North American Plugged '98 Tour - Cincinnati, OH

Tori performed in Cincinnati, OH on July 21, 1998 at The Crown during the main North American leg of her Plugged '98 tour.

Set List

Precious Things
Spark
Cornflake Girl
Pretty Good Year
Caught a Lite Sneeze
Playboy Mommy
Liquid Diamonds
Take to the Sky (solo)
Leather (solo)
Honey
Crucify
iieee
The Waitress

Reviews

From Mikewhy

July 22, 1998 - The show in Cincinnati, while not as energetic as Chicago, was still incredible. I don't have time at the moment to post a lengthy review, since I have to rush off Cleveland and Detroit for more shows! I will just comment on some of the songs.

The sound was not as loud at The Crown as it was at the Rosemont Horizon. The Crown is a huge place, but they only used 40% of it for the concert. They only had 7 rows of folding chairs on the main floor, and the remaining seats were aranged in a steep semicircle around the stage. My seat was in a strange place, on the far right of the stage facing Tori during the times she played her piano! From this vantage point I was able to notice the interaction between her and the band more, and it was great seeing them motion to each other and smile at one another. They are really playing well together and are a great team! I could clearly see Caton as he danced around playing the guitar and exchanging glances with Tori.

Hearing "Pretty Good Year" was a delightful surprise. Before she performed it, she told the familiar story about how she came to write that song when she got a letter from a depressed boy named Greg from the North of England who also sent a sad picture of himself. Tori said that he had since "emailed them" and said he was doing okay. Tori's vocals sounded so sweet during this version of the song, which was done as a request.

Then I was surprised again to hear "Caught A Lite Sneeze" with the band! I thought this version of the song was outstanding and the band really played it well. Tori played the piano during the song.

"Liquid Diamonds" was as gorgeous in concert as it is on the album. Tori not only used her high voice effectively, but also her smoky, throaty voice which gave me goosebumps. The effect of the smoke and the purple lighting was mesmerizing. This was also the song where bubbles came down all over the stage, and into the first few rows of seats as well.

During the first solo song, "Take To The Sky", people were clapping along during much of it. (I don't think of Tori's songs as sing-along campfire songs, but oh well!) Tori said she played it because she had so many requests for it during the tour.

Tori then said in a very cute voice, "Excuse me" and then proceeded to tell us her keyboard was all sticky from the bubbles that were falling earlier! She then launched into "Leather". The crowd really enjoyed this song and the cheers were intense.

Before "Crucify" Tori had the biggest grin on her face! Her wails at the end really moved me. She then did one of the most potent versions of "iieee" I have heard so far. The ending was fierce and really blew me out of my seat. The intensity continued to rise as she performed "The Waitress," which was the last song of the main set. The ending of this song is so passionate and loud it is almost overwhelming. I felt my heart beating faster by the end of it.

The first encore started with "Black-Dove (January), which was a real surprise. Previously, Tori always started the concert with this song or did not play it. It was a great song to start the first encore with. because it allowed the band to play a long intro as Tori took the stage.

As Tori emerged for the second encore, she confidently danced her way back to piano, which was so cute. She then ripped through "She's Your Cocaine". During this song, some stupid man was throwing things from his seat. I saw him thowing cards from a deck of cards he was holding. Apparently something he threw hit Caton on the head, and this cause Tori's bodyguard Joel to come running out and he threw the idiot out of the concert hall. Why do people like that have to come to these shows? I have never seen Joel look so angry in my life!

Tori finished the concert with the new version of "Horses". This new version has really grown on me, and it is so beautiful. In fact, I think I prefer it to the Boys For Pele version. Several disco balls on the stage added to the atmosphere of the song.

