StrangeLittleTour
Austin, TX
November 2, 2001

Updated January 7, 2002

Tori performed in Austin, TX on November 2, 2001 at the Performing Arts Center (Bass Concert Hall) during the 2001 StrangeLittleTour.

Set List

Thanks to Danica who called me after the show with the set list.

'97 Bonnie & Clyde
Juarez
China
Rattlesnakes
Doughnut Song
Past The Mission
Alamo
Space Dog
Never Seen Blue
Jackie's Strength
improv/Talula
I Don't Like Mondays
Me and a Gun
Cooling

1st Encore:
Real Men
Pretty Good Year

2nd Encore:
Playboy Mommy
Sister Janet
Landslide

Reviews

Latest reviews are added to the bottom of the page.

Be sure to check the Tori Concert Reviews Forum for reviews as well!

From Danica

Added November 3, 2001 - Danica phoned me after the show. Tonight was an amazing show, with Juarez and Alamo making their debut on this tour. Tori was, as Danica put it, "so fucking cute" tonight. She was cuter and bouncier than the previous few shows.

When she same out after '97 Bonnie & Clyde, Tori started playing the piano and started singing "No angel came" over and over. Then she stood up and started really pounding the inside of the piano. She hiked her leg on the piano stool and played most or all of the song standing up. Danica said it was simply amazing.

She first spoke to the audience after China. She told them that she has gone shopping the day before in Austin and that she purchased some art that she was taking back with her to England. She also told them that Tash was teething and then did a little improv about how things grow and there is nothing she can do to help it.

Tori went to the whirly for the first time to play Talula. Before doing that she talked about how old the whirly is and she talked about how the guys needed to clean her out because she had a bunch of junk on the strings. She asked the audience something like, "Can you imagine not taking a bath for 39 years, fucking gross." She then did a short improv before Talula where she mentioned something about she has to be the grown one now to take care of her little one. During Talula, she messed up during the "1 plus 1" part, which she does a lot on this tour. She sang something like, "1 plus 1 is 1....no..... 1 plus 1 is 2, yes.....". Another line that Danica remembers from her performance of Talula tonight is, "See the light that sparkles in her eyes."

The Rhodes sounded really good tonight. It sounded a little off during the previous show.

It was great to hear Real Men during the first encore. Tori did Playboy Mommy during the second encore, going to her whirly for a second time that night.

Sounds to me like it was a really impressive show!

From tara-blackthornfaerie

Added November 3, 2001 - By far this was Tori at her best. I felt like I was listening to a professionally recorded cd. Her voice rang beautifully throughout the concert hall. She mentioned Tash was teething and that she picked up a great painting while she was in town. Her whirly was misbehaving because she started asking (I assume) Marcel what was going on. She gave a cute story about the history of the whirly and everyone was so glad to hear her talking more. It's great to see her back in a seated venue without a band, there is nothing quite like it.ðI had awesome seats so I didn't miss a thing! It's nice not to fight for a spot against the rail. I don't think the set list could have bee much better. It was, of coarse, a truely magical night.

From Charity - StrangeGirlie

Added November 3, 2001 - I won the AllStarChartiy auction and got to meet Tori tonight (she is amazing) and I got the offical setlist, complete with her writing on it. I gave her this cross stitch that I had had made for her by a lady in Australia. Her sister was a bif fan and died last year and she made it in memory of her. It was the passage that Tori got Tash's middle name from and a faerie. She read it out loud to me and Joel (and made him come and look at it). Then she told me, "This is definately going up in the house." She signed my Pele with "Charity, thank you for gifts as your name... Love, Tori Amos". I am on cloud nine right now... It was such an amazing show. You'll see that she followed the setlist exactly...

From Larry Hirsch

Added November 5, 2001 - Hi, everyone! My review won't be as long or as thorough as the Houston review, due in large part that I have much less to bitch about. But I must warn you that my comparisons to the Houston show might get tiresome after a while, hee hee!

Unlike the Houston show, the Austin audience was the most respectful, most adult, most mature (and obviously the most spellbound) audience I have ever seen at a Tori show, even counting the Dew Drop Inn tour. I was completely blown away with this audience (minus one girl, which I'll tell you about momentarily) and this show.

Simply put, this was the single BEST Tori concert I have EVER seen. It was my sixth show (previously I had been to Houston '96, College Station '96, The Woodlands '98, The Woodlands '99, and Houston 2001), and this was by far the most intense and emotional show I've seen. Needless to say, it's my favorite Tori show to date, and I'd give anything to go back and experience it all over again.

Our seats were fabulous. This was the closest I've ever sat at a Tori show. We sat in the center (I forgot what row), and I could see every expression on her face. I was just lovin' it the whole time.

The venue, located on the University of Texas campus, was ten times better and more intimate than Houston, and much smaller. The seats were way more comfortable, too.

Rufus was in much higher spirits tonight than he was in Houston, probably because he could tell that he was going to be dealing with a much better crowd. Also, his performance was much livlier and he talked a lot more. In fact, he talked before each and every song he played, and as alwats, his stories were a lot of fun to hear --- especially when his guitars were somehow stuck together and he commented that they must be having sex, unlike him as of late.

Like Houston, the opening "Bonnie and Clyde" was absolutely chilling. I didn't think I could sit through it again so soon, but I did. Both times it was gut-wrenching and disturbing --- exactly as it should be. Frankly, this is a kick-ass way to open this tour. Also, like Houston, I noticed that Tori slurred the words and whispered them with a deep, almost demonic, Texan drawl that sent shivers down my spine. Incredible.

