The Boston Globe published a review of MixFest X in their October 6, 2003 edition. The review includes a paragraph about Tori's set at that concert. You can also find a photo of Tori performing at Mixfest at Boston.com.
More Details
You can read the Mixfest review below or online at Boston.com. Thanks to Jill Strathdee for alerting me to this. You can read reviews of this concert from Toriphiles who were there here. You can see a photo of Tori performing at Mixfest using this link at Boston.com.
High-energy acts fuel MixFest party
By Sarah Tomlinson, Globe Correspondent
MixFest X
With Barenaked Ladies, Train, Duran Duran, Tori Amos, Dido, Michelle Branch, Jason Mraz, Vertical Horizon
At: the FleetCenter, Friday night
It was as if the MTV generation's defining anthem, ''Video Killed the Radio Star,'' was turned on its head at MixFest X at the FleetCenter on Friday night. The 10th annual music festival, hosted by radio station Mix 98.5, attracted listeners who went wild for acts with recent radio hits, such as Barenaked Ladies and Train. But most didn't even stick around for headliners Duran Duran, who once epitomized video-age style but haven't had a radio hit in more than the ''Decade of Mix Music'' the concert celebrated.
Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath, who MC'd the night's end, confessed he still wants to be John Taylor of Duran Duran, but he may be the only one, as a preteen attendee a few rows back confessed to friends, ''I don't even know who Duran Duran is.'' But diehard fans were rewarded by a high energy set of hits bursting with metallic jungle rhythms and Simon LeBon's seductively supple vocals on set opener ''The Wild Boys,'' through ''Hungry Like the Wolf,'' to the encore song, ''Rio.'' And although the band didn't play an entirely tight set, they were debonair as ever in their slick suits.
The crowd squeezed maximum fun from the rest of the night, even between bands, when they sang along to video of past MixFest concerts and sent a rippling wave of raised arms around the arena. Fans leapt from their seats to cheer goofy Canadian troubadours Barenaked Ladies, who delivered a playful set that included plenty of banter and several silly raps specially tailored for the Boston crowd, including one about singing at Fenway Park on Saturday. Their sunny pop rippled with loose guitar jams, thick upright bass, and soaring vocal harmonies on hits from ''One Week'' to ''If I Had a Million Dollars.''
The flirtatious hip shaking and crooning of Train frontman Patrick Monahan was received with shrieks of adoration, as the band romped through a set that included ''Meet Virgina'' and ''Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)'' and a fiery rendition of Led Zeppelin's ''Whole Lotta Love.''
The dramatic theatrics and regal piano delivered by Tori Amos during her taught set didn't seem as tuned to the crowd's party mood, but she received a warm response as she played a striking set loaded with covers. She tackled a sultry version of Bruce Springsteen's ''I'm on Fire,'' a deeply moody take on Neil Young's ''Needle and the Damage Done,'' and a tensely dramatic rendition of Nirvana's ''Smells Like Teen Spirit.''
Dido delivered a subtle, good-natured set that highlighted the airy heights of her voice, as she performed seated. Accompanied by only an acoustic guitar player, she ran through hits including ''Thank You'' and offered a peek at her new album with the lightly melodic ''Life for Rent.''
While Michelle Branch looked as if she's still growing into her stage presence, her voice sounded full and warm during her short set. But Jason Mraz looked right at home as he serenaded the cheering ladies in the audience with love songs carried by a calypso beat. Local rock crooners Vertical Horizon opened the night of radio friendly rock.