This was a terrific concert and I can't wait for the next one! I also avoided getting sunburned this time :)

From Katy Pope

August 3, 1998 - well i know that this is just a really belated review, but after reading the reviews that are posted on your page i thought i would add a differing two cents. i really hate it when people (including myself) try to distinguish themselves as a fan by how many times they have seen/met the artist, how small the venues etc, but since most of your posts are from first-time concert goers, i'll just say that i am a veteran. i went to the concert with my father (!), sister, and boyfriend, a change from my usual company of just my boyfriend, so that may have altered my experience a little.

i was VERY disappointed with the Devlins. i thought they were completely uninspiring, their lyrics were SOOOO generic, and the music was overall very boring. i felt like tori couldn't have had made the decision to book these guys, that it must have been a record company thing. i just kept thinking about willy porter and how wonderful he was! i really did not enjoy the devlins. (but maybe that was the plan...to build up the anxiety for tori!)

i can understand if you have never been to a tori concert before how you would be blown away by her live. she is an absolutely amazing performer. i, however, did not feel the same connection with her as i did with her solo concerts. the magic was there, but it was just not as intimate and personal, kinda made me miss the old days.

i just love the band! the bass player was so great...he would be smiling, laughing, and making eye contact with the audience and was so happy and playful, i could tell that tori tapped into his positivity many times as they would connect eyes at each other as they played. caton was so funny as he was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, he looked like a little kid dressed up for a rock concert! he would do this dance thing that was so amusing, and his guitar playing was finally used to it's potential! it seemed like tori used the drummer to get going and would play at him when they started a rockin song.

i was looking forward to hearing the "loud" parts of songs played to it's fullest, as opposed to when tori would downplay the parts when she was solo, or she would try to be exploding but couldn't quite do it on her own. i was not disappointed about how her songs ROCKED! the intensity and the energy was amazing, the songs came alive and filled me with adrenaline.

but it just wasn't the same. there wasn't enough tori! the music was great, the band was great, but we just didn't see tori. the few songs that she played solo was a little reminder of who she was when she was by herself. she seemed more comfortable, more confident. she could take her time on songs and not worry about throwing anybody else offbeat. it was so much more personal and honest...not as scripted and rehearsed.

i absolutely loved the songs from ftch....they deserved a band. raspberry swirl had me moving. i didn't really like the new version of caught a lite sneeze, i thought the dew drop inn version was better...and horses, well i didn't even recognize it without the lyrics. take to the sky is one of my all time favorite b-sides and it was great live. cornflake girl was rockin (missed the little dance though)....and pretty good year was excellent with a band.

the lighting was pretty cool and the bubbles made it down to my seat! the disco balls in the end were really mood-setting...and i loved how they cornered off the crown with the velvet curtains.

we managed to get second row floor tickets, but even though my seats were close, i felt so far away from tori. it seemed like the whole concert was scripted and she just showed up and did it. it didn't seem spontaneous and personal like her old shows. i guess it has to be a rehearsed show in order to have a band...so there are trade-offs, of course. a rockin band takes the place of spontaneity...i guess that's just the way it goes. and i did enjoy seeing tori with a band...it was great.

From Jennifer Gierhart

August 1, 1998 - Hey there! welp now that my email is working, I can tell ya about the concert last night in Cincinnati. It was my first Tori concert and it was just as great as I had pictured it would be.

Before the concert, a friend and I arrived there about 3 1/2 hours early and waited outside by the tour buses and stuff. Tori got there probably around 5:00 or a little earlier(I didnt have a watch, so Im guessing on this). There werent as many people there as I thought would be. I was probably about 4 feet away from her and I did get some pics. I didnt get to like meet her or have her sign anything but just being that close to her was great. I think I was kinda in shock cuz I just stood there and stared.

Then came time for the concert and although we didnt have the best seats, we could still see everything pretty good. And the Devlins werent that bad either, but I didnt really listen that well. I was just waiting for Tori to come out, which she did around 9:30 or so. She started off with Precious Things, which was just great. I loved the way she held out the "boys, Christian boys" part. Then she played "Spark", which I was hoping to hear. That was spiffy also. I thought it sounded better live than on the album. But both versions are good.