I almost flipped out of my seat when she sprang into "Juarez." I've wanted to hear this for so long live, especially unplugged. It was breathtaking. The "no angel came" interlude at the beginning was almost worth the price of admission alone.

"China" shocked me by showing up, and although I usually don't like this song, hearing it live was awesome.

The biggest two surprises, however, were "Alamo" and "Never Seen Blue." They were nothing short of PHENOMENOL. But tonight's version of "Talula" was the BEST version I've ever heard, with Tori not only including a beautiful improvisation before it but during the middle, as well, and playing it on her Whurley. "Doughnut Song" was magnificent, and the both encores were to me probably the best parts of the show. She performed "Playboy Mommy" on the Whurley to perfection, adding even more depth to the song and taking it to an entirely new level. It sounded so much more somber and sad on the Whurley, as did "Talula," and I've come to conclude that Tori should tour every single show in the future with this instrument. (I wish she would.) It adds to the mood of her songs.

For me the highlights were "Alamo," "Never Seen Blue," "Sister Janet," "Talula," "Cooling," "Space Dog," "Real Men," and "Landslide." She was supposed to play "Sister Janet" at the Houston show but played "Bachelorette" instead. I was very glad and very lucky to have caught it at this show. And "Landslide" simply blew me away. Like the little queen I am, I burst into tears immediately as she started playing it, as it's my favorite Tori cover of all time, next to "Famous Blue Raincoat."

"Cooling" also had me in tears, as this was by far one of the most passionate renditions I've ever heard of the song. The same goes for "Space Dog," which I was so glad arrived for it's one of my faves, and one of Tori's most personal songs to me.

Tori talked a lot more during this show than at the Houston show, where she seemed both disappointed and understandably pissed at the crowd. During "Talula," she messed up one of the lyrics but quickly saved herself by acknowledging her mistake and incorporating it into the song without missing a beat. Her outfit was adorable, and she was in extremely high spirits, playing with a smile and a glow on her face the entire night.

I was disappointed with the Houston setlist, but this one more than made up for it. It was the closest to my dream setlist that Tori has ever sang, and I thought I was simply going to have a stroke in my chair.

I think the Strange Little Tour is by far the best tour Tori has ever done. It contains the best lighting, the best opening act, and the most effective opener ('97 Bonnie and Clyde) than anything she's done in the past. And tonight's show, as I said before, was simply the BEST TORI SHOW I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

One complaint: there was a girl sitting in front of us during "China," "Rattlesnakes," and "Doughnut Song." She was obviously wigging or something, because she practically did performance art in her seat, constantly throwing her hands into the air and creating bizarre hand gestures, only to be followed by the ocassional whoop and holler in support of Tori. It was inappropriate for this kind of show, and very inconsiderate. Her arms were blocking mine and Willis's views, as well as the view of our friend Cory, and Willis asked her to calm down three times. I asked her shortly thereafter to chill out (yes, bitch, if you're reading this, I'm the one that yanked your hair --- you're lucky I didn't take your head off), and finally, after a few more songs, she got up and left. I just want to know who this bitch is and why she even bothered to come if she was going to wig out on drugs. If you want to do drugs to Tori's music, do them to her CDs, bit please do NOT come to a show tripping. After the EXCRUCIATING experience Willis and I had in Houston, I just simply fed up. I couldn't take it anymore. And neither could he. People never cease to amaze me.

It was a very memorable night for me not only because the show was so intense, but because I met someone named Roel whom I'd been talking to online for about six months now. He and I went to eat at IHOP and he turned out to be really sweet and gorgeous. (Sorry, had to throw that in there. Hi, Roel! *wink*)

Coming home from the entire four-day Houston/Austin jaunt was the hardest part. I simply did not want to leave, and I definitely didn't want to go back to waiting tables in Prisonville. It did nothing but reiterate the misery I feel going to school in Huntsville and serving inbreds at the Kettle. This is why Tori is who she is and why she says what she says and does what she does --- without her I don't think I would have gotten this far. I know everyone says that, and it's true for each and every person. Without Tori, I don't know how I can survive trailer trashing, deer-skinning, non-tipping rednecks and hicks in a town that has more people than shoes or teeth. This is what hit me on the way home, and what's perculating in my brain to this minute. It was probably the best, most meaningful, most emotional vacation of my entire life. Simply put, I didn't want to go home.

If anyone has any comments or just wants to chat, feel free. My e-mail is faeryboy@yahoo.com

From Dave NiNjA

Added November 5, 2001 - This was only my fourth time seeing Tori live (why does that seem low for Tori Amos? For any other performer, that would mark you as a true fan). And it was my first time seeing her w/o the band. I was actually a bit hesitant. I REALLY enjoyed seeing her live because of the power she and the band blasted at you. It was exactly the reason why I go to concerts. My favorite songs of hers were the "rock Goddess" ones, you know? But I wasn't about to miss her, band or not. I mean, its Tori Amos, right? Its not like you even have a choice : )

Well, my fears were not only unfounded, they disapeared like they were never there, like I dreamed the whole thing. I felt like I was in the arms of a close friend, together after being seperated by years and oceans apart. I found myself thinking of things I hadn't thought of in years; having feelings I usually put to the side and never give enough time for. It was just so good to hear her voice. All my worries about where the world is going, all my anxieties about where I was deciding my life would go, they all faded away. She gave me a chance to take time, to take it and reflect, to take it and laugh, to take it and see that there is beauty in us as humans, something I've been doubting about lately. She was too genuine to have any doubt.

