StrangeLittleTour
Clearwater, FL
September 29, 2001

Updated October 14, 2001

Tori performed in Clearwater, FL on September 29, 2001 at the Ruth Eckerd Hall during the 2001 StrangeLittleTour.

Set List

'97 Bonnie and Clyde
Past The Mission
Take To The Sky
Doughnut Song
Beauty Queen
Horses
Northern Lad
Rattlesnakes
Sweet Dreams
Winter
Concertina
Crucify
Merman
Me And A Gun
Time

1st Encore:
Leather
Lust

2nd Encore:
Never Seen Blue
Enjoy The Silence
Hey Jupiter

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 Mikewhy

September 30, 2001 - It is even later tonight, so once again I can not give you a decent concert review. Tori seemed even looser and more "into it" today then the previous day. Her story about taking Natashya to Sears and Tash crying and saying, "You always say no" was so cute! Her comment before Merman talking about Matthew Shepherd was deeply moving. The look on her face at the end when she forgot the words to Hey Jupiter was priceless and hilarious! She even altered the words to hey Jupiter to include, "Thought I knew my words so well..." The show once again consisted of 20 songs and was 1 hour 46 minutes in length. For all other important details, and there are many, check out the Concert Reviews Forum.

Added October 3, 2001 - This review was posted to CDNOW.com on October 1, 2001.

Intense Tori Amos Enraptures Audience In Florida

By Brian Orloff

Despite the fact that Tori Amos' last two major tours have been with a bona fide rock band, Amos' two-hour solo show at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Fla., on Saturday (Sept. 29) did not lack intensity.

A testament to her musicianship, Amos kept fans enraptured on her second date of a major North American tour with just her famous Bosendorfer grand piano, and Rhodes and Wurlitzer organs. The performance felt more like an intimate gathering of friends than an official rock concert.

Amos did not need the aid of backing musicians, nor did she need to bloat her performance with flashy lights or costume changes. Watching Amos, a classically trained piano virtuoso, writhe and spasm at the keys was far more engaging than any gaudy display of fireworks. At some points Amos simultaneously played both the organ and piano, adding rich musical flourishes to the songs. Amos owns her songs; witnessing her spread-eagle on the piano bench living the music lucidly illustrates her passion.

With regard to music, Amos judiciously divided her set among songs from all her albums. Her newest, Strange Little Girls, an album of covers, provided the evening's eerie opener, her take on Eminem's gruesome "'97 Bonnie and Clyde."

A slashed curtain descended with a photograph of Amos portraying Eminem's dead wife. Amos spoke the words from offstage with a backing track as spotlights probed. Reds and blues stabbed the audience. The sinister rendition felt like a twisted funeral for the woman, with the audience disquieted and stunned. As the song concluded the audience rose in a standing ovation and Amos appeared onstage.

Other emotional high points came as Amos did an a cappella rendition of "Me and a Gun," a stark recounting of her own rape. During the song it seemed that the oxygen had been vacuumed from the room; Amos hypnotized the crowd. Her receptiveness to fans surfaced as she played "Never Seen Blue" and "Northern Lad," both requested earlier. During "Hey Jupiter," her last song for the evening, Amos forgot the lyrics to the second verse. She stopped playing, asking "O.K., what happens now?" Fans near the front offered the coveted lyrics and Amos resumed her playing to laughter and furious applause.

Fan favorites and older songs got makeovers, including "Crucify," which Amos played with an extended introduction on the Wurlitzer. Before playing the reworked tune she said, "This song wanted to do something different with herself, wear a different dress for a while." Amos' staple "Winter" also featured a more intricate piano introduction and lyrical improvisations.

Canadian troubadour Rufus Wainwright provided a muscular opening set. The self-dubbed "male Tori Amos" played solo with an electric piano and a set of guitars. Although Wainwright's music translated well live, he made it clear that when performing with his band, the songs resemble the ornately orchestrated album versions better. Despite not having the band Wainwright's music never sounded derivative and was, in fact, well received by the crowd.

From JelloFaerie (from The Dent forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - I will only post on the new songs cause well, the others were from the night before

97 Bonnie and Clyde- same as the night before. It freaks me out.

Past the Mission- wow! she played the Rhodes on the chorus. It was sooo pretty. And before she started the verse, she would play this awesome bassy piano bit. Like a lead in.

Take to the Sky- Really good. She did it a little more dragged out on the bridge bit. It was cool.

Told story about Tash's first bus ride. And how she threw a paddy in the middle of Sears. Iwill paraphrase

" We were in the middle of Sears, don't ask me why. And, see, Tash's new thing is no. Everything is no. And well, she decided to carry the Prada diaper bag, and well it weighed like 2000lbs. So we said "no". And she just flung the prada bag and went darting down the isle saying "no no no, why must everything be no no no" and started to cry." It was cute.

Doughnut Song- Oh, my goddess. It was amazing. She played it up the octave. And she dragged out the intro, and made it a bit more involved. She sounded angrier on this version, and when she got to the "You can tell me its over, over, over. maybe its overrrrrrr I said, you can tell me its over, maybe its gonna be over baby" So emotional, she belted it out.

BQ/ Horses- same as last night. Sounded great though. The first piano solo was soo heavy and bassy.

