Tori performed in Wolverhampton, U.K. on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 at Wolverhampton Civic Hall. The opening act was Howie Day.

Set List

Thanks to Alison Zemell, lucy, rachel, steve ntl and Shiri The girl from Israel for first sending me the set list! You are all so wonderful. :)

Wampum Prayer
a sorta fairytale
Little Amsterdam
Talula
Lust
Sweet Sangria
Past The Mission
Pancake
Wednesday

Band leaves

Leather
Cloud On My Tongue
Desperado (Eagles cover!)

Band returns

Honey
Cornflake Girl
Suede
Don't Make Me Come To Vegas
Precious Things
I Can't See New York
Iieee

1st Encore

Crucify
Virginia

2nd Encore

Mary
Playboy Mommy

Reviews

The latest reviews are at the bottom of this page. For more reviews, please check out the Dent's Tour Reviews Forum. (I will eventually move the forum reviews to this web page as well.) Please post your own review if you were at this show!

From theboywil:

Man, those setlist guys are quick....

Tonight at wolves rocked... My first since the little earthquakes thing at the Brum Town Hall back in 92 (she seems to out miss NZ)... But it was well worth the wait..

Can't believe she played Past the mission & leather the only one missing for perfection would have been Jupiter... Still can't ask for everything...

Shame there was no standing allowed even at the end of the rows... my bladder & need to dance (all be it seatwise) meant I felt as though I was irritating the neighbours... sorry for anyone I inconvenienced... but still fantastic night...

The light show was fantastic especially during New York

The whole night was good feeling... I was holding a young girl throughout the encore, nice to see a child who really seemed in the spirit... and was gracious enough to offer thanks at the end...

Ahhh... not much of a comment on the night other than... I wish there could be more in the same vein but with a little more dancing...

Hope she returns soon...

From Kath Davis:

I saw Tori in New York in 2001 and she blew me away - but with the band?! The show was just STUNNING. She really was on top form and played most of my wish list - Cloud on my Tongue, Virginia, Suede.... I just couldn't believe my luck when these songs came up!

The lighting was particularly gorgeous (I Can't See New York was positively ethereal) and there were lots of smiles between her and the guys. Tori looked beautiful and Howie Day was fantastic - hope we see a lot more of him in the future.

My mate Kate and I wondered if the fact that Natashya is referred to in the programme notes as "First" child and the fact that Tori made the pregnancy gesture I know she's made before, means something...?!

I have tickets to the Thursday London Show and I CAN'T WAIT!

If there was one gently irritating thing, it was that everyone stood for both the encores which just obscured an otherwise excellent view. Oh and cameras - the girl in front of me seemed to take an awfully long time to perfect her shot every song - PLEASE be considerate of others.

From Ian Jackson:

This show was simply amazing! Tori was on fine form, as usual, with an energy that was beyond comparrison, highly charged and prevocative. From the opening of Wampum prayer to the encore of Playboy Mommy, everything was a highlight.

The set list was fantastic, and I was especially glad to see tracks such as Past The Mission and Leather played along side new gems such as Pancake and Virginia. I was also glad to hear Suede, as I love the To Venus and Back album, and thought it may be overlooked. I Can't See NewYork was pretty spectacular, the light almost blinded me, but really enhanced the imagery of the song, and everyone went made for tracks such as Cornflake Girl and Precious Things, and Iieee was simply outstanding.

Tori's voice sent shivers all night, which lasted about 2hours, 10 minutes. The night was faultless. Perfect songs, a perfect performance and a gracious audience. Performers like Tori are very rare, and I can't wait till the next time I see her live!

From Tessa:

Bit of a follow up: I am pleased as can be to report that last nites crowd was 100% better than the previous two nites. Security was much more on the ball and the crowd just seemd, well, more respectful. Very happy about that.

And how lucky were we! DESPERADO! AMAZING! BEAUTIFUL! I got chills :-) She said she hadn't done this one in a long time but that this Girl showed up and wanted to be played. She then asked us to wish her luck and she began. I felt really blessed to be there. Cloud On My Tongue was especially gorgeous tonight. Soft, slow & holding. Weaved so perfectly.

