North American Plugged '98 Tour
Columbia, SC
October 20, 1998
Updated October 31, 1998
|
|
North American Plugged '98 Tour
|
|
Check Out The Reviews And Set Lists Page Tori performed in Columbia, SC on October 21, 1998 at the Township during the main North American leg of her Plugged '98 tour.  Set ListTori performed Winter, Cooling, Graveyard and Hey Jupiter solo. Special thanks to Eva, Sara Neeves, Alicia, SugarTori, Kim Corpening and Keith in Raleigh for helping me get the exact set list. Precious Things 1st Encore: 2nd Encore: |
ReviewsThe most recently added reviews are first. From Heather ParsonsOctober 31, 1998 - So I'm finally sitting down to write about the Columbia show. (sigh) This is going to be long. =) Sorry, but I just had SUCH a good time, and everything about October 20 will be ingrained into me for the rest of my life, it was that amazing. Me, my friend Deborah (who I met through the Dent's Registry--we're both North Carolina preacher's daughters, so go figure, eh? lol) and my fiance Terry left Raleigh for Columbia around 9:30 am so we could try and be in Columbia for the Meet and Greet. This was Deborah's first Tori show ever (she was unable to make it to the Raleigh show) and it was Terry's second (his first was the Raleigh show, and while he liked Tori, he wasn't hardcore into her or anything. He's bought the albums--his fave is Under the Pink--and when I asked him how he liked the show he said "It was a lot better than I thought it would be." =I We're talking about a guy whose heroes are Korn and Fear Factory, so I guess I should be content in that response. lol) So under oppressive gray skies and all loaded up with Brueggers and caffeine, we hit the road, and I'd like to endlessly thank Cresta, wonderful fellow Toriphile that she is, for reading her email and calling me right before we left (GREAT timing, Cresta! lol) and giving us directions through Columbia. They were priceless. So as a result, we rolled up into Columbia around 2 in the afternoon, and our first priority was to find the auditorium. So we did just that, and it was the weirdest thing 'cos there was this huge marquee with Tori's name on it, and the other acts were two-bt traveling acts that play fairs or something. I don't know. It was just strange. And my first reaction was, "Oh. My. God. But it's so SMALL!" It was like going from grapefruit to an itty bitty berry. And it was the big brick structre and just really nice, right there on this massively busy street--right ON the frikkin street too. Deborah and I just looked at each other, grinning from ear to ear, going "Oh God." Sign one that this was going to be a great day. After spotting the auditorium, we went down the street to this fast food seafood place (ala Long John Silver's or something) and I could tell we were not in the good part of town, 'cos I had to get a key to use the bathroom. Eh. In a fast food place. What's more is that there were these big signs on the doors stating in no uncertain terms to LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND YOU and NOT TO LET ANYONE INSIDE WHO KNOCKS (as if). Oh, and to hang onto belongings. Needless to say, we got the food and ran. We went to wait for Tori. =) We got to the auditorium, and snagged a prime parking spot right in front of the gate to the backstage door. This is about when I started getting really excited in this shaky insides sorda way. A couple of girls came up and made nice small talk and numbered our hands--20, 21 and 22. They were like, "You will definitely meet Tori, so don't even worry about it." Fantastic. So we waited. They set up the barricades at around three/three-thirty. And they set up the barricades inside to form a sort of box, with all the EWF having their backs to the street. Took some of the pressure off of security that way. Everyone got up there, and while the front row stuck to numbers, I don't think everyone else really did. =) But people were so respectful and just damn NICE. It was SUCH a change from the condescending and rude people at the Raleigh M & G (for the most part). I mean, the atmposphere in Raleigh was so on-edge and high-strung, and I really think it was because of security. Just having all these big guys in the yellow Creek shirts standing around looking at us as if we may all go nuts at any minute was just oppressive. It stifled the feeling of the thing for me. They were major assholes. Everyone here was just laidback and talking to each other, and we all joked around. God, it was refreshing. Jessica and Jenna, two other Tori fans I met online, showed up around this time, and we all just had such a blast. There were only about, I'd say, thirty people there by this point. By the end, it was about fifty. But it didn't seem that way because everyone was so well-mannered and non-pushy. Just a great crowd. People in front were like, "We'll move over so you people can see Tori" and all like that. I wanted a big group hug, I swear to god. =) I ended up being on the far left, sorda catty-cornered on the barricade at the front. The guy in front/next to me was so great. His name was Shannon and he was holding hardback copy of "Death: The High Cost of Living" by Neil Gaiman, and I'd gotten my copy signed at the Raleigh M & G by Tori (she wrote the intro, for those who may not know) and I asked to see it 'cos I'd never seen that particular cover, and I opened it, and lo and behold, my guts just about came out onto the ground. It was autogrpahed by Mr. Gaiman himself--"Shannon, Don't die, Neil Gaiman." and (AND!!!) artist Dave McKean, who does the covers for the Sandman anthologies and did the Vertigo tarot deck. Brilliant man. I wanted to hit the guy over the head and run off with it. He was getting Tori's sig to round it off. God, I hated him. =) So we talked about Sandman and everything, and Neil's new anthology "Smoke and Mirrors" and then Steve came up and gave us the rules but it was so unnecessary 'cos everyone was just MELLOW, swear. But he's gotta have something to do, and he told us Tori would be there at any minute. So we waited s'more, and she finally came. I just have to say this: her outift was the shit. Everyone was talking about it for the rest of the night, and I got a lot of full-body shots of it (as did Deborah) and I'll try to get 'em up soon, 'cos it was just so great. It was this knee-length gray/black skirt with fuzzy stuff along the hem, and then this long-sleeved blue linen shirt with white collar and cuffs, these totally knock-you-on-your-ass suede/leather (couldn't quite tell) knee-high heeled boots (black) and GLASSES! I was so pleased! I wear glasses, and here she is with these tiny wire famed glasses and her hair up in a sloppy ponytail! She looked absolutely gorgeous. So my heart's going a million miles a second as she's walking up arm in arm with Joel. Everyone sort of moved forward, and she comes straight toward me and Shannon. Shannon said later that he was just like, "A-duh!" and I'd have to say those were my sentiments exactly. =) lol She signed Shannon's copy of Death, and then she leans right toward me. Okay, so I had rehearsed in my head what I had wanted to say. After much consideration, I had decided upon, "Thank you for playing 'Tear In Your Hand' at the Raleigh show Sunday night." Not too many syllables. Short. To the point. I didn't want to go into a long spiel about how she's affected my life because I just don't know how many times a day she hears that, y'know? And that is in no way meant to belittle people who DO do that, but with my tendency to ramble (as you can see) I just knew I'd make a great big fool of myself. So Tori is standing right in front of me, smiling at me with her warm, generous mouth and sparking crystal blue eyes, looking completely and utterly beautiful, and I went completely blank. I lost all mental capacities right there. All that I could see in my mind's eye in that space of a few seconds was me sitting in my lavendar room in the seventh grade, hearing "Crucify" on the radio for the first time, and then that same week, seeing the video on MTV--this gorgeous woman spread on her piano bench, playing the piano with more passion than Eddie Van Halen could ever wish to have with his damn guitar. See me listening to Little Earthquakes every damn day for a year, taking solace in Tori after my father had become a minister and I was havng all these questions about who I was and what I believed. She has personified everything I have wanted to be as a woman, and just...I can't even explain, and I really think it was right then that I realized what she has done for me as a person. People can say all they want that Tori's a kook and she's "just" a musician. Y'know what? So fucking what. You can go to church is you want to, and maybe Jesus does something for you. He was a prophet, true enough, and I think Tori is a creative one in a certain aspect. I'm not trying to inflate her to Goddess status or anything, but she speaks to ME and I am not the only one, folks. God KNOWS I'm not the only one, as we all can attest to. That's all that matters to me. So Tori says "Hi" in this wonderful, mildly scratchy voice, and all I can muster because I'm afraid I'll start crying if I try to say my TIYH spiel, is "Hi" and I hand her my Winter disc and she signs it along the back of the Tori in the picture and goes to hand it back, Steve right over her shoulder the whole time. At this second, I remembered where I was and I reached back and moved Deborah forward. Deborah sculpts, and she had sculpted the most beautiful naked girl fairy sitting on a black rose, and Deborah kinda leaned forward and said, "May I give this to you?" And Tori's face just lit up and she took it and said, "Oh, of course, thank you. Oh god, she's absolutely GORG." Steve was looking at it as if it may explode at any moment but Tori just cradled it. She reached back over and took Deborah's hand and asked her her name and she said it and Tori said, "Thank you, Deborah." It was such a beautiful moment. Deborah was on Cloud Nine. We couldn't stop hugging. =) And thanks to the really cool girl who had a Polaroid and got a pic of Tori holding Deborah's statue with Deborah's head in the picture. She gave it to her afterwards, so now Deborah has a cool reminder. And double thanks to all the people who passed down Deborah's lithograph to get signed after she forgot to give it to Tori! =) Those guys rocked! And they made sure Tori personalized it which was just incredibly cool of them. Jessica, I swear to god the crowd parted like the Red Sea for ya girl! Tori just spotted her and it was this total "Can I get a hug?" moment. It was really funny and Tori was all smiles. Terry, with his usually bland response to everything, was gushing like a girl afterwards. It was hysterical. "She touched my hand! She asked how I was doing! She is the SHIT! Augh!" Shannon hung out for a while and we listened to the entire soundcheck, and to let you know how anal the Creek was in comparison, we were sitting on the side exit, where we could see inside the auditorium, and the security guys could see us right through the window (we could have touched them, they were that close) but all they did was smile and wave at us. It was great! Tori did Muhammed My Friend, Past the Mission (which one of the guys told us she would definitely play because there was a mission right down the street from the auditorium), Spark and a snippet of Girl. The Girl thing was weird, 'cos Deborah and I were just singing along to everything, and the notes sounded and we just automatically started singing, not realizing it was a song she has yet to do in concert! Maybe she'll pull that one out of her bag of