The benefit of seeing Tori w/o accompaniment is that she can stre-e-e-e-e-tch anything she wants. The songs become elastic in her hands, and her voice can reach its full tidal range. I thought that range was best pronounced in her albums. Now I know they are a shadow of how deep or high, wide or shallow it can get. I found myself entraced with every word she gave. It all made sense again.

During China, my wife said "you hate this song!" with a smile. Not anymore, baby. Not ever again.

From JB Anderton

Added November 5, 2001 - The improv before "Talula" was, in fact, "Dueling Banjos" with Tori singing one part and playing the next.

She was really on that night, and "Talula" was, for me, the highlight of the show. She kept stressing the line "I don't want to lose you" as if she were singing it to Tash. It's very apparent that she is seeing a lot of her songs thru new eyes - those of a mother - and that these songs are being reinterpreted as such, which is just facinating to witness. She was very playful, and her eyes were so full of fire and passion (thank god I brought binoculars!)

I also noted that on "Past the Mission" she sang "behind the prison towers" (plural, not singular), perhaps echoing the terror of 9-11.

From Kristen Walker

Added November 7, 2001 - My friend Jackie and I drove to Austin for the Nov. 2 show. It was held in Bass Concert Hall. The acoustics were incredible! Her energy was low, by which I mean it was a much more mellow show than what I was used to, especially last year's Dallas show. The best part was when she turned to us and said, "So, Tash is teething. Poor little thing." And then she turned to the piano and played this little improv, some of the words were, "And she says Da Da Da Da, and he tries to make it go away/ And it's so hard to wait/ While they grow." Anyway, it was something like that and it was beautiful.

Then later she sat down at her Wurlitzer and said, "So, sometimes when you're in Cornwalland it's raining and raining and raining and raining, you make new friends. And this is my new Wurli....It got stuff spilled on it at the first Woodstock and my guys had to clean it up, I mean can you imagine not having a bath for thirty years? That's fucking gross." Then she turned and said, "What's that sound?" looking offstage. And someone must have replied because she said, "Is it the wurli?" And then, after a pause, "Is it fucked?" It was hilarious the way she said it.

Added November 7, 2001 - Dink sent me the following Austin concert review, which appeared in the November 6, 2001 edition of the Daily Texan newspaper, which is the student newspaper for the University of Texas at Austin.

On the cover of the paper: SEEING RED the original ð'Cornflake Girl,' Tori Amos, came to America's heartland over the weekend - one of two major concerts in Austin. See Entertainment, Page 12

Anger Management

Separated by music, united by strong opinions, two unique acts play Austin November 06, 2001

If there's one thing Tori Amos doesn't inspire within people, it's a lukewarm feeling. The people who don't like her really don't like her. Likewise, the people who adore her range from those who just verbally gush over her to those who practically worship and deify everything she does. At the Bass Concert Hall on Friday night, crowds of the latter came together to adore their fairy queen live and in person. Amos didn't appear right away as many were expecting. Instead, one of the portraits from the cover of her new album, Strange Little Girls, dropped from the rafters, spotlights highlighting it as eerie blue and green lights began flashing. Amos smiled, waved and looked comfortable yet gorgeous in a baggy gray T-shirt, wide-legged yellow pants and dirty blonde hair, instead of her trademark flaming red mane. She sat down at the main piano on the stage (there were three sets of keys in all), flipped her hair back and began to play. Overall, Amos' set was incredibly enjoyable. The woman is a fantastic performer - one who stops to tell the audience little stories about her instruments or her daughter, then turns back to play on two different keyboards at once. She performed songs from all of her albums, which was only slightly disappointing to fans who carry her older albums close to their hearts and feel less passionately about her later works. But as the concert continued, the juxtaposition of the gut-wrenching Eminem cover song "Bonnie and Clyde '97" against the rest of her set - which was strong and passionate as well, but without the dramatic force of this first song - seemed off-key. Why slap the adoring audience with such a frightening and powerful opening song, complete with special light effects, if the rest of the concert was going to be so much warmer and affectionate toward them? One possibility is that Amos was trying to make a point with the song - to tell her fans about some of the horrors that exist in the world beyond her own experiences (about which she usually writes and sings), and to musically give Eminem back the digit he himself is so fond of flashing. The end of the concert had an exhausted, but still content, Amos finishing her second encore with the Fleetwood Mac song "Landslide." As Amos gently played her piano, she seemed to be honest when she sang, "Time makes you bolder/Children get older/I'm getting older, too," and when she contemplated, "Can I handle the seasons of my life?" Thinking of her new daughter, one cannot help but wonder how draining it must be for Tori Amos, whose poetic and painfully open songs have drawn so many passionately devoted fans to her. Is she getting to a point where she needs to break from her painful past and her songs, which have spoken so meaningfully to so many people? Is there only so long that one can musically play emotional nursemaid to millions? Although Amos' final song choice seemed to suggest so, her tour de force performance and her impish smile as she left the stage seemed to hint that as long as she has something to say, she'll be sharing it with the world. If it was tough being the only thing standing between the Amos apostles and their singing goddess, opening act Rufus Wainwright certainly didn't show it. He seemed to be truly enjoying his time on stage, giving a powerful and beautiful performance while cracking jokes to the audience between songs. Listening to him strum his guitar, it was easy for one to almost forget the headlining act and enjoy his heartfelt performance as the highlight of the evening. - Sarah Rodriguez

The cover of the magazine featured a photo from 1999, the one with her in a white shirt against a wall painted like a cloud. The article was accompanied by a large photograph from 1999 - in a blue robe-like thingie, sitting on a grate in the middle of the street. Both were with short, red, curly hair.