Then it was either after this song or the next that she introduced the band, calling them her brothers. Next, she sang Cornflake Girl, which was VERY cool. I liked the lighting and everything about it. Then she sang Pretty Good Year. Before the song she was telling about how she wrote the song for a boy who was having some problems and drew her a picture of himself as a rose or something. And the picture was very sad and she "just had to write a song for him." Then she went on to tell how the boy emailed them and is doing fine now, but someone else had asked her to sing that song and she was singing it for him. Next, she sang Caught a Lite Sneeze, which I was kinda surprised to hear her sing. I just didnt expect her to sing that one, but it was great(of course). Then she sang Playboy Mommy--it was just beautiful. Next, came Liquid Diamonds, complete with bubbles coming down. Then the band left and it was "our time together." Tori sang Take to the Sky. Then she said something about the piano keys being sticky from the bubbles and everyone laughed. THen she went into Leather, which just sounded awesome live. After that the band came back and did Honey. This was very good also. Then she sang Crucify, which was different than the album version, but was still good. Next came iieee and then The Waitress. I was surprised but happy to hear her sing this. I had said before the concert to my friend that I hoped she would sing The Waitress. It seemed like everyone was singing along to this song.

THen Tori waved and left along with the band, but came back for the 1st Encore. She sang Black-Dove(January) and Raspberry Swirl. Then she got up and walked to the front of the stage and reached down to the people in the front. She left the stage and came back for Encore #2, which was She's Your Cocaine and Horses. I thought Horses was just great, with the lights going everywhere and the disco ball thingies. Welp, thats about it. The concert was very good and I hope to go to tons more of hers. Tah-tah:)

From Riley (Posted to the RDTRN mailing list)

July 30, 1998 - i have returned from the tori show in cincy this fine 21st of july. it was my very first tori concert. i took my cousin & it was her first concert ever. it was.. incredible. even though everyone was about 3 inches high, it was fabulous.. except for inbetween acts this girl in front of me was so obnoxious, her and her friends were drinking or whatever, but this girl burped so loud. i mean sure, ha ha.. funny. but she did it like 10 times, it was really gross.. then they kept getting up during the show too.. oh well. i felt sorry for the people next to her, they probably had to stand up 30 times to let them thru. so, onto the show... the devlins.... um, generic.. they didnt grow on me.. toris setlist was as follows:

9'25, took the stage and started precious things. great opener
spark
cornflake girl
pretty good year [this was dedicated to someone who asked for it]
caught a light sneeze [w/ piano]
playboy mommy [!!]
liquid diamonds [lots of bubbles coming from the ceiling on this one, and
tori later says 'my piano is all sticky from the bubbles!' and wipes it
off with a towel, or her hand.. i dont know, i was too far away]
-the band left-
take to the sky [!!!!]
leather
honey [!!]
-band came back-
crucify
iieeee
the waitress [with a long outro. kinda sounded like she was saying 'back,
jack' like in do it again.. but i really couldnt understand her]
encore 1: 10'40pm black dove
raspberry swirl [so sue me, i like the song. but c'mon.. it sounds really
bad live.. the drummer was drumming on a trash can though.. ;] ]
encore 2: 10'55pm shes your cocaine [i was so glad she did this one]
horses [_very_ cool lighting]

the whole show had very nice lighting. i saw no one from rdt, sadly. and i didnt make the meet and greet, if there was one. and i had bad seats.. section 236, which means way up high and back far. but i still had a good time.. dont let the size of tori, or the fact that she probably wont point at you get you down.. ;]

for those who caaare.. toris attire consisted of a white [wool?] sash type of a.. top. im not sure what it was. she had a black or blue t-shirt under that, and what looked like purple strech pants.. someone up closer can probably tell me im wrong. the rest of the band was in black, except the drummer had some kind of white logo on his shirt, for what im not sure.

so anyway... i wont go on anymore, this probably isnt a good summery of the show.. but i bet there will be some others..