tricks for a future show. The radio station in Columbia had a contest where a bunch of people got to meet Tori, get their picture taken with her and her autograph. We would catch them on their way out to see their pictures and everyone was really nice about it. (Shout outs to the especially nice ones, Martha and Kristy). Then the most unbelievable thing hapened. We were sitting there, and I was writing down what Tori was playing during the soundcheck, and this guy and this girl walked up, and he was looking at what I was writing and he said something about he was sure she'd play Past the Mission, but he really wished she'd play Honey. And I said, "Oh, wow! Me too!" Plus, it's my bud Sienna's FAVORITE song, and then they left, and then they came back about twenty minutes later and he asked if she'd played anything special yet and I mentioned Girl and then he hands me this tape and says, "This is a boot of the Spartanburg show" And I just stared at him, and he goes, "There's a lot of really great stuff on there, like Space Dog and Purple People, oh and Doughnut Song" and I'm like about to just die right there, I couldn't believe this guy was just giving me something for absolutely no reason. After thanking him profusely, we all just looked at each other because the whole incident just wrapped up completely that this show was absolutely fantastic. The people were just so amazing. The glow just intensified. We met up with Cresta and her husband Dave before the show, and they were really cool. We didn't realize how cool until after the show, when they shacked us up in their apartment for the night. My confidence in fellow human beings just went through the roof. Toriphiles are the greatest, swear to god... Okay, I promise I'm going to talk about the show now. =) After enduring the pathetic and sad screeching of the man outside
playing harmonica and violin and singing extremely badly (I considered
paying him to stop), we went inside, and the Township is just a
beautiful auditorium. Way nicer than Raleigh Memorial. And the best
thing was that even if you were sitting all the way in the back, you
would have been able to see everything much closer than I did with my
shit seats at the Creek in Raleigh. It was so intimate, with these huge
vaulted ceilings (the drummer for the Unbelievable Truth even
complimented on it) and it was just... I didn't comment on the Unblievable Truth last time, and while I think
they're a pretty good band, as people they just seem really nice. The
lead singer (is it Marc Yorke? Matt? Something like that?) and the
drummer were standing near us before Tori came on, and the family
resemblance between the Yorke brothers is stunning. That is the closest
I will ever be to Thom Yorke of Radiohead. The wait for Tori this time was EXCRUCIATING. I just had this very
strong feeling that the show was going to kick my ass more than the
incredible Raleigh show did. So when the band came out, and we all stood
(and the people directly in back of us bitched, and I was like "Look,
Tori is coming out and I am standing, alright?" to myself, of course,
lol) and the opening bars of Precious Things played, everyone was just
shaking in anticipation (or was it just me?) and then Tori walked out
and everyone just went crazy. This reaction set the tone for the whole
show, IMO. The crowd was just amazing for this show. They were so
responsive to everything, in all the right parts and it made me break
out in chills.
Everything about this show was magnified ten times over from Raleigh. It
was sheer technicolor.
The set list...
PRECIOUS THINGS: This version rocked my world even more than Raleigh's.
I mean, the place was so small and you could feel everything in your
seat and the crowd was just going bonkers. You should have seen all the
chikas raise their hand like they were praising the Lord and screaming
when she said "So you can make me cum/that doesn't make you Jesus." It
was way powerful. (Here I go with my limited adjectives again...)
LITTLE AMSTERDAM: I have never liked this song very much, and I've heard
her do it live, and still wasn't very impressed, but this version--maybe
it was the band, I dunno--just reached out and pummeled me. It's Jon and
that bass, it's gotta be. After she said the last, "Mama, it wasn't my
bullet" she reached down and slapped the piano, hard. Loved this
version.
SIREN: Here's where I started getting this way funny feeling in my
stomach. Before I had attended either of the shows, I had a "list" of
songs I really really really wanted to hear live. Top of it were Liquid
Diamonds (because it is my absolute, hands down fave off of FTCH),
Siren, Sugar, Black-Dove and Tear In Your Hand. So this began, much
slower and slinkier than the Great Expectations version, and it was as
if Tori had decided it was time to bleed the song of some of its poison
and inject some sad, melancholy beauty into it instead. It had the feel
of the ocean to it, and was just very mellow. Loved the chorus,
especially.
[I think she introed the band here, but I can't remember...it's what I
get for waiting too damn long to write this thing...]
SUGAR: I didn't recognize this at first, but as soon as I realized what
it was, me and Deborah gripped hands, and I about started crying, 'cos
the song was just...here I go with my limited vocab again...POWERFUL. I
mean, it was as if she was pulling it straight up from the earth. Her
voice was so beautifully guttural in all the right places, and she
knocked the piano during the "hammer" part and the lights lit up the
stage like she was playing for the great universe up in the sky, all
golden and it was as if the sun was coming up behind her or something.
God, it just made me want to melt into the floor and never come back up.
A favorite of the entire night.
HOTEL: This song live kicks so much ass over the album version, IMO.