Today we rest, then on to London.

From Tracey:

Having seen Tori four times before I wasn't sure if this one would deliver that spine tingling factor - how wrong was I? Those two hours seemed to go by in two minutes which were filled with all of my favourites from Precious Things to Wednesday. My only disappointment was that she only played three songs without the band but including Cloud on my Tongue (personal fav!) certainly curtailed that disappointment! The crowd were lively with a nice mixture of true diehards and new converts, however there does seem to be a developing trend at tori concerts to crowd the stage for the encores, blocking the view of many people. But altogether a magical night and hopefully we won't have to wait another 5 years before Tori returns to Wolves (she did claim at one point to remember playing here in 1998 - I didn't realise my home town was so memorable!)

From SandGirl:

I seem to be the only person who left the Wolves show feeling a little disappointed! I must admit, there were a number of highlights for me... still can't believe she played Lust which has always been a favourite and was simply STUNNING, also Leather, Honey and Precious Things stood out for me... but I was more than a little frustrated to have my ears full of 'band' rather than 'Tori'. I know that her natural creative progression has led her to more band support on Tour, but I sorely miss Tori and the Bosendorfer giving it some! I wish her 'acoustic' part in the middle was longer. I also found it threw me to hear so many of my favourites - Talula and Crucify, particularly - played in such a way that I couldn't recognise them until she was half way through them! Oh and Caton...! Where's Caton these days...?!

Anyway, I don't mean to have a moan but this was my 4th Tori show in my home town and I'm sad to report that I enjoyed this one the least in terms of the music. There wasn't even much chat and not a single story, but it has to be said that Tori looked fantastic and gave a very sexy performance. The person I went with, who's not a fan, had to concede that live videos do her no justice!

I'm proud to report that she got a great reception and must have felt very much appreciated by everyone. Please come back soon, Tori! But leave the boys and their toys at home next time!

From Steve_NTL:

Got to the venue at about 2pm,and Steve  Sanchez came out at about 3.30 and told us that Tori would not  come out until 5 or thereabouts, and having met her finally in Glasgow, I decided to leave the M&G early as it was freezing cold.

Met up with the group then in the bar ready to go to the venue, however (and why Im admitting this to a public web site I dont know), I managed to lock myself in the toilet. The lock was totally jammed and it took the bar staff and myself half an hour , with the use of a bottle opener and a knife and fork to get me out. I was completely panicked as I am severly claustrophobic, and I was hyperventilating.

I missed most of Howie Day, although I hadnt really intented to see him again anyway, and even after his set I had to dash out again to calm myself down as I was still shaking. Had I been trapped any longer, I would have missed some of Tori's set. I was also in quite a lot of pain, and I now have bruises all over my hands from wrenching the lock.

Not the best impression I wanted to give the new people I had met on this tour, but there you go. I kinda see the funny side now but it took me a while :)

Anyway, I was saved by a delay in Tori getting on stage. She didnt come on until after 9pm, even though there was an announcement at 8.45 that she would be on in 1 minute and for everyone to get to their seats.

There were still people on stage behind the curtain at 9pm so I was praying that nothing had gone wrong, as after the day I had had nothing would surprise me.

I dont know why there was a delay, but finally the lights dimmed and we had the introduction of Wampum Prayer- most definately the album version, but the lights were gorgeous.

Then:

A Sorta Fairytale - really nice. Previously this had been a bit if a mess, as this is one of the songs where the bass has been way too high. In Glasgow this song sounded appaling, and the speakers were rattling so much I thought they were going to explode. But tonightt was just right. I dont know if it makes a difference where you sit. I had second row slightly to the left and though the sound was fab, I still heard a few complaints from others about this song and the bass. Maybe if you're nearer the speakers it doesnt work so well.

Little Amsterdam - wow! Tori was really on form throughout tonight and this was a definate highlight. Not heard this live before with the band, and I was truly blown away. It was here I was finally able to relax and forget everything but Tori and the music. She didnt any improv sections in this song,like previously, it was quite standard rendition but still amazing

Talula - fantastic. This is one of a few songs she has brought to every UK show. The others being Cornflake Girl and Precious Things. This is an incredible working of the song. At each show, the vocals start with "Serpent calling" and Tori also includes the same improv of "Dont wanna lose you now" from the 2001 whurly version. It sounds very like the version from the previous tour, but with full band included as well.

