unique. I think it would be great to see her tweak Jane's Addiction's ThreeDays to her own Tori style or even the tamer Cactus Tree by Joni Mitchell. The show before she played Joni and SweetDreams. Those wouldhave been great to see.She made me like the Bob Seger song-well at least her version. Of all Beatles songs I like-I hate Penny Lane. Oh, well. Looking at other set lists I wished I could've traveled to the other shows, but she did perform amazingly regardless and I'm glad I was there to see it. I think Tori proved to all the people who thought her music got too tame-that she hasn't lost her fire. She is the consumate Leo-a born perfomer and it is always very evident. That is why she has a cult following-she is unlike any other performer, she has a magnetic charisma, a rare talent, and the closest thing we have to a Goddess in the modern world. She is timeless. Her music is timeless. She is adored for good reason-even annon-fan would have to agree after seeing her genius on display in Detroit.


From Greg:

Detroit showed their ass again. I don't know what it is with the mentality of people here but I can say they are some of the rudest, most obnoxious people one could ever wish to encounter. I travel the world and can truthfully say that SE Michigan is home to more socially inept people that I have every had the misfortune of encountering... must be something in the water?

The show for the most part was enchanting - the audience on the other hand was typical Detroit - rude and obnoxious.... and that isn't cool at a Tori show. Kudos to Tori for tolerating what was essentially a house full of drunken idiots shouting over her every word. Makes me wonder why most of these folks were even here except to ruin a good time for true fans expecting a great once in a lifetime experience.

In all my years of attending Tori shows I must say that this crowd was the rudest I have ever seen. Matter of fact it is the ONLY time I have seen this happen at one of her shows. I am used to this behavior at metal acts [it is still unacceptable] as well as the rudeness encountered driving on our roads and shopping at our stores - BUT at a Tori Amos show??? Detroit has reached an all time low!

The sound was a lot funky. That had to be the sound guy's fault - she was playing the organ near the end of the set [pre-encores] and there was no sound - and then all of a sudden it came on full blast and was quickly over corrected.

Show quality A plus [except for the crowd] - Sound quality essentially C minus - lots and lots of glitches and raw sounds. I don't blame Tori one iota for fixating on the screen ? AT LEAST THAT WASN'T SCREAMING OVER HER THE WHOLE SHOW. She probably said "screw it" and just watched the pretty show on there versus the ugliness from the crowd to get through the night. Sad.


From Renee:

I have seen Tori eight times now, and been to several meet and greets, but this was the first time I actually got to talk to her, get an autograph addressed to me and touch her! I have been going to shows for over thirty years and Tori is the only artist that cares enough about her fans to stand out in the cold and wind to meet them. I have such tremendous respect for her. Our seats really sucked we were in the box seats, and the chairs were the most uncomfortable, our feet didn't even touch the ground, so by the end of the show our legs were completely asleep.

Her playing and singing were absolutely flawless. I got there early enough to hear her practice so I got an extra 40 minutes of Tori! There were so many songs that I never heard her do but I have to say Rattlesnakes brought me and my daughter to tears. I also loved the new arrangement of Horses, Blood Roses, and still enjoyed hearing Silent All These Years. Her cover of Penny Lane was also a nice treat.


From Michelle H. Lil Hoppy:

This Tori concert was unbelieveable. Her covers of Turn the Page and Penny Lane were nothing short of amazing. She spoke to the audience as if she were talking to old friends. She said that everytime she is in Detroit something "naughty" happens. It was hularious. The two encores were amazing. And the entire audience was enthralled to hear Silent All These Years at the very end. Amazing show.