Something in it translates much better onstage. And the lights
compliment it all so much, 'cos you sorda can't listen to the song
without thinking in color and flashes. The tempo changes are flawless,
and Tori's voice just changes pitch and...god. I just love it. It's
sort of an unexpected thing. I know that sounds dumb, but you know. I
hope a video comes out for this. And I swear to god at one point, she
actually said, "Neil, where are you now?" Did anyone else catch this?
PAST THE MISSION: I hope everyone in the world is able to hear this song
live at one point or another, because it is just sheer ear candy. After
never hearing it live, and with the band, it just hits you right in the
stomach and leaves you breathless. This was another fave of the night. I
was singing softly along to it. It was irresistable. =)
LIQUID DIAMONDS: Okay, so I about had another Tear In Your Hand in
Raleigh coming unglued momnet, but managed to just cry silently. =) This
song is my favorite off FTCH because to me, it encompasses everything
about that particular album and what it is to be a woman. (You can read
my explanation on the Strange Fruit site so I don't bore you here). It
was heartbreakingly beautiful.
SECRET TIME
Tori talked with us a bit, saying that she had decided to do all-request
for the solo part of the show, and people started yelling out "Tori,
play--!" and stuff like that and she got this really amused grin and
waved everyone off all silly-like. It was really funny.
WINTER: How I would love to hunt down the middle-aged acting like they
were drunk couple who were sitting in the row in front us, down to the
side. This song was such a pleasant surprise, and it happens to be
Deborah's favorite and this couple were talking at the top of their
lungs. I couldn't even believe it because everything had been so
wonderful up to that point. So people started shushing them nicely,
subtly--y'know. But then the guy started talking LOUDER. I couldn't
believe my ears! So finally, Deborah said not too nicely, "SHUT UP!" It
was loud too. =) They left and everyone was pleased. So that aside, the
song was gorgeous. I know people complain when people yell on parts of
this song, and there were only two instances where people did, but it
just seemed oddly appropriate at that point. The energy was so intensely
high.
COOLING: My heart about busted out of my chest. I was really hoping to
hear this (or Merman) live, and I was so happy. This song is just
beautiful. Sigh-worthy. A girl yelled "Thank you!" afterwards, so
someone was definitely happy. =)
[Band came back...]
JACKIE'S STRENGTH: Weakest song of the night, IMO. I just never see Tori
feeling this song, it doesn't matter where or when she does it. I don't
know how to explain it. So she seemed to sorda hurry through it, but it
was nice to actually hear the "Beene's got some pot" verse. It always
seem to get cut out when she performs it on TV.
GRAVEYARD: This seemed even shorter than in Raleigh, but still just her
singing solo and haunting.
TEAR IN YOUR HAND: As if hearing it once was not enough! I got all
choked up again but it was easier to control myself this time. This song
is definitely a crowd favorite. Some people stood and grooved, and
others just got down in their seats. I don't know why I worship this
song as I do. I think it's because it's a subtle empowerment song. Plus,
there is a note to her voice when she sings it...like with the "baby
baby babies" and "caught a ride with the moon" verse and the chorus:
"Maybe she's just pieces of me you've never seen." Oh god.
i i e e e: One of the most wrenching moments of the show happened during
this song. First off, hearing this one live turns the place into a
cathedral. I got the coolest imagery in my head from this. And I'm glad
Tori had the button for the background vocals, 'cos they hold so much
ambience for the song. During where Tori clutches her stomach and
improvs, she was looking right at Mark, just STARING at him, rubbing her
stomach and they were toally locking eyes when she said, "You took my
little girl." It was so sad. You could just feel it around both of them.
I've never wanted to have tea with anyone worse in my life than with
those two when I saw that. When they have their first child, it is going
to be so joyous, I just know it. They deserve every happiness they can
get. So sad.
THE WAITRESS: Can I just say for the millionth time that this version
takes the album version, smacks the bitch up, stomps it with its red
high heels and shoves it into some hole somewhere? =) God, it fucking
rocks. Her voice is completely sinister and just floats over the song
like black oil. Terry and Deborah said they don't like this version as
much, but it makes me want to go out and kill...well, I guess, some
waitresses. =) lol I just worship it. And during the hard rocking
ending, which lasts an orgasmic forever, Tori was just going nuts with
the whole "I believe in god/I believe in heaven/I believe you're up
there/I believe you're down there/I believe you're the devil, bitch"
stuff. Can I marry this song? =)
ENCORE I:
SHE'S YOUR COCAINE: HOLY SHIT. That's about all I can manage. Everyone
was standing and everyone was dancing like mad people. Even Terry was
dancing! And he got all irate with me when I pointed this out to him
afterwards when he told me he would NOT dance because it was STUPID and
his reply was something to the effect of, "Well you don't have to talk
about it, fer chrissakes!" =) The "Sweet Leaf" bridge seemed a lot more
obvious to me than in Raleigh. It's like they stopped, played it,
started again. It was soooo cool. Tori did an improv that about caused
the whole place to just come tumbling in when she said "C'mon, I can
take it, take it out, boy, and I'll fuck it again". Man, she was
SEETHING that! And then she shoved the mic so hard it fell. =)
RASPBERRY SWIRL: By the end of this everyone was so exhausted because it
was like Tori's Rave in there. No one stopped moving for the world. It
seemed especially vital tonight. Got Swirled AGAIN. Can't believe it. I
wished it had never ended, that song. I could've danced all frikkin
night...