Added November 8, 2001 - Gary Anderko sent me this review of the Austin show, which appeared in the November 5, 2001 edition of the Austin-American Statesman.

Tori Amos proves her singing career isn't over just yet

By Austin Bonner
Special to the American-Statesman

Halloween came two days late for the crowd at Bass Concert Hall's sold-out Tori Amos show Friday night. Even aside from the red hair dye there were disguises of all kinds: people pretending to be angels, devils or goths, people pretending to be fans of Rufus Wainwright (whose voice sounds like the worst possible knockoff of Thom Yorke) and people pretending to be interested in what their teary and newly-redheaded date had to say. Oh, and the girl in the row behind me pretending that this was her show. Thanks, really.

Adding to the belated-Halloween feeling, the opening of the show was downright creepy. While a recording of "97 Bonnie and Clyde" (a truly disturbing song in which a mother is murdered and disposed of in front of her child) played, orange light peered through a tattered black curtain hung with a huge propaganda poster: a photo from her latest album, "Strange Little Girls," of Amos in a sweater set holding a birthday cake. For those of you haven't dropped the $15 for the new CD, the liner notes are a series of pictures of Amos in various hair colors, outfits and styles. Creepier still, these photos made up a calendar being sold at the show alongside $30 T-shirts.

Despite being handicapped by a boring new album of covers that malign formerly good songs like Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence," Amos performed a show that refiected the best of a long, successful career, with enough fireworks to convince a rapt audience that the bland "Strange Little Girls" doesn't signal the end of the era. Beautffully styled versions of "China" and the "Doughnut Song" were the highlights of the first half. Better still was the scenery. The light show and shadow play lit up the stage and gave an already enchanting concert a hypnotic quality.

Of course, no Tori Amos show would be complete with out a healthy dose of piano banging and hair tossing. But a lack of the usual rock star banter left room for fans to be really impressed with more subtle theatrics like her ability to play two keyboards at the same time. Still, it was a long set and about an hour in there was a mass exodus from the fioor. But the show kept building momentum, culminating in an airy version of "Talula" played on Tori's precious "whirly," an instrument she told the audience was likely older than they were.

Though things dragged a bit on "Me and a Gun," the great-song-that-everybody-skips- because-the-lyrics-are-just-so-painful on "Littie Earthquakes," the only true low point came during the Boomtown Rats's "I Don't Like Mondays," which played just as lifelessly on stage as it does on "Strange Littie Girls." The show concluded with an enthusiastic and energized version of Stevie Nicks's "Landslide" -- a cover that doesn't reek. Why couldn't that have made it onto "Strange Littie Girls"?

The reviews below were taken from the concert reviews section of The Dent Forum and added here on January 7, 2002

* AMAZING PERFORMANCE OF JUAREZ - lots of drowl and "demon Tori" woo hoo!!!

* She did a cute improv about Tash cutting her teeth and how Daddy can't take the pain away before going into Rattlesnakes.

* She said that they had a great day off and that Austin is a great town. She bought some artwork that she plans to put in her studio, so we are going back to England with her "whether we like it or not."

* She played Talula for me! Before she began playing, the wurlitzer was making strange sounds, and she asked if it was fucked...she explained that drinks were spilled on it during the first Woodstock, and that it just remained there until the guys scraped it off. Can you imagine not showering for 30 years, that's fucking disgusting. Played some chords before going into it, which she turned into a beautiful improv about remaining strong and protecting her child. Talula had a whole new twist tonight. She goofed on the one plus one line, "no!", repeated the line correctly, "yes!" very cute. This was, obviously, the highlight for me - when I made the request, it didn't sound very reassuring - but there she was!

* When she played Playboy Mommy on the wurlitzer for Charity, she forgot some of the lyrics and repeated "I GET" about 20 times, with this grin on her face - obviously trying to figure out where she was in the song. Great performance.

I'll have some pics from the *horrid* meet and greet ASAP. It was really great meeting everyone and seeing some familiar faces. It was a terrific show, see you tonight in Dallas!

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Review by Charity (StrangeGirlie)

It was amazing...

She played Playboy Mommy for me...

I got the setlist with her writing on it...

I met her backstage... got authographs and pics

will post later... i am tired

tori is truely amazing..

this has been THE best night of my life

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Review by Robyn (HangTenHoney)

Okay, I just got back from the post-show dinner with my friends (who made it clear they were *only* there for Rufus, by the way, so it's nice to get to gush over Tori's set finally).

I have to add here that I'm the absolute worst person to give a review, because I have the smallest brain in the world and even less than a couple of hours after she's done her show I've forgotten which songs had improvs and when she mentioned that Tash was teething. I'm going to do it as I believe it happened, but I could be completely wrong here. I apologize beforehand.

The show was absolutely amazing. This is my 7th time seeing her, and it is completely tied with my DDI show as my favorite (and I never thought another show could top it. But there you go.)

I knew that when she started with Juarez that we were in for a great set (plus she stiffed me completely in St Louis and I'm sure she felt bad). It was beautifully done and very strong.

China was very nice. Under other circumstances I wouldn't care to hear it live, but it just fit in so well with the 'feel' of the setlist.

I'm thinking this is where she mentioned that she had gotten some 'art' from Austin and that she was "taking us home with her whether we liked it or not."

Rattlesnakes was the same as always.

Doughnut Song was very surprising to hear. I don't know why, but it was great. I couldn't remember for the life of me if I had already heard it in St Louis or not, but I don't believe I did. I'm so dumb like that.

Past the Mission had these lights that kept shining right in our faces, and I swear everyone around me had their hands up to their faces. Although it was kind of distracting it was very nice.