Lust- Im not too keen on the strange noises going on here. She played this at Glasgow and Wolverhampton, and while it is beautiful, I was a bit put off by Jon Evan's screeching and sliding on the bass, I thought it sounded a mess.

Sweet Sangria - this is an amazing song although perhaps lost some of its impact in that it has been played at every show. I feel it suffered more than the other staple songs, it doesnt sound like it should be a regular, I dont know why. Tori is always into this song and performed a very majestic and elegant "dance" before standing tall at the keyboard and playing. The lights are amazing during this song, with pure yellow effects as a backing to Tori who stood through most of the song.

Past The Mission - a surprise actually. I dont know why as it isnt a debut but I didnt expect to hear this. Very well done but not one of my faves so I didnt really get into this one.

Pancake - My favourite on Scarlet's Walk by far, this song is so rocking and Tori always has a great time with it, again standing at the keyboard. I belive that the Manchester show was the first show where it was not performed, though I could be wrong. It certainly nearly always makes an appearance, and unlike Sweet Sangria it is always welcome:)

Wednesday - You cant really fault this. Whether you love it or hate it, its so short and sweet that you cant complain about its presence on every setlist. It works wrell as an intro to the roadside Cafe. Like ASF, this song suffered with severe sound problems in Glasgow but in Wolverhampton it sounded perfect. This is a really fun song and the yellow lighting is really warm and calm.

Leather - Ugh Ugh Ugh!!!!!! But Tori did sing it well. I'll move on now as you get the picture about how I feel with this one. I had joked before the show that I was going to request it. I guess this was my punishment.

Cloud On My Tongue- absoulutely gorgeous. Really rich and emotive

Desperado - first thoughts: "What the hell???!!" I dont know The Eagles' songs so had never heard this before. Tori announced this by saying she had not done this for a very long time, so I knew it wasnt a new Tori-penned song. I assumed it was a cover but had absolutely no idea what it was. It was the first concert I had been to where I could not identify a song until the very end. It was thrilling to hear something so different. It suited Tori very well and could easily have been one of her own compositions.

Honey - really stunning. Jon Evans played a double bass which was really impressive. As I was set to the left I couldnt see Matt on drums for this show, but I was able to get a better view of what Jon was doing, and it's great to see him really getting into the songs. Jon and Tori regulary exchanged grins when she was facing him ,and it's fascinating to watch such a great chemistry.

Cornflake Girl - as always this is superb live, another one that has come out at every UK show so far. The intense piano solos are incredible, and seeing Tori's hands leaping over the keys so fast is really something. The "gurrr" always raises a smile. Tori clearly loves this, I would love to hear it solo though, shame it didnt come out on the last tour.

Suede- Ive actually only got into this in the last few weeks, I used to find it really dull but its finally clicked with me, and so Im so glad I was able to see it. Tori was bathed in rich blue and white lighting, which was perfect for the theme of the song. I think Tori was concentrating on this one more than the others, obviously it is a debut for this tour so that's only natural

Vegas - yawn. This was my sleepy moment. Very pleasant but like a lot of people , I find this to be the weakest song on the album, and I couldnt help but switch off here. But it was very relaxing I guess:)

Precious Things - stunning white lights highlight the drummer during the intense intro, creating shadows on the backdrop. As always, a real stormer of a song, despite being played so often on so many tours, I still think it sounds fresh and exciting. Long "girrrrl" bit, but I actually found the "always like your babies tiiiieeeed" line from Honey to be longer and more intense than this section.

I Can't See New York - stunning "thundercloud" lighting. The way the white lights move during the "circling" section is chilling, and the loud engine sounds produced on bass went right through me. Despite being a staple song, I doubt I will tire of seeing this in the 5 shows I am able to attend.