ENCORE 2:
HORSES: I looooove this version. I mean, the original still hold a very
special magic for me, but this...oh god, it felt like horses, y'know
what I mean? Like the music was moving about the room like a pack of
horses. I sound really idiotic right now, but that's the best way I can
explain it. The disco balls were streaming lights out over everyone, and
the whole thing was just positively magical.
HEY JUPITER (solo): I thought Horses was it, but then she sits down at
the piano, and here's where I started crying. This song is another
favorite--the whole set list could not have been more perfect, IMO--and
it was so haunting and longing and beautiful (and as Tripp pointed out,
she did a lot of Eric songs in the span of three days). It was the
perfect ending for the show. We needed to sorda come down after the
first encore....I had to sit down and cry there.
My only complaint about the end of Tori's shows is that with all the
lights...especially the streamy disco ones...I wish they'd not bring up
the house lights so abruptly. It sorda snaps you out of what you want to
last all night. I like that dreamy quality of leaving the show.
Since we were parked right where the Meet and Greet was, me and Deb sat
on top of her car roof, and watched everyone. There was a big crowd and
a lot of people were obnoxious, ESPECIALLY the moron who snuck through
the fence not once (he just strolled right up to Steve like "Hey, I'm
here to see Tori"), not twice (where he and his friend literally RAN
towards Tori and you've never seen security guys move so fast in your
life), but THREE TIMES, and then had to run like the prick he was 'cos
he would've been arrested that time, I do believe. Shit like that ruins
the experience for everyone else, y'know? Cresta and Dave went up to the
fence and caught a glimpse. There were a ton of people though. I found
the guy yelling at Tori, "Hey! Hey! I'll pay for that pizza!" pretty
damn funny when the Dominos guy showed up. =)
A nice way to end the night was Cresta and Dave's generous offering to
let us poor broke college students crash on their floor. They are two
warm, hilarious (how's the sac Dave?), perfectly wonderful people, and I
look forward to keeping in contact with them for a long, long time.
(Another road trip, Deborah? lol)
I was just overcome with the generosity of the Toriphiles in general
that day. I got the feeling that this is what it's all about, and now I
definitely know why people follow Tori everywhere. After talking
(however brief) with her like that, I am dumbfounded. Yeah, she's a
person, but she's also the person who shaped my high school years. =)
Kinda hard to compromise that, y'know?
I would name my firstborn after anyone who can help me get my hands on a
bottleg of this show. I will erect a shrine to you, I swear to god. I
would. I've already cleared out a corner in my dorm room. My roommate
didn't need her computer anyway. =)
And I would really appreciate if anyone could possibly help me out in
tracking down the nice guy who gave me the boot. He was about 5'11" with
long light brown hair tied back, glasses, and his female companion was
tall, slender and gorgeous. She had short straight blonde hair that came
down to her ears. They apparently had been to several shows this tour,
and anyone who might know him, please let me know. I would really like
to thank him for the very very very good boot of the Spartanburg show.
Thanks for enduring this, folks. I'm sorry it was so long-winded. =) October 27, 1998 - Tori in Columbia was amazing!! It had to be one of the best shows I have seen of her. (The only problem was this couple beside me. They talked
and talked and talked until I told them that if they wanted to talk,
then they needed to go to the fucking movies or something. They didn't
talk much after that.) Anyway...As I was waiting for the meet and greet,
I met some wonderful people(hello Kim Corpening!)Tori spent so much time
at the meet and greet. I was so excited because at the Raleigh show, the
meet and greet wasn't until after the show. I got some great pics. She
was sooo beautiful. Anyway.. Precious Things was awesome as usual. It
makes me so overflowed with emotion that all I can do is sit there and
bawl. This song is so passionate, or at least I think so. I love the
boys with her on this. Little Amsterdam-I was wishing for this so bad
because I hadn't heard it at any show I went to this tour. I loved this
with the band. Siren is one of my personal loves. This is always great.
Sugar was wonderful. I really like this also. Hotel was splendid. I
really like this one live, but I missed the horn thing at the end. Past
the Mission was really good. I have never heard this one live, so it was
a treat. Liquid Diamonds is so beautiful!! I was estatic when she played
Winter. She didn'y play it last time I saw her in Columbia for the Dew
Drop tour, so this was wonderful. Cooling was so incredibly marvelous.
This song is so touching. Jackie's Strength was good, but I have heard
it SOO much lately. Graveyard was so cute. I missed it at another show
this year, so I was glad to hear it. Tear in your hand is my all-time
favorite. I missed it at Raleigh, so I started crying when she played
it. I love this song!! iieee was so good. I love this song live-it is so
loud and powerful. The Waitress is so good, and it is so much longer
than the album version. I love the improv she does. I love the lights.