Alamo!!! Surprising! Stunning! And I didn't even recognize it at first. Because, as mentioned before, I'm an idiot.

Space Dog had the spectacular 'andromeda' beginning that has been missing from the song for way too long. It was pretty standard beyond that.

Never Seen Blue was great. I had always hoped to hear it live. And there you go.

Jackie's Strength - In all honesty I really didn't care to hear it, since I had heard it already in St Louis, but that's alright. The rest of the set made up for it. Although it did -not- fit in with my little 'good show' vibe.

Talula had a great improv. I think that was where she mentioned that Tash was teething, "poor thing". Then she started with something like "Daddy tries to make it go but he can't as we grow and I wait". I totally butchered it but that was the jist of it. As soon as she did her slow "I don't want to lose her" beginning I knew what it was. Wonderful!

I Don't Like Mondays was very...nice. Standard, but quite nice.

Me and a Gun. Same as always. But this time she did the "...FLAT on your stomach", which she didn't do in St Louis. I was afraid she had stopped doing it.

Cooling - Like China, under other circumstances I wouldn't have wanted to hear it, but it just fit very nicely with the evening, so I was happy to hear it. Though it's been my 98430985340958493058th time hearing it live.

Real Men WAS WONDERFUL!!! I started crying because I was just so excited to hear it and it reminds me of a friend of mine.

PRETTY GOOD FRIGGIN' YEAR!!!!! I had wanted to hear this so much and was ecstatic to hear it. I've heard it before, but it's my favorite song. So I'm always wanting a little PGY.

Playboy Mommy. Nice.

Sister Janet was very wonderful to hear finally. She really did a good job.

Landslide. Blah. She should have left this out. But that's okay.

And that was that. My tied-for-first-favorite-Tori-show.

I told you I was bad at this. But I tried.

Two other things: Before the show when my friend and I were waiting for our other friends to arrive, Shawn Colvin walked up to us and asked us if we would like two free tickets to the show. I didn't even realize it was her until she had left, but my friend recognized her right away. My friends not the kind to make a big deal out of it, so Shawn Colvin has no idea that she was spotted.

And I got Rufus to sign my Rufus shirt between sets. I told him "I'm sorry I don't have a CD to sign, but will you sign my shirt?" He said that was fine. (I bought the shirt in St Louis.) Then when I started to walk away I turned around real fast and did this really stupid gun-point-with-hand gesture and said "I love you, man", and he said "thanks". I'm -so- stupid when I met famous people that I admire. Blah.

But it was a great great evening.

Where was Eef? I looked for you!!!

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Review by Kevin (tori_live)

Definitely better set, IMO, than Houston, but I liked teh sound in Houston better...probably because
I was 10th row and dead center (I swapped with my brother to get that one).

She covered so many songs that I was hopping to hear:

China (after 13 show over 3 tours, I finally get it), Never Seen Blue, Cooling and Sister Janet to name
a few.

Didn't recognize Alamo, so clearly it's not a B side that I have. That said, I've heard her do the
Calling Houston bit the last 2 tours....but it's normally in Houston.....But then they got house of the rising sun which certainly would have been more appropriate in N.O.....not that I'm complaining, since I
didn't go to N.O..

Gonna be tough to top this one, but the Bronco Bowl is a great venue, and I"m 10th or 11th and center,
so i'll have fun

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Review by WarmLittleDiamond

OK...last night was an amazing experience, and the best Tori show I've seen.

I got to the venue after Rufus, so I missed his set. Made my way with my friend Shannah to our seats, and then it was time for Tori.

'97 Bonnie & Clyde-- Pretty light show, but the song still bores me. But I was expecting to hear it.

Juarez-- WOW! I've never heard this solo. Fucking amazing.

China-- This was a surprise. What surprised me even more was that I started crying during the song. Gorgeous.

Rattlesnakes-- Very nice. My favorite track from SLG, and very well done.

Doughnut Song-- She did the "come in Houston" part, which is what tipped me off that this girl was coming. I started crying again.

Past The Mission-- How is it that Tori knows which songs I need to hear? This is INCREDIBLE live, with her switching back and forth between the Rhodes (for the chorus) and the piano (for the verses).

Alamo-- WOW! This has never been one of my favorite B-sides, but I gained a whole new love for her after hearing her live. Such a strong piano part, it was amazing.

Space Dog-- Aaaah! One of my favorite songs ever, and she played it! Yay! She started with the "So sure those girls now are in the Navy..." part, then went into the song itself. Fucking brilliant, and one of the high points for me.

Never Seen Blue-- Again, she knows just what I want/need to hear without me saying it. I loved this.

Jackie's Strength-- I started crying again. I love it!

improv/Talula-- WOW! That's all there is to say. WOW!

I Don't Like Mondays-- Even better live than on the CD. Very sweet and beautiful.

Me and a Gun-- Absolute silence in the place, except for the occasional cough. The audience was floored. Shannah and I were holding hands so tightly during this, I thought the blood flow to my hand was going to go away. We were both crying, and just stunned. WOW!

Cooling-- After MAAG, this song made me really start to cry. I was just so overcome, I couldn't help it. Very nice, and a nice end to the set.

1st Encore:
Real Men-- I had been listening to this song before meeting Shannah, and I hoped it was going to come tonight, and she did! Even better than the CD. Too amazing for words.

Pretty Good Year-- Oh god....just as soon as I had gotten a hold of myself after Cooling, PGY comes out. I started crying again. Utterly amazing, and this is one of my favorite songs.

2nd Encore:
Playboy Mommy-- Completely unexpected. She did this one on the whirly, and it really got the emotions of the song across. Very nice.