From Shadow (Posted to the rec.music.tori-amos newsgroup)

July 30, 1998 - This is something I wrote to a friend after the concert here.. .

your sitting in a colesium ... its night .. about 10:10 .. there are about 8,000 people there .. and you are in the 5th to back row .. so you can see most of them ..

the stage is dark .. you can here the crew still setting up .. two *huge* violet velvet curtains surround the crowd and eliminate your view behind the stage ..lights are very low .. but you can see the faces of those around you .. and of those in the isles across where the stairs are lit from overhead ..

the conversation is loud ... but not uncomfortably so ..and the energy is *very* high as people anticipate the show ... suddenly you get a *massive* chill ... and about 35% of the crowd goes quiet .. and begins looks around .. The only way you can describe the sensation is that you are one battery .. in a pack of 5000 .. and someone just plugged you in ...

you sense those in the group *with* you .. but not nearly as much as you sense the "light" that was plugged into you .. It was magic .. Tori just reached out and "tapped" us .. and the smiles .. in the crowd .. as those who are sensitive *felt* her do it .. it was indescribable

Tori is truly the Fairies Muse .. an etheral beauty with a voice drawn from the dreams of 10,000 poets ...

From Lenny Dickens

July 27, 1998 - So after reading the sight I am not able to say much about the different songs Tori Played at the Cincinatti Show because that topic has already been covered. But I must say it was the best Tori show I have ever seen. And b the way, At the Meet and Greet i gave Tori a letter and in it i asked her if "Pretty Good Year" could come out and play tonite because whe was my favourite girl. And when she introduced the song I was so happy. But then she said "this boy asked me to play this for him tonite; so this is for him." That made me very happy. Well, that's all.

From Brad and Marsh Shultz

July 27, 1998 - I'm not much of a reviewer but Marsha (wife) and I put in a long day for a couple of old farts to see Tori in Cincy. In fact we were so wiped that we took off today from work. Here are some random comments.

Tori had some real crowd competition Tuesday night as Van Halen and Kenny Wayne Sheppard were playing at Riverbend, Paula Cole was at Bogart's downtown and the OZZfest was nearby. Despite that, the crowd was nice size, and subdued IMHO. The Atlantic marketing people must know how many tics they expect to sell because they configured the Crown perfectly for the crowd size.

Our seats were center stage but upper deck front row. Perfect sound and good view with binocs. We were only a few feet from the sound board and were able to observe Mark Hawley at work. He a very small guy (like Tori) and his hair isn't as dark as the weddding photos. Either nobody recognized him or people were respecting his privacy because we saw nobody trying to chat with him. There were a couple security people near him though. Marsha thinks he's a lot better looking in person than in the photos.

Contrary to popular view, I like PT without the band. Tori blisterd the Bosey during Cornflake Girl. All the CGH songs she played were wonderful, almost without exception, better than the cd. We liked this version of CALS better than the way she played it in the DDI tour. She didn't sing the high part in Take to The Sky. Sang it an octave lower. Throat probs? We were surprised there was no Upside Down since it has Cincy in the lyrics. iieee was incredible. Especially the loud part. The drums were too loud on Cocaine, drowning out her voice.

I have no clue where the hell she can take her act from here. She's surprised us in the past but I predict after this one is over she's gonna hiatus for real and make babies. After all, she'll be an old fart pretty soon too.

From Lina Vitkauskas

July 27, 1998 - I'd just like to start out by saying that as someone who absolutely adores Tori but has never seen her in concert, this was a phenomenal de-flowering. >:)

When FTCH came out, I was a little dispapointed. I had just come off the "Boys For Pele" high of gospel choirs and harpsichords, and I was very reluctant to hear Tori venture into the subtleties of electronica. I had come wanting to hear "Cruel" and "She's Your Cocaine" off FTCH and hoped that she would jump into the obscure stuff..you know, "My Samurai" and "Upside Down" (which I'm suprised she didn't play if for any other reason that she says 'Cincinnati' in the song)...BUT MAN!

She blew me away. I mean, I can't stop listening to it. I can't stop listening to "i i e e e" and "Black Dove(January)". Everyone I knew kept saying that "Jackie's Strength" would be the powerful ballad off the album...it is indeed "Black Dove(January)" that superceeds it. In intensity and gentleness, lyrically and musically, after hearing it live...wow.

I was amazed by the clarity and tightness of the band. She did seem a little under the weather at first, a little low energy, but you could tell she was giving it her all and it was amazing! It was like watching her conquer all adversity right there on stage...her voice was sultry, sexy, clear and poised and mystical...she never lost step.