IIEEE - I thought this was too similar to the album version. Tori played a seperate synth on the top of the Bosie to get the same album sound. The "just say yes" bit was amazing and rocked the whole venue. I knew she had soundchecked it, and it was no real surprise to hear it at when it was debuted, so that did take away some of the effect, but this was still really good. I know that when Tori debuts songs, they are often quite basic, and as she plays them more and more, they get built upon and improved, so I think that will happen with IIEEE. Really powerful purple lighting on this one which flashed directly into the audience. Had to close my eyes a few times

Encore 1

As I was in second row I was able to stand more or less at the front. It was so good to see people only going to the front at the encore, and it was done quitre calmly, not a manic push and shove. The security were very strict and kept people in order. As you've properly heard before, this did not happen in Glasgow, where the security was a shambles. In Glasgow, the security claimed Tori wanted people to stay at the front when they rushed at the solo time. But if that was the case, why did Steve Sanchez put out an announcement at the M&G the following day that no one must rush till the encore. It also conflicts with what Tori has said earlier about only standing at encores. I dont know what the real story is but anyway, the crowd were really well behaved in Wolverhampton and it was amazing to be able to get so close.

Crucify - Like many people, I find this way too long and when you are sat watching it , it can be a little tedious. But this worked better in the encore, as I was able to be much closer and feel the pure emotion that Tori was putting in.It  was even longer than previously and Tori was really screaming the improv section "I crawled my way back" at the end. This was repeated more times than normal.

We also get the best (or worst depending on your view) amount of Tori-drool I have ever seen!!! Tori spat a huge glob of slobber on herself and the piano just before the end. There seemed to be gallons of it flying everywhere during this song. Maybe I didnt really want to be that close after all!!

Virginia - Didnt really dig this one tonight, great song, but after the hugely powerful Crucify, this didnt seem to be a suitable follow up, just fell a little flat, perhaps the Tori had literally run dry after all that slobber.

Encore 2

Really cute moment when Tori came back on and sat down. Everyone was shouting requests, I heard "Sugar" yelled a good few time. Tori said "Well....." and smiled 3 times and then on hearing a 4th yelling for a song, said "Oh Eat Me". Then she started Mary

Mary - this is normally a treat as it isnt played that often, but as we got this one yesterday as well, it wasnt quite as special. But Tori really went for it, with huge power on the "butterlies..." lines.

Playboy Mommy- very scary to see this close up at the front, I didnt know how Tori was gonna be with this one, I know she has cried during it before. But she seemed quite relaxed and calm on this occasion.

Overall a tremendous show, the only shame is that there were no real stories or improvs here, given that Tori appeared to be on top form and have a lot of energy. She didnt do an improv before the Roadside Cafe , and she introduced the band really early, without doing any of the wonderful humerous stories we normally get. But I was priveleged to hear some beautiful improvs in Glasgow (Testing the Bed) and Manchester (I want to take you in my pocket) so I am more than satisfied

Am now very tired after treking all the way round the country , visiting Scotland , England and Wales (my home) . And tomorrow its back off again to London. Looking forward to seeing everyone again. This is the first time i have ever "toured", by doing more than one show and the experience is so fantastic, getting to meet new people , people from the forums and seeing guys again that I met at the SLG tour.

Next stop London then.

From Phil Siddle:

Went to Wolves last night and I thought the gig overall was excellent. Little Amsterdam was really good live with Tori playing a lot across the piano & keyboard. It's not one of my favourite songs but sounds so incredibly sleazy live!Lust was the highlight of the first half with the drums, piano & Tori working together beautifully.Talula live has to get a release on something (a b side?) The chorus was totally different & really catchy & harsh. Unexpectedly, this is the one that's most sticking in my head-Tori was really into it.Desperado as others have said was pretty moving. It's the first time I've heard Tori do it and was the most powerful parts of the night for me (in fact the roadside cafe bit stood out, if only because Tori's immense talent is so visible when she plays solo).Precious Things and Iieee were highlights of the second half, again with the band really working with the piano & Tori. I was so chuffed to hear Iieee, but for those who keep asking, it wasn't the longer version she was doing in 1998 (with all the "I know you understand..." vocals) It was basically the Choirgirl version, but pumped up in the same style as the 1998 live version (if that makes any sense!)Both encores were cool, was surprised by the choice of songs as I expected Taxi Ride or Amber Waves to appear. Crucify was very slowed down and chilled out, another song which needs to be released in this live version. It's frustrating that you only get to hear these versions once & then spend ages trying to remember what they went like!Virginia was excellent live & full of passion-Tori seemed into that one too.Mary sounded really uplifting and fresh. Tori brought out the "Butterflies don't belong in nets" line a few more times than on the studio version I think and really hit it out.Playboy Mommy was a great finish to a great night, although seemed a bit down tempo/down mood after Mary.The only negative comments I have are that in a few songs-Suede, Pancake and more so in Sweet Sangria and Vegas, the acoustics were a bit dodgy. I was 2nd row of the stalls (Tori was soooo close-best seats I've had at a Tori concert!) and the piano & keyboards were really drowned out. When Tori was banging the keys, you could just hear them. Those songs all have a lot of use of the organ and bass & at times it all seemed to merge & even mute Tori's vocals. I dunno if this was just down to wear I was sitting or if the levels/acoustics were at fault.Anyway-don't want to finish on a low as the concert was totally amazing and as I haven't seen Tori since 1996, I'd sort of forgotten how truly talented and mesmerising Tori was live. Lust nearly brought tears to my eyes, which is rare at any time!

From Jonathan_Littleford:

It was good, worth the money, but not spectacular.

The gig took a while to get going, Past The Mission was probably the first stand out for me along with Wednesday.

Roadside Cafe was excellent but unfortunately shows us what we miss when the band are on stage. Desperado as stated elsewhere was fantastic although it took me ages to remember who had originally done it.

The second half was much better with of course Cornflake Girl and Precious Things being immense. Second encore was great.

As for the crowd, they were ok , a few to many yells halfway through songs (why do people do that?) but a friendly and respectful bunch on the whole. The security was a bit odd with some cameras being removed as you got in.

And finally I'd like to take you time travelling. Rewind to 1994 and the Warwick Arts Centre in Feb/March. First ever Tori gig and a great night. Afterwards a few dozen hardy souls brave the cold to queue patiently for the chance to meet Tori. After about an hour some side doors opened and we were let in one at a time to get a hug, a few words and signings done, that done we went off happy for the long drive home. Everyone got to meet and have a couple of moments with Tori and there was no pushing, jostling or general unpleasantness. A wonderful end to a the evening, my framed signed poster is pride of place on the wall (even my wife quite likes it!)

You can probably tell what's coming next.

Fast forward to 2003 Wolverhampton. The meet and great before the concert, probably no more than 30 people outside all wanting to meet, say hi and perhaps get a photo of Tori. But what's this? The Tori mafia are here and at the front, that means nobody else gets a chance to meet Tori. Oh sure they'll pass stuff forward to get it signed (which I managed), but hey guys, say hello, get a signing, get a photo. THEN LEAVE AND GIVE SOMEBODY ELSE A CHANCE. If we all did that the session would be over quicker and everyone would be happy.

Note from Mikewhy: One thing you may not realize is that Tori's security has a rule that the people in the front at the Meet & Greets are not allowed to move out the way once they meet Tori. They have safety concerns and no doubt want to limit the time Tori has to spend outside. So do not get angry at the people in the front. They are forbidden to leave to make room for the people in the back to see Tori. This is a policy of Tori's security.

Ok rant over, just remember there are other people in this world who might not have the opportunity to go to all the concerts and get outside early to be at the front and would like the chance to meet the person they'd come to see. You are spoiling it for those who are less pushy than you are. I'll probably not bother with the meet and greet again as it just leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Still the concert was good.