Sister Janet-- One of my favorite B-sides, and an experience live. Just gorgeous.

Landslide-- The perfect ending to an amazing evening. Shannah and I cried again, but this was really the best song to end with. I was in love.

What a night! I'm still on a high. WOW!

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Review by GimpyPoop

Yo,
Totallee rad show. Best Tori show I've evah evah evah been too and mind ya, I've had front row once.
I wuz waaaaaaaaay azz-phunkin' in da last row in Orchestra, but I wuz like 3 seats away frem Mark. So I just kept starin' at him and tellin' me roomie how loveliery and scruffy he wuz. Eeehaw!
Take care. Bi bis.
Me, the Flea

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Review by hunnybunzAus

Opening with '97 Bonnie & Clyde is soooo Tori!!!!
I just knew she would do that song!!!!
(although the guy sitting next to me turned to me and said "that was a little unnerving, wasn't it?". I said "but, it's such a cool song!")

this was by far the best performance I have seen her do in Austin!! Her voice sounded soooo powerful and clear.....and I love the story about the whirly!!

as always-Me and A Gun was so intense and touching...the audience was completely still.

I Don't Like Mondays sounded great and when she did Landslide, I was practically pee-ing my pants!!!

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Review by lahlea

ok, i wrote down everything i could remember when i got home last night from this completely amazing show, and i know some people have mentioned some of this stuff already, but i want to type it anyway.

tori was wearing her yellow split leg pants, and she looked very comfortable, like she was at home on the stage. it looked like she was barefoot, but i was in the balcony so i couldn't be sure. she walked slowly onto the stage and started juarez.. it was very powerful and intense. there were a few lines about her girls that she lost, i don't remember exactly what she said. she was drumming on the strings inside the piano, it was awesome.

china was ok, i don't really like that song very much, but she didn't draw it out like the other songs, so it was ok. then she said hi everybody, and talked about how she had a great day off in austin, and she went shopping and got some art for her house in cornwall, so we're coming back with her whether we like it or not.. then she said there's not much to say... natasha is teething,

then she went into an improv... here are the lyrics as far as i can remember

"it's so bad when it's so bad when it's so bad
and she cries dadadadadadadada
and he tries to make it go away
but he can't and he can't when it's so bad
there's nothing you can do but wait
as they grow and they grow and they grow"

that might be a little off, but you get the idea. it was very cute. Rattlesnakes was beautiful... i was very happy to hear doughnut song.

tori went to her whurley and looked at her stage guys and said "what's that noise? did you hear that? is it the whurley? is it fucked?" then she said someone spilled something on it at the first woodstock and it had been dirty since then until her boys cleaned it, and that's fucking gross...

then she said she needed to do a test, so she started doing piano practice exercises, it was sooooo cute... then she started doing voice exercises to go along with the keys, like "a-a-a-a-a-a" and "e-e-e-e-e",

then she started singing beautifully and went right into the new talula improv.. she sang "i don't want to lose her now.. i've seen the light in those eyes... i'm the grown one now, i have to take care of her, and i wiiiiiiiillllllllll" something like that. talula was so incredible and gorgeous. she messed up the 1+1 line.. "he said 1 plus 1 is no, she said 1 plus 1 is 2, yes"

during past the mission, tori played the piano aggressively right before each verse, and started swinging her legs around.. that made it kindof intense, and much more interesting than the song usually is. (sorry guys, it's not one of my favs)..

Me and a Gun was incredible. she sang it so gently and softly, almost like it was a lullaby, then she sang one word so strongly and angrily... "FLAT on your stomach" and the rest was so quiet and sweet. the way she did that was so unexpected that it brought me to tears.. i heard a lot of people crying.. running to get tissue after the song was over. everybody was so quiet. thanks guys.

every time tori left the stage, she bowed in the islamic gesture of peace, the Salam or whatever it's called. you can really tell she loves austin. i've seen her three times here now, and they've all been incredible.

i am so impressed with her solo performance. the highlights for me were talula, sister janet, playboy mommy, landslide (this was the last encore from the austin '99 show too), pretty good year, space dog... well, i absolutely loved everything. she played alamo!! hehe

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Review by rod_83

So I went to Austin for my first Tori show and it was amazing. Kind of like a surreal experience. I saw her, and felt like I was watching some kind of video. Like it wasimpossible to finally see her live. But I was there. And so was her. And it was the most amazing experience I've had in a loooong time.

I`ll give my impression of every song:

'97 Bonnie & Clyde - The song satrted and the picture this song was there, on the right corner. There was a courtin that was like shredded in parts, and there was alight show during this, thas was amazing. The song came to an end, an in the last chord, the curtin fell. I say a body right at the piano, and tught it was Tori, but it was a crewman, who helped other crewmen to take the surtin away from the stage.

Juarez - Tori took the stage. Everybody cheered. went to the fron of the stange, and kind of kneeled (the same way she did in the Sessions at W. 54 show) and kept her armed over her head. Then she went to the piano and stood beside it for a second, and then started playing. Then she started singing "no angel came", over and over. After that she started banging the bass stings of the piano, and sand the chorus. She didn't sit down once during this song. She played the piano for the chorus, and the "there's time to keep it up..." part, and banged the piano for the rest.

China - After Juarez, she sat down on her stool and started playing this, which was defenetly beautiful. I felt as if she was singing this for me, I swear (I bet everybody feels this way, hehehehehe).

