More Details

You can read this press review of the 2003 Indy concert at sagamore.iupui.edu or below if the link has expired.


Tori's live lullaby

By Rebecca Terhune | A & E Assistant Editor

Tori Amos succeeds in rocking the house to sleep.

On tour for Scarlet's Walk, Amos' Murat audience almost took a scarlet nap.

Tori Amos was in concert at the Murat Theatre March 18. After a performance by Rhett Miller, a break between shows was silenced by dimming lights. Audience members could not see Amos, however, they could hear her -- her radiant voice sending through the packed auditorium a short and sweet a-cappella song from her latest album, Scarlet's Walk.

The screen that was blocking the view of the stage dropped after her solo, and crowd members went wild as she walked into their sight.

Typical of Amos, her costume looked as if she had either just stepped off the tightrope at a circus, or out of a trashy 1970s dance club. A knee-length dress consisting of bright greens, reds, oranges and yellows, with sequins, was further harmed by sleeves that could have doubled as dresses if not for the fact they were see-thru.

The fashion expeditionary sat in between her two stacked keyboards and her piano, and during the show, yet another keyboard was added atop the piano, bringing the total key count to a whopping 352. What it added aurally? Who knows, but it gave the entire performance a distinct air of spectacularity.

Her voice filled the auditorium as much, if not more, than her pure charismatic energy did. Unfortunately, however, as on her recorded work, understanding anything she said was a chore, even when she was just talking. It obviously made the experience for those not familiar with her lyrics difficult, to say the least. However, an excellent blend of Amos' vocals, piano and fellow band members defined the overall sound.

Amos' energy was enough to pump up an empty auditorium, let alone a packed one. She danced around while playing two pianos at once, one on her left and one on her right. Even after the show she still had enough energy left over to run across the stage and greet her band members then run to the front of the stage and thank her audience, beaming all the way.

Amos' energy was not in the least bit surprising to those that know her work. Her albums make it apparent she is not afraid to have fun. However, the middle portion of the concert made it clear she can get so lost in her music she does not notice some of her audience is bored, a few of them even falling asleep.

The song selections were from a variety of her albums, though quite a few were from Scarlet's Walk. She started the show with some of the more popular, more upbeat songs. The middle of the show she played slower, more dramatic pieces, which, to her detriment, dragged on a little too long.

What kept the show interesting during the dull moments was the lighting. Synchronized with the music, the lights shone not only on the stage, but also on the walls of the auditorium and into the crowd, constantly changing colors and patterns. However, shining the lights in the crowd made it difficult to see Amos on stage at times.

Amos' stories about her daughter and her rendition of John Lennon's popular hit "Imagine" made audience members feel close to her.

She ended on a strong note, with two encores, and the crowd still wanting more.

To contact Rebecca Terhune send e-mail to rterhune@indiana.edu.