Northern Lad- someone has requested it. And she said that she doesnt play it much. And it was great. She sang the high notes soo lovely

Rattlesnakes- same as night before, great.

Sweet Dreams- I think this is gonna be a regular. Its the new sugar!~

Winter- This was amazing. When she got the the part of " Just wanted you to be proud of me" she messed it up and it ended up like" I just wanted, you and me to be proud of me and you, and meee and youuu, I just wanted you to be proud of me" IT was cute.!

Concertina- She played it one hand on the Rhodes aned one hand on the Bose. But halfway throughout the song, I think she got mixed up and couldnt get the octave or the interval right on her piano hand, cause she was trying to figure it out. But it sounded great and was pretty.

Crucify- same as last night. Only song on the Whurly.

Merman- She made a dedication. She was talking about Matthew Shepard, and how it related to Sept 11. How it was violence against one man, and how this was simlilar and she said "for Matthew, where ever you are"

Me and a Gun- It makes me feel funny.

Time- Beautiful as always

Encore 1

Leather- rocked like last night

Lust- wow, this was amazing. She changed the arrangment on the piano bit on the beginning. And she did the "remember, remember, remember, what she said..remember remember remember what she said last week. yes remember, remember remember, and i said you said...." IT was beautiful.

Encore2

NEver Seen Blue- She said that she gets all mushy and lovely dovery when she comes to Florida so she is gonna play a lovely dovey song.

Enjoy the Silence- It didnt have as much effects on the piano tonight, sounded Better.

Hey Jupiter- Sounded amazing. Then she messed up the last bit. She forgot her words and was like "So, whats next?" And someone shouted them out and she is like "Thought I knew my words soo well" haha great.

The only bad bit I have to say, was not even bad, just annoyed me.

The meet and greet, this one chick. If you are here, Short chunky girl with purple detachable pigtails, you are selfish and pushy. i almost got to geta pic and a hug from Tori(not that I wanted the hug, I just wanted to say one thing and get a pic), but the 3 foot tall and 4 foot wide troll in front of me was an ass and handed about 6 things of hers up to be signed and too up alot of space, then told tori she looked like the stuffed fish. Grrrrrrrrr, have some manners kids! Othe rthan that, I did get to say hi to Tori yesterday and today, so I must not complain too much. I didnt mind not getting hte pic, It was the fact that it was cause of the girl infront of me. I am damn short and I was letting chicks and guys in front of me, making sure I didnt step on toes and stuf. Ohh well.

From Brenna (From The Dent forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - I enjoyed the heck out of the little story about Sears. Not only did the baby throw a tantrum, apparently the people at Sears wanted Tori's phone number (I am not sure if that is part of their purchase practice or what). Anyway, she tried to explain to the sales person why she couldn't give her a number, but the lady wouldn't listen. The lady insisted on a number. So Tori gave her one and warned us, "So if one of you gets a phone call from Sears about a buggy..." Hysterical!

Also, during the lyric change in Winter at the end she stopped and said, "Funny, that" as if to acknowledge her mix up.

Very nice show. She came out and signed autographs for about 5 minutes an hour after the show. She looked very tired. I think most of the fans understood why she couldn't come by and see everyone.

I am halfway considering driving to kissimee for the meet and greet, despite not having tix for the show silly me.

From Amber (From The Dent forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - I just got back from this show & I'm in a happy little daze! I went to west palm as well. These too shows were fucking amazing! She told such cute stories! She sounded amazing! I never heard her sound this good live before she didn't miss a note & was never out of key! blew my F -ing mind! Also I got too meet her at both shows- man is she cute & tiny! anyway after meeting her & seeing how much she dose for her fans, & how friendly she is I love her more than ever (which I didn't think was possiable). But I love her in a differnt way- I love her on some strange personal level- because she is so kind to her fans & sweet & takes time to meet them & talk to them & read there letters. SHe is not just a great musiscian she is a great person! For all of you who have ticket be ready to have you mind blown!

Also Rufus Wainwright is great! I bought his cd & got his autography tonight. he is super cute! He siad after his 1st song "I think this tour is really good for me, I always though of my self as a male Tori Amos"

yeah the fish girl was annoy me also but I guess seeing Tori makes some people go crazy! I'm suprised how calm I stayed! Umm as about her outfit both nights so far she has worn a white outfit- hard to expliane. Its like a suit but the leggs are super wide like huge bell bottoms but with slits real high up to her thighs. Almost like a shirt on each leg. Under that thing were short to her knee real tight. & the top was long sleeved like a power suit sort f. It was all white- silk I think. sort of pretty- sort of bazaar! for the meet & greets she looked real cute! The 1st day she had on adidas red striped sneakers. She has on boat cut gray pants with white pin stipes & a white t-shirt. Today same shoes. Capri cargo short, a red t-shirt & a blue hoodie! very cute

as for Rufus set list it was Cigarettes & chocolate milk, greek song, A song I don't know the name of off the 1st album, califorina, poses- I think that was it- sorry I can't help more

From Stu52 (From The Dent forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - Tori's outfit, I would say, was somewhat "Real Men"-ish. It was some sort of offwhite (hard to tell with all the weird lighting) pantsuit, which I know sounds horrible, but it was STUNNING. It made her look tall and leggy and just plain stunning.

Tori was in sublime form tonight. She was sharp and chatty, and her