Rattlesnakes - When she finished playing China, she sat on her stool facing the crowd, and started sayin hello to everybody. She mentioned she had bought something and was taking it back to England (I thought she said she had bought ome studio equiptment, but I read here she said she had bought some art, so I don't know). She palyed and improv about her daughter, and then started playing rattlesnakes. For the most part, she would play both the fender phodes and the piano, except for the chorus, in which she only played the piano. Her voice was specially powerful durng the last verse.

Doughnut Song - She started playnig this on the higher notes of the piano. The girl beside me (who was wearing bright red shoes, like the ones Dorothy wears on the "wizard of Oz") cheered loudly for this, and sobbed LOUDLY from then on. She did the Come IN Houston part on the begining and almost at the end.

Past The Mission - She started playing something loud, and I dind't uite knew what it was. Then she started playing the song as regular. She played the chorus on the rhodes, and after the chorus she played the same thing she played in the beggining, and later played the rest of the song.

Alamo - this a was a nice surprise. She played it beautifully, and didn't forget the words (shen she started paying this, I thought she would).

Space Dog - This was a surpsrise, she played the backgorund vocals from the ending first, and then the rest of the song. I like it better with the band, though, but it was still nice.

Never Seen Blue - The first few notes I thought it was Jackie's Strengh, maybe because I got confuessed, since this song IS on the JS single. It souded more like the studio version than some MP3's versions I've heard.

Jackie's Strength - This was Jackie's Strengh. Pretty nice.

improv/Talula - she walked to the Whurlitzer, and noticed a strange sound, and asked (probably) Marcel if it was the Whurly. The she said that peple had spilled stuff in it since the first woodstock. She did a little improv, whcich was nice, But I couldn't quite get most of it.

I Don't Like Mondays - This was great. So tender. And soft. A lulluby for grownups.

Me and a Gun - when she started playing this, I knew the show was coming to and end. This was impresive. No one talked. A few cellophones rang, but she din't seem to mind.

Cooling - This was good, but I was expecting TIME. I love, cooling though. She din't play the "woman you got to many brambels" part.

1st Encore:
Real Men - She ran to the stage, and played this, which was really powerful. Altought I missed the guitar and bass. But it was a lot more powerful than the studio version.

Pretty Good Year - This was also much more powerful than the studio version. The "What's it gonna take" part, gave me the chills, even thought there were no loud drums or guitars, it sounded really loud.

2nd Encore:
Playboy Mommy - She came to the whurlitzer, and played this. I thought this was going to be crucify, but I was wrong. Which is good, because I liked this better. She screwed up during the second verse, but keot going.

Sister Janet - Wow! It's all I can say.

Landslide - I knew it was going to be the last song. I love this song. The Stevie Nicks version always made me cry. And the Tori version was sweet, like a spoonfull of sugar. She played it different than Stievie Nicks, though, because she reapeated the "Mirror in the sky, what is love" part after the brigde, and in the original, after the bridge, she goes to the chorus.

After this, she went off stage, and the light turned on. I knew the evening was over, but I couldn't believe it.

Rufus was nice, too, although, I must admit I couldn't quite enjoy his set because the sound wasn't very good (I could bearly understand any words), and I was so anxious to hear Tori. But he seemed like a great musician.

Well, that's my Tori experience.

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Review by bratboy420

i was just wondering if anyone else felt a sense of time "freezing" for a second during Pretty Good Year.

i'm not gonna go into it unless somebody else agrees with me.

anyway, it was awesome, and scared the hell out of me.

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Review by Former Waitress

This is my first post....so here I go.

Awesome setlist!!!!! I love how Tori is catering to the crowds of each city she visits by choosing a song or two that will really hit home with the crowds (no pun intended).

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Review by boinabox

as for the Austin CONCERT, which is what this thread is really about... it was excellent... possibly the best Tori i've ever seen. i can't say for sure because i just don't really remember the 1996 show very well anymore. but it was definitely better than Houston... lots of improvs and creative intros, an excellent set list, and she seemed a lot more *there* than she did in Houston. i think Houston will always hold a special place for me though because she played Putting the Damage On for me, and that was just too sweet. also, the Austin audience was quite possibly the most well-behaved audience i have ever been a part of. yes, somebody whistled during Me and a Gun, but despite that, everyone was really respectful, there was no yelling of requests and such like at most concerts, no talking or milling about during the concert (at least not where i was sitting), hardly anyone rushed the stage... it was just a really sophisticated bunch of people, and i think that's why Tori gave us such a good, sophisticated kind of show. so i really have to applaud everyone that went to the Austin show. i think we all realized how lucky we were to have been there that night. i mean, Alamo, and Cooling, and PGY, and Sister Janet, AND Landslide... wow.

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Review by snapdragon

bear with me here--i might seem like a personification of an exclamation point right now because--this is how i feel, and i must express or burst

!

i just got home a few hours ago from my amazing road trip to see the austin and dallas shows with three of my best friends, and i am still quite charged from so much overwhelming excitement.

the austin show was special from the start because it marked the exact 5 year anniversary of the first tori show i ever saw on nov. 2, 1996 (a gut-wrenchingly beautiful experience).

the austin show was my 6th tori concert and by FAR the BEST show i have ever seen.
the bass concert hall was a very attractive looking venue with comfortable seating (aka Leg Room). i new as soon as i sat down that it would be an exceptional night--the energy of the place seemed very positively charged. i was impressed at how well behaved and receptive the crowd was right from the start of rufus's performance (the opposite of the following night in dallas! ).

i have to agree with the post earlier that it was definately a "mommy show". i felt like she nailed on the head the ultimate experiences of being a woman. the set list was like a neverending intimate stream of loving warmth, as if it came straight from a womb. my senses were awakened like never before--just when i thought i had experienced every human emotion possible, i felt another door open and literally reach in and shake my soul...filled again with the receptive wonder of a newborn child. i felt like the entire audience was captivated in a similar way. and my friends and i bonded like never before.