Watching her play both the keyboard and the piano simultaneously at points in the show was wonderfully intriguing to see, too. She just has fun with these guys and maintains a polished, professional sound with the various dynamics throughout.

She got a little orgasmic there! She did the breathing heavy thing at the end of a couple of songs and it was hot and then was almost comical in way. She's got such a quirky personality onstage, it's as if she's mocking herself at times...I can't tell you how much I love watching the complexities of such a woman be played out on a stage via her music and words. She is a true artist...I have officially had my virginity taken away....

From BRAD RYAN

July 27, 1998 - July 22, 1998- Yesterday was like my greatest fantasy day brought to life. I spent the entire time with one line in Cornflake Girl going through my head: "This is not really happening." Then my friends would say, "You bet your life it is." Now that I looke back, all I can say is, "You bet your life it did!"

We all arrived at The Crown at 1:00. My mom and her friend became quick friends with the head of security, who nicely explained what was going to happen. My friend, Elizabeth, and I made moved up to the barricade which was the best move I've ever made. Elizabeth and I anxously waited for the moment. We tried not to get our hoped up, but after talking to our new friends, the time went fast, and finally Tori came. Everyone in the front row was crying. I got to talk to Tori briefly, hugged her, and she signed my Little Earthquakes. I still can't belive it, but I'm so glad it did.

The Devlins were probably one of the best opening acts I've ever seen. Their music was pretty good. I tried to be as respectful and attentive as possible, but it's hard to stay focused when you know that you're moments away from seeing Tori!

We had a perfect view of the stage. Tori came out and it was so amazing. She went right into Precious Things which was so intense. It was my first Tori concert, so I really can't compare any of these songs to past experience, but I did think all of her songs wer e powerful and magical. The lights added to the effect.

Then she did Spark which was great to see live after seeing it performed on Letterman and Leno. She introduced the band and went right into one of my favorites, Cornflake Girl. I wish more of the audience would have danced during this song.

I was just as surprised as everyone else that she sang Pretty Good YEar. The audience was so quiet during this song. Everyone's eyes were glued to her, and the words came out so beautifully. It was over and I looked at my mom and said, "Wow." I was so moved. The second surprise was Caught A Lite Sneeze, because I know that this is another song that she hasn't done a lot on this tour. It was also fantastic. Playboy Mommy was another song that just gripped the audience. I think people just knew that this is one of those songs in which the upmost respect needed to be given to Tori. It's not a song to laugh and talk through. It's a song that Tori sings to release the pain of her loss. I was happy to hear this song, but also sad that Jackie's Strength wasn't going to be played. Liquid Diamond was gorgeous. It looked like an absolute dream. The lighting, smoke, pink flashing bulbs, and bubbles just gave the song a better feel.

Then it was time for Tori ti be alone with us. I was thrilled that she sang Take to the Sky. It is one of my favorite B-sides and she performed it very well. Leather was my mom's favorite. The piano solo was great. I really enjoyed this personal time during the show.

Honey, Crucify, iieee, and The Waitress finished the main set. The end of The Waitress had me in absolute awe. I was so energized.

She came back on with Black-Dove and Raspberry Swirl. I danced and danced. I had such a great time.

The second encore began with She's Your Cocaine. I kept on dancing. It was so much fun. I enjoyed being able to get up and move to the music. She concluded with a wonderful version of Horses that I hope gets recorded someday soon. It was a beautiful song to finish off the best day of my life.

From Sara

July 27, 1998 - Hey Mike! Last night's performance was amazing.(I think you know since I saw you at the Meet and Greet).

Tori showed up about 4:45 for the meet and greet, Caton had entered about 20 minutes before. I was in the front row with my best friend and the people who we met at 11:30 am when we showed up,< Hi Lori and Stacy!> I did get to hug her and get an autograph and she was really sweet and trying to get as much people as she could.

and bought seats in the 7th row on the floor. The Devlins were pretty good, but by their last song I was getting anxious to see Tori. Well, 30 minutes later she came on and my heart stopped beating. She started with Precious Things and my mouth was forever hanging to my knees. The performance was amazing. She did talk to the audience about Greg, and how he's doing better and dedicated Pretty Good Year to another boy in the audience. I can't review EVERY song, but all around, it was the most amazing expeirence of my life.