From Steven Veritas:

This was my first concert on the new tour and i was really excited!! I arrived from London quite early, expecting a meet and great. But when me and my sister arrived, we could see know one around the Civiv Hall, so we left for a few hours and returned, but could still see know one so went for a meal. Turns out she did a meat and great in one of the side passages to the building to just a handful of people! I can't believe I missed out on such a great opportunity! Purchased my wonderful tour program before the show started. Have to say that I'm not fanatical about Howie Day. His set is far too programmed and I cannot tell whether he plays anything other than hitting his guitar live. When Tori came on there was a rapture of excitement throughout the whole building and I knew that this was going to be a special show. 'Little Amsterdam' was very poweful and 'Pancake' was gorgeous. 'Leather' and 'Cloud On My Tongue' got a huge response from the crowd and 'Desperado' was a strange suprise! I have to say the lighting and sound are amazing and the band set up is great. Once the band returned, the set was solid from start to finish. The new songs sound fantastic live. 'Iieee' was stunning, but 'Playboy Mommy' stole the show for me and nearly had me in tears. It was the end of a fantastic night.

From Mike Gray:

Just a quick comment in response to the comments on the M&G in the reviews section. Wolverhampton was easily the worst of the meet and greets, it was very pushy and some of us got surprisingly badly crushed. It hadn't been like this at all in Glasgow or Manchester on the previous nights. It was strange because there were roughly the same amount of people as Glasgow, and many less than Manchester, where we'd waited a long time for her.

Regarding the moving back out of the way - you genuinely can't do it. I did so the first night in Glasgow to try and let people get nearer the front (i was second row, I think?) and security stopped me from doing so. The M&G queue didn't exactly start early in Wolverhampton, either - we didn't get there until after 1 PM, and there were only three people in the queue. Many of the people doing multiple shows weren't getting stuff signed every day etc... I for one was only near the front to pass something forward for my girlfriend. To describe the people on the front row (all of whom I knew) as the "tori mafia" is both unreasonable and incorrect. They just got there earlier than you did in this instance - and at least they passed stuff forward for you. Compared to the meet and greet in London in '99 it was free and easy. The problem to my mind is the barriers, which weren't as present on the '98 tour and made everything a lot easier and more friendly.

The Wolverhampton show wasn't as good as the previous night in Manchester, which for me was the best of the three shows I saw this time round, and while Desperado, Little Amsterdam and Suede were very special (and that version of Talula just rocks out every time) there wasn't quite as much energy. Tori told someone / the crowd in general to "eat me" during the encores when people started yelling for songs, and indeed said to Matt "Can I start [Mary] any time soon?" - she was quite annoyed. Once again, she had songs written on her hand, which I think were the encores. She also had the words to Desperado on top of her piano, and it was on the official setlist, so this was definitely planned.

From Express & Star:

From Birmingham Evening Mail:

From Alison Zemell:

I was second to arrive to the meet & greet, just after Rachel. Luckily, unlike the crazy Manchester m & g, the barriers were already set up. We thought it might be a decoy, because it was in a strange spot, but it wasn't. We stood out in the cold for 5 hours until Tori came. There weren't that many people today waiting. Only about 30. She was much more reserved than the other ones. She seemed to be distracted or something. But I was able to get my picture with her again, as well as get her to sign my Scarlet Stories.  And I was able to ask her about what song she would be singing in the movie Mona Lisa's Smile. She gave me a look like she wasn't going to tell me, but then said that she did 2 40s style songs. Then she said who they were produced by, but I don't remember. Then we all went and had hot chocolates until the show.

The audience was much much older than ones at a Tori show in North America. I was able to move up to the 7th row with Berry. The set list was good, although not my favourite. The best was Desperado. I really wanted a song that she had never played before. Within the first few notes, I knew what it was. This has always been a song that I thought she should play, so I was really happy that she did. It sounded exactly like you might think she would do it, only better. It is now one of my favourite Tori covers. I was able to get right to the front of the stage for the encores, and it made everything incredible. She had on these insane boots. All in all a good night.

From C0rnflkeGrrl:

this is the first time I saw Tori, I didn't know what to expect. I thought she would mainly play new songs [scarlet] I was very impressed, she played all my favourites. I agree with Sandgirl, about the band but I honestly cannot say anything bad at all about the show, I was honoured just to be able to get a ticket!!!! and pretty good seats too. I can't wait till she returns, I just wish I had the chance too meet her!!!! Did anyone meet her after the show???? I wanted to wait but we had to run for the last train which we missed!!!!I didn't know she had a meet n greet earlier that day, I can't believe I may have missed the only chance I might ever have of meeting her.