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James sent me this review of Tori's Jan 12 Glasgow U.K. show from the January 19, 2003 edition of the U.K. Sunday Mail. Lucy also tells me that the same concert review appeared in the January 19, 2003 edition of the Scottish Daily Record.

Article Text

What's the Tori.. she's in her glory

TORI AMOS Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow January 12

TORI commanded the stage like an ethereal high priestess as she swayed between her trademark two pianos.

She caressed and stroked the keys, arching her back, tossing her long, red hair, all breathy vocals and come-to-bed eyes.

She's highly charged with a sensual energy - all woman but then suddenly little girl lost. Gentle and soft one minute, hard, angry and angst- ridden, the next.

There's also a peacefulness around her which suggests she has mellowed with time but she's no less enigmatic for it.

She talks happily about her two-year-old daughter Natashya. And when a mobile phone rings, instead of getting annoyed, she shows a sense of humour and includes it in her song.

What you get is a very talented musician with a voice that swoops and soars over haunting lyrics and gorgeous melodies.

She has compared Scarlet, the character from new album Scarlet's Walk, to a "thread of colour running through the landscape". It's a journey through America post-September 11, meeting lots of characters along the way. On Pancake, an attack on a lecherous cult leader, Tori is dark and hypnotic.

And on I Can't See New York, her ghostly vocals wrap around you. Spine- tingling Taxi Ride, a stand-out from the album, was left to the encore.

We also got a journey through some of Tori's back catalogue, including excellent versions of Crucify, Cornflake Girl and Precious Things.

You forget that her resume is so impressive and can't help but be disappointed if your favourites are missing from the set. The highlight by far was the stripped-bare sound of Tori with piano, minus the band.

To emphasise the album's journey, she even brought her own Roadside Cafe illuminated sign and reminisced about her early days playing in a piano bar.

Jackie's Strength was incredibly beautiful and Baker Baker, which is all about lost love and regret, just made you want to weep. (AVRIL CADDEN)