From Ashley Blaize (posted to precious-things mailing list)

July 27, 1998 - I just got in from seeing my first ever Tori show in Cinncinati on the 21st. I must say that it was one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever been through. After the show, actually before the first encore, we went down to where she was doing a meet and greet. I got her to sign my Litte Earthquakes album booklet and she asked me for my name and everything. I thought I could die from the shock and happiness I experienced.

From Rhiannon (posted to various Tori mailing lists)

July 27, 1998 - Hello out there in Tori Land, it is I. Who am I? I am Rhiannon. YES from the Fleetwood Mac song. Anyhoo, I was at the July 21 Cincy show and here is my sTori:

My boyfriend Kevin thankfully bought the tix the day they went on sale. Then he won almost the same amount back in the lottery the same day. I am from Indianapolis, he's from Hamilton Ohio originally so we left from indy on July 20. We stayed at his parent's house. The next day there we are, entering the Crown. I made him buy me a program because all i could afford was the black $25 tee. I wanted the black $37 one, but he wouldnt lend me money. Kevin is SO stingy. They also had a gray long sleeved shirt, a white tank top, and a baby tee, and the notorious Raspberry swirl girl necklace, which Kevin also refused to help me buy. Hey don't get me wrong here, Kevin IS a great guy. I'm just greedy.

Anyhoo, we look for our seats and find that they're waaaaaaay up there in 203 row R. i had no idea how bad they were. and i'm afraid of heights. it was hot up there and people were screaming at the Devilins to get off the stage. Real Tori fans we got here. Didn't see the whole Devilins set, got there in the middle of it. So we're sitting there, and my boy is bitching cuz he has no leg room. Up comes this usher lady and asks us if we would like to move closer. Oh, hell yes, i said with out hesitation. So down, and to the left, we went to sec. 134 row M. And that's also strange cuz 134 is my dorm room this year.... anyways, it was on the left side of the stage but it was a hellova lot better than Antarctica. Beggers can't be choosers like the saying goes. I was supposed to meet Sariah there, but i didn't, long story (Sorry Sariah =(((((((( ). So we sat there and waited patiently. All the sudden this guy near me carrying a beer went "WOOOOOOOOOO" and people like caught on. If you were there you should remember this. I was thinking, "What the hell are they all WOOOing about?" And a second later BOOM! down go the lights. My first Tori show was about to begin!!! Out came the band, and I was looking for Tori, I heard screams but didn't see her at first. She was clad in this neet gold glittery vest (i'd attempt to spell the material but i cant and who cares). and what seemed to be a tight black long sleeved top and tight navy blue pants. I couldnt see too well.

Ok the ramble stops here. I'll make the rest as brief as possible. The lighting was a trip... each song had it's own spectacle of lights. Liquid Diamonds had bubbles to give us the underwater feel. The finale, Horses, had spots on the 3 disco balls and i felt like i was in a trance. I really liked the power of Raspberry Swirl in the first encore. Many people were dancing. Her solos, Take to the Sky and Leather, were awesome. I can tell she really enjoys her intimate moments with the audience, but she sure can bring down the house with the boys. I had this feeling she would open with Precious Things cuz of the ABC 4th of July concert, and that's one of my faves. The only time i really saw her face was when she played Spark, cuz the piano faced the right. I secretly hoped she'd play Upside Down because she mentions Cincinnati, but she didn't. I just like the song, too. All in all, a great set.

I knew it was good when Kevin admitted he liked it. He's always bashing Tori, saying it's "lesbian" music. So, lesbians listen to her, but that doesn't make it "gay" music, I constantly defended. He would say he was joking and didn't mean it. Bah. Well, at least he'll stop bashing her NOW, after seeing her live and feeling her music. I know I am a little different now.