tori's voice and playing was more powerful and effortlessly clear than i have ever heard it before--even on all of her albums! there was a fresh feeling to every song because she let it flow so easily in the direction and feeling of the moment.

i have never felt so much energy explode from one being and be channeled so perfectly.
the way she sang talula--like a prayer for her child and invocation of "mother strength"--made my whole body instantly feel like one of those giant lumps you get in the throat. it seemed like in pretty good year the "mother strength" came leaping out of the "what's it gonna take to make my baby all right" part. the "shattering glass" background lighting effect RIGHT at that moment was awesome perfection.

i have hoped for alamo at every show and feel so lucky to have heard it played with such emotion.

the intense beauty of alamo, doughnut song , never seen blue, cooling, jackie's strength, and playboy mommy in one night was almost too much for me to handle.

i wanted to click on my lighter during sister janet to express my appreciation, but i couldnt hold on to anything at that point--did anyone else feel this way?

i am in complete awe of her talent. every cell in my body said "thank you" that night--even in my dreams. i think that's all i can say right now....

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Review by Jessalynn

i got lucky enough to be able to go to all three texas shows this year.

and austin was by far the best.

i got to talk to tori for the first time at houston, so i hung back for the other two m&g in hopes that someone else would have a first chance (and enjoy it as much as i did mine)

i was slightly annoyed at the selling pictures... but people were willing to buy them, so how much can i really complain?

i knew we'd get to the m&g early, and wanted everyone to talk with each other (instead of the small groups of 4 or 5) so my attempt worked somewhat.

i am the blow pop girl.

i made everyone share their name before they were allowed to have a blow pop... and it was great those first few hours before it was so hot and nasty.

but the show was the best! except for people moving around so much, the crowd was great. really sitting back and listening instead of trying to make themselves heard. i am glad i had that experience.

and hello to everyone i saw at all three shows... this was the best weekend i think i've ever had.

thanks also to eef and sean for trusting an unknown person to give you rides everywhere.

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Review by somAiroTevoLI

I am still crying.........I can now die a happy boy.......

This was my first concert ever and didn't know what to expect....

I got to the meet and greet around 11:45 and met a lot of great people....It was nice to be around others that feel the same way I do and adore her as much as I do.......I felt very welcomed by most of everyone there........more in place then I have ever in a group of strangers.........Thanks Jessalynn for the pop.....watermelon to be exact.......btw, I am lyle the blond boy u first met.......anyways back to the day......

I never tought I would get the chance to meet and talk to the women thta has gotten me trough the last 8 1/2 years of my life...........she has always been there for me trough her voice and her music, and always will......I am thinkful I was able to get close enugh to meet her.....I am still crying....ugh.....I was so aw strucked when I saw her beauty.......it was natural and wholesome......she had this aura that streached out for eternity and cosumed all in it's presence..........I was shaking so bad ...........especially after I got to touch her.....not just her but her hand........that hand that accompanies the other, that is able to bring all that is her expressions out and put them onto those keys and pour her soul trough....

she was so sincere and extreamly real.......I knew I wasn't dreaming she was there and it was like an old lost friend.........I was able to get her to sign my ticket which was all I had at the moment, and it was so cute because before she started to write my name I told her it was lyle w/ a y and she writes ly....then she still stumbled.....then she finished it and it's cool be cause u can see where she hesitated w/ her pen stroke...

well that's about all i can write about the meet in greet right noew........as far as the show.......I don't know how to judge it since it was my first.....but I can tell u i was in tears the whole time..........and I will continue this later I am way to emotional.

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Review by BottledErotica

this show was fucking amazing!
my seat sucked.. but tori so made up for it

juarez was a complete surprise. my jaw was on the floor and i knew i was in for a good show.
i was VERY excited to hear past the mission. i was really hoping i would get to hear it this tour, with the beautiful new arrangment.

alamo was also very surprising. it was very refreshing to hear that night
space dog was EXCELLENT. i was really impressed it. i felt bad for Raven, because it was played at the only texas show she didnt attend

talula was perfect.. it was definitly one of my favs of that night. i loved the tash inspired improv (sparkle in her eyes....), very powerful (yeah she did fuck it up just a tad bit heh)

real men wasnt too surprising, cause this group of guys asked her to do it in many ways. it was a delight to hear.. im glad she pulled it out

pretty good year was very nice to hear.. the 'whats it gonna take..' part was amazing

i was VERY glad to hear playboy mommy on the rhodes, it fit the song to a tea and it is definitly one of my favorite versions of the song.. the fuck up was noticable but cute.. i now forget where exactly it was.. but she repeated something like 'i do' or 'i know' over like 10 times

sister janet and landslide were very pleasent closers...

this show was perfect.
i didnt think it could get much better....
but then we headed over to Dallas

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Review by noe

i thought it was quite boring

she left very important songs for me behind. not just "some" songs but many of them..
no winter!, no silent!, no icicle, widow, sneeze, sugar, voodoo, raspberry, no black dove!, no pandora!, girl, pantom, raining blood!

i was so dissapointed..
but i guess i was amazingly rewarded with the ever so amazing juarez solo, live. and talula! the brightest highlights of that night.

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Review by adrianf1974

This show was not nearly as good as her past Texas shows. It was much more sedate and kind of... well



The shirts sucked. The tour book sucked. The album was a let down...

CG was the last thing that I liked...

I will always love Tori, but I hope things get better soon!

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