She's your Cocaine was so awesome. Caton just rocks on this song. I love
the cute way he dances. This song rocks. As soon as Matt puts on his
glow in the dark little antennae thing on I know that it is time for
Raspberry Swirl. When I first heard this song on the album, it took
about a week to get used to, but I'm glad I love it because it just
rocks live. Horses is so different, but so enjoyable. It just flows so
well. Very different, but very good. Last but certainly not least, Hey
Jupiter. It being solo was soooo beautiful. I had tears streaming down
my face, and by now I am sure that that couple beside me thinks that I
am a complete idiot. But that is ok, beacuse I am enjoying the moment.
So, I know this was long, but I know you don't mind long reviews. I had
the most wonderful time at this show, and this is my review. October 26, 1998 - Okay, so Columbia was my 3 show of this tour and overall. My opinion is that while the songs were good and everything Tori just seemed absolutely miserable on stage. She didn't look at the audience much and just seemed to be ready to
cry. During Jackie's Strength I had the overwhelming urge to run up to the
stage and give Tori a hug but I didn't. Another disapointing thing about
the show is that I knew the ENTIRE set list before the show cause I was
sitting in behind the soundboard. Don't get me wrong the show was good, but
Tori just looked miserable.
The meet and greets before and after the show were AWESOME and it was really
cool cause Tori talked to me and Heidi for a while. She also asked if she
could get a pic with the two of us which was cool since she asked us. THe pic
came out terribly adorable. Oh yeah, Tori looked AWESOME and was too cute. October 23, 1998 - When Tori Amos came to the Township Auditorium two years ago during the "Dew Drop Inn" tour, the audience was treated to an intimate
two-hour performance. This year's "Plugged '98" tour, which came to
Columbia on Tuesday, was louder, bigger and, in many ways, better.
Tori, backed by a full band, performed many of the songs from her
latest album, from the choirgirl hotel , along with a wonderful mix of
her older songs.
The songs from the newest album sounded much better live, especially
with the added addition of the band. They stormed through fierce
versions of "Liquid Diamonds," "Hotel" and "iieee." During an encore,
everyone stood up for "She's Your Cocaine" and "Raspberry Swirl," and
Tori seemed to enjoy the audience's enthusiasm for the songs. The
audience was equally enthralled by "Jackie's Strength," the current
single from from the choirgirl hotel.
Some in the press have criticized this tour and the album for it's
apparent lack of intimacy compared to her earlier work. Even though
this is Tori's first tour with a band, nothing was lost. It was just
as powerful to hear "Sugar" with the band as it was to hear it with
the piano, as it is on the "Hey Jupiter" EP. As with "Sugar," a lot of
Tori's songs were transformed for this tour. "Horses," one of the last
songs she did, sounded totally different than it does on Boys For
Pele. The song's melody was changed, making room for the band.
Also, the band allows Tori to perform a wider range of songs during a
show. The audience was ecstatic to hear her do "Tear in Your Hand"
and "Precious Things," from her first solo album, Little Earthquakes.
She also did two songs that were rarely played live before, "The
Waitress" and "Past the Mission," from Under the Pink. All of these
songs were amazing, particularly "The Waitress," which was twice as
long as the album version and even more intense.
Of course, Tori did perform some songs solo on the piano. One of her
best B-sides, "Cooling," was preceded by Tori telling the audience
that the song was intended for Boys For Pele , but never made the
album. Before "Cooling," she did a passionate version of "Winter," a
song she didn't do when she came here in 1996.
The most beautiful moment of the concert was her rendition of "Hey
Jupiter," the show's final song. The whole audience was standing and
everyone was quiet as Tori sang.
The stage itself was sprinkled with special effects, such as flashing
lights and a disco ball. The lights were bright during the more
aggressive parts of songs like "The Waitress," "Precious Things" and
"Siren," and calm during "Horses" and "Little Amsterdam."
"Plugged '98" was an inspiring experience and an amazing one,
considering that Tori gives everything she has in each and every show. October 23, 1998 - Tori continues to get better and batter with the band. The Graveyard/Tear in Your Hand dedication for Matthew Shepard is very moving. She's changed the lyrics to Graveyard to read "I'm coming to the Graveyard, gonna sing
to you, sing you to sleep, think you can hear me even though I'm still
alive, still alive" (paraphrase), wonder if she will continue to perform
this through the rest of the shows.
Only really disappointed by the set list. This show was a near mirror
image of the Charlotte show that I'd already attended, and the rest of the
songs, save for a handful seemed culled from the Raleigh show that I'd
also attended. Perhaps next time the set lists for the Carolinas will be
a bit more unique for the hard core followers.
Cooling was extraordinary. Certainly the highlight of the show for me,
and "She's your Cocaine" was the most inspired performance to date. Of
the three shows this was probably second, with Raleigh blowing it out of
the water, and again the only problem with this show was the redundancy of
the set lists. October 22, 1998 - My reviews
1. OKay-she played Precious Things as the opener to EVERY show I went to this
tour.. (3 in total).. It was just like the other ones.. loud bright lights and
for once a decent growl!
2. Little Amsterdam with the improv was fantab! I wish I could remember the
improv! She was very animate and wonderful! I liked it with the band more than
on the Live in NY video.
3. Siren-Yet again one I heard at every show. This song lacks edge,but I
enjoyed it. The lights were neat!
4. Sugar-WOW! This one was GREAT! So loud and passionate.She did this at the
Charlotte show back in August,but this time around she had more voice and
feeling in it! I loved it!
5. Hotel-I love this song on the album and live.. I missed the wierd horn
things at the end though!
6. Past the Mission-Can we say drool? This song with the band just about
induced ORGASM! It was so .. wow...
7. Liquid Diamonds-ANOTHER one I heard at every show.. it was okay.
8. Winter-sweet,sad like the album
9. Cooling (solo) I was a sob factory during this. It was touching and how she
sang the "this is cooling" layered part alone was really nice because she
alternated between the layers. Also-she left out a verse..
10. Jackie's Strength-Like the album.. her voice sounded a little tired
11. Graveyard-I love this little ditty. It was cute.. she repeated a section.
12. Tear in Your Hand-1000000x better than the album version! She WAILED! It
was so wonderful!
13. iieee- This was just breath-taking. She did this improv IN THE MIDDLE! It
had "taking my LITTLE GIRL" and other topics about her lost child... this was
one of the best,
14. The Waitress-She closed everyshow with this but I loved it everytime.. just
loud craziness and screaming and Tori's lovely heavy breathing.
I apologize I did not see encores... I met her instead. October 22, 1998 - In hotel she changed the line to "Neil, where are you now?"
there was some song (really short) before past the mission, or maybe it was
part of past the mission, I can't read my own notes, too many bright lights.
A lot of teases, flowed so smoothly I would miss them and be left trying to
remember.
ahh well.
after the show, steve came out while tori was signing and handed out blow
pops and signed too. swell guy. lots of fun.
lots of fun was had by all.
and now without further ado my woefully incomplete setlist:
Precious Things
1st Encore: 2nd Encore: October 22, 1998 - She said that her secret time was all request, so she played those and it was really, really great.
It was AMAZING. I can't even put it into words, but I'll try for my
review. =) She also did Past the Mission, Spark and Muhammed My Friend
at the soundcheck, as well as Girl. Girl was pretty short though, so I
don't know what's happening with that. Nice surprise though. The venue
was intimate and the crowd was just INCREDIBLE. Everyone was really
friendly and laidback--a complete change from Raleigh. A WELCOME change.
Some guy we talked to briefly about a song--Honey--just gave me this
bootleg from the Spartanburg show and said to enjoy it. This was just
the entire attitude of everyone at the show. It was fantastic. And Tori
was just beautiful. I have a lot of pictures and I met great
people--I'll write a review either tonight or tomorrow, 'cos I have a
TON to say. =) It was the most amazing day of my life. October 22, 1998 - Past the Mission was beautiful, as was Tear in your Hand. Everything was great, of course, but those two were really masterful last night.
Cooling and Hey Jupiter were breathtaking.
I had asked for Hey Jupiter at the meet and greet--at least I think I
did, I was so flabbergasted to hug her that I may have merely mumbled
incoherent vowel sounds. I had given up hope of hearing it, so when she
played it as the last number, it made me a bit weepy. October 22, 1998 - Tori was just in the best of spirits tonight. She opened the show with Precious Things and as always it was so powerful. When she broke into Little
Amsterdam I thought that I would die. It was so awesome with the band. I have
heard it both ways and of course both are great but with the band is pretty
powerful!! During Sugar she added a little line something like "your just a
pussy boy". Before she played solo she said to the crowd that she had a lot of
request today and just wasn't sure what she was going to play! Of course the
crowd screamed and screamed what they wanted to hear and Tori just swatted her
hand at them and kept saying "ehhh, ehhhh". It was so "Tori Classic"! She
played Winter so beautifuly and extended it quite a bit! It was pretty
awesome. Then she started to play Cooling and left out an entire verse. Oh
well, its her show she can do what she wants!! During The Waitress she once
again added the line "i think your the devil bitch" although it can be
difficult to hear that! And during She's Your Cocaine she added the line "so
take it out and fuck it again"! The crowd went crazy. At previous shows when
Tori sings Rasberry Swirl there are usually a few people that get up and dance
but at this show everyone was on there feet and moving... it was so powerful!
And she closed this awesome show with Hey Jupiter solo. And of course it was
perfect! And so is Tori. October 22, 1998 - I'll only concentrate on the songs that really struck me, even
they were all excellent, as always.
She opened with Precious Things, which I always like to hear her do with the
band, because there's so much energy. Tori had come to emote all over the
place, douse us in it almost. I wonder what she was feeling with her "Jaguar
Eye" when she stepped onto the stage . . .