From j'ason

July 27, 1998 - Hi all, i just got back from the Cincinnati show, and i must say it was AMAZING. A wonderful set list, lots of different songs than the phenomenal Chicago show sunday night. so, here it is:

Cincinnati, Ohio 7-21-98
Precious Things
Spark
Cornflake Girl
Pretty Good Year
Caught a Lite Sneeze
Playboy Mommy
Liquid Diamonds
Take to the Sky (solo)
Leather (solo)
Honey
iieee
The Waitress
Encore 1:
Black-Dove (January)
Raspberry Swirl
Encore 2:
She's Your Cocaine
Horses

The show was excellent. Not as loud as Chicago, though, but still pretty loud. The band is fantastic. blah blah i'm not gonna write a review i'm soooo tired. i can't wait till august :)

From Kelly Stitzel

July 22, 1998 - Hi Mike! What can I say. It's been the most wonderful day! I think I'm just now coming down off my high, which I've been on since Monday night as I was preparing for this show. I'm tired, I know I am, but I'm just not noticing. I'm just so happy at this moment.

Well, let's see. My day started when my friend Raphaelle and I got to the Crown at around 3:00 or so. We walked around until we found the crowd for the Meet&Greet (we later found out that the guy that had her ticket, which he won off the radio, also had passes to a special meet & greet and he didn't go. He said she played two songs and sat and talked to the crowd, while waiting for him and his guest to show. When we heard this we almost puked!). Once we found everyone, I started meeting and talking to some really wonderful Ears with Feet. I saw Karen, who came to my store to talk to me, and my friend Julie. Then, I saw you guys (Mikewhy, Danica, Stacey and j'ason for clarification). It was so wonderful to finally get to meet you guys. I also met a couple of other Toriphiles, names I don't know, when we were getting smushed trying to get near Tori. I made her a basket full of lip gloss from my store (The Body Shop) and wrote her a letter, which some nice Toriphiles gladly passed up to her. She got it and I was so pleased. I made a deal with myself that I wasn't going to get really upset if I didn't get to talk to her, just as long as she got my letter. In it, I asked her to play Alamo. She didn't, but a girl's gotta try. I got some pictures, which I really hope turn out and then it was over.

After the Meet & Greet, a few of us went to eat and rest. We ran into this guy on our way to our car to drop of my camera that had a polaroid he had taken of him and Tori at The Cincinnatian, which I guess was where she was staying. It was cute and he was really excited, which made it even cuter. I don't know who he was, but I was really happy for him. We went to a Wendy's to eat, but I just wasn't as hungry as I had thought. We ran into a few other Ears with Feet at Wendy's. I can't remember everyone's names, but I do remember Lenny (I hope that was his name) and the guy who got his gnome autographed.

Then, we headed back up to the box office. My friend Julie had her purse stolen a couple of weeks ago and her ticket was in her wallet. She had to hassle with the lady at the box office because she was supposed to get a voucher or something. She finally got everything fixed and was able to sit in her seat (2nd row floor, lucky bitch). The person who was supposed to meet me at the show and sit next to me never showed, but I didn't end up sitting alone because my friend that I came with sat with me.

The Devlins came on at 8:00. They weren't bad, but I wasn't really paying attention to them because I was having some seating problems. The songs I did manage to listen to were pretty good and they weren't too hard on the eyes (heehee). The went off and I just chilled during the intermission. I was in the wrong seats for a while, but just long enough for Mark Hawley to walk by TWICE! The first time, I kind of did a double take. The second time, I knew it was him because I watched him go up to the sound booth. How cool! She came on around 9:30.

When the band came out and started playing, I was so excited that I just didn't catch on at first that it was Precious Things. I had figured she might open with that one, but it wasn't until she started playing that I knew. She was wearing black pants, a black bodysuit, black boots, and a sparkly apron-type thing, which is probably the same thing she wore in Chicago from what I hear. PT was very lively and up and the band looked like they were having a great time, especially Caton. I must say, he looked so cute in his sunglasses and baseball cap. I have such a crush on him, even though he's a lot older than me :)

She then went straight into Spark, which I recognized right away. It had an extended intro, which was really cool and it sounded so wonderful live. She then introduced the band as her brothers and told everyone who they were. Then it was Cornflake Girl. I was so excited to hear this live with the band. It was very lively with lots of improvised lyrics scattered throughout. Then she told a story about Greg and his letter and the picture he drew of himself with a rose dripping blood. She said she wasn't sure what he was going to do to himself and that they had gotten an email from him recently and he's okay. She also said a nice boy had requested this song (Lenny? Was it you?). She played Pretty Good Year, which was so beautiful. Lots of really great lighting during the "hard" section of the song. Very cool.

When I heard the intro of the next song, I about had a heart attack because I was so damned excited. I had just been telling Mikewhy and his crew that I was jealous of the people that got to hear Caught a Lite Sneeze on this tour. I just couldn't believe she was playing it at MY show. It was great with the band, but she did it on only piano, which was kind of weird. Not bad, just weird. I wondered if maybe she couldn't have played part of it on the keyboard with something sounding like the harpsichord, but it was excellent nontheless.

She then went right into Playboy Mommy which is just superb live. Really beautiful and heartwrenching. After that it was Liquid Diamonds, which had the added effect of bubbles. I think some of the bubbles were attacking Jon Evans because I saw him start laughing and kind of swatting at them. Wonderful song live.

Next, it was secret time. She started by saying that the boys go off and we do something on our own. Then she said that she hadn't done this show yet on the tour and everybody had been asking for it. Take to the Sky was beautiful and Tori's voice was absolutely gorgeous. I'm really glad she did this without the band becuase it sounds so good. Then she did Leather, at which Raphaelle and I were so excited. Leather holds a lot of special memories for us. Secret time was much fun.

The band came back and did Honey, which was so incredible. I love this one with the band. It adds so much. Next was Crucify. At first I didn't recognize this song. It sounded different to me, but was great all the same. I can't describe it right now, but it was a lot of fun. Next came my favorite girl off FTCH, iieee. This song was powerful live, a slower, more sensual beat than on the record. It also had a great instrumental break towards the end and had some improvised lyrics, too. I was worried she wasn't going to play this one and breathed a sigh of relief when she did.

Next was The Waitress. What can I say about this? AMAZING. I agree with everything Danica said about this song at the Chicago show. I don't know exactly how long it was, but it was just rockin'. I love this version, especially with the "hang ten" lyrics. Very powerful.

Tori and the guys then came up to the front of the stage and bowed and then went off. They came back and started Black-Dove, which kind of shocked me. Since she didn't open with this, I didn't expect to hear it. Leave it to Tori to surprise us. This song was also really great live and I'm really glad she played it.

Raspberry Swirl was next and I just couldn't stay in my seat. We got up and did some serious booty-shakin'. I thought more people, especially floor people, would be groovin', but they were just kind of swaying. Weird.

She left again, this time reaching down to touch people in the audience. The band came back and launched into She's Your Cocaine. When Tori came back, she danced all the way to her piano, the closest we're gonna get to the Cornflake Dance (now the Cocaine Dance? Heehee!) I simply adore this song live. More people were dancing to this one, which I was happy to see. Everyone was on their feet now. After Cocaine, the disco balls started turning and I knew what was next. Kind of a good thing, too, because I wouldn't have known until she started singing that it was Horses. I loved this version and I agree with Mikewhy that it's haunting. It's going to be weird now to here the original version after hearing the new version. The show was then over, a perfect ending to my perfect day.

Well, I think everything is starting to catch up with me now and I'm really tired and hungry (I really shouldn't eat this late though). I'm going to sign off now. I had a really great time meeting all the really nice Toriphiles today and if she comes back around this way on the tour, I hope to see you all again. I hope you guys have a great time in Cleveland (I wish I could go)!

From peter zubaty

July 22, 1998 - ood show, but the one at aranoff was better. saw you there tonight. she's still a great one, but i prefer intimate shows. it was, however, the best concert i've ever seen at riverfront coliseum. they did a great job overcoming the acoustical difficulties that the miserable arena presents. i will go see her the next close by show.