I was shocked when she went into Little Amsterdam, but it sounds better with
the band. It's a tighter affair than the way she played it during the Dew Drop
Inn tour. It shows how much she's always reworking the songs and taking them
in new directions.
One of the things I was most looking forward to was hearing her play "Hotel"
and it was incredible. She really wrapped herself in the music and it seemed
to make the song even more hypnotic than it already is. It's Tori's Ride of
The Valkyries.
And then she did Sugar and I had seen her do this one before, but the middle
killed me. When she went into her "Sweet boy . . ." improv in the middle, she
spat out: "You're just a pussy." I'd never heard her do anything like that, so
I was happily taken aback.
I enjoyed hearing "Past the Mission" with the band; that was another one I
was really looking forward to hearing because I knew she'd played it recently.
It's another fine example of how wonderful some of her girls sound with the
boys in the band behind them.
For her quiet time with the audience she played "Winter" and "Cooling." As
always, hearing her play "Winter" live sends all of my rational emotions into
orbit, and allowing my guts to be tied up in warm knots. That song is one of
those that I never get tired of hearing her play live. It's so full of the
many things she's about. Then, before Cooling she said she'd written the song
while living on a bridge. I wasn't on the water and I wasn't on the land, she
said. I assumed this to be that barge house of her's I've seen in pictures.
Then she started. My friend and I agreed she did it with a much stronger
sounding voice, not the airy vocals of the recording that seem to swirl around
you like mist.
Then the boys came back out and Tori went into Jackie's Strength and
commenced with the rest of her show.
She did an incredible version of iieee. That's another song that I really
enjoy hearing her play live, especially the end when it seems as though she
will explode from everything she's trying to convey with her voice. And the
wafting notes of her keyboard aren't half bad, either.
I really liked hearing "Tear in Your Hand" because I hadn't heard her play it
since the Sneak Preview show in Atlanta back in May. That's always been one of
favorite songs and I'm glad to hear her playing it.
As The Waitress started, Tori was conductor on her wild ride once again. This
is another testament to how great she and the band sound. The song is edgier
and more atmosheric than on Under the Pink. It sounds like Tori is really
plotting to kill someone. But the ending she does live is what manages to make
me quake every time. At the Township, however, she changed it up by coming to
a climax ranting not only "I believe in the devil, bitch" but "I belive in
her/I believe she's in me" Then she politlely began breathing heavily into her
microphone and seconds later threw it away and left the stage.
The first encore began with "She's Your Cocaine," which is my personal
favorite from the album (unfashionable though that may be). I always liken it
to what Tori would be like if she were close to someone like, say, Ziggy
Stardust. But playtime slowly dripped away until by the end of the song, she
was growling about having no "Shame," instead of the Ah-Ah-Ahs. And ended it
saying something like . . . so take it out, boy, and fuck it again. Then she
began more heavy breathing and this time threw the microphone across the poor
Bosendorfer when she'd had enough. I had to pick up myself up after that one
because I felt (and so did my friend) as though we'd just been violated in a
most delicious way.
Raspberry Swirl was next, with the Township becoming Tori's own little rave.
She got into the ending so much that she kept singing the "Swirl, Girl" part
over and over. It's fantastic and Matt is sooo adorable with his little hard
hat with light-up stars. That about says it all then, eh?
She began the second encore with Horses and I wasn't expecting that. With all
those disco balls shooting little streams of light everywhere, her reworking
of the song always gives me the sensation I'm floating.
After that, she did Hey Jupiter as a solo and it was beautiful. It was a nice
song to pick for an ending of the show. It was like a kind of come-down. And
after that, I got the feeling I always get at one of her shows: that I want it
to keep going. October 21, 1998 - The Columbia show rocked. Just wish it would have been a little longer, but don't we all wish that for Tori concerts? Highlights of the show were Little Amsterdam, Cooling, and an awesome finish with Hey Jupiter. Tori mentioned
before Cooling that she wrote this song while she was "living by a little
bridge. Not on land, not on water, but by [under?] a bridge." Interesting.
Also, during the meet and greet, she mentioned that there was a Neil reference
on the new album. Just thought you'd like to know these tidbits.... October 21, 1998 - the show was the best i have seen since the sneak preview show in atlanta!!! this was the third since then. the sound was incredible and she seems to be branching out. tear in your hand was sooo good, i could not believe she did
it. we got to see past the mission, cooling, siren, she's your cocaine,
horses, hey jupiter, ras swirl, little amsterdam,precious things (she opened
with this again but it was fantastic as always, it sounds so good with the
boys.) hotel was FLUORESCENT, the waitress( oh such bright lights!), liquid
diamonds. i may be missing a few but the show was incredible!!!! we got to
meet at the meet & greet before and after and she seemed to spend more time
than usual at the earlier one. we got autographs and after the show, hopefully
got some great photos(would send them but dont have that ability on the web.)
have fun in nash. the show will be awesome!!!!!! |
|
Go Back To The Reviews And Set Lists Page
Please give me feedback, comments, or suggestions about my site. Email me (Michael Whitehead) at mikewhy@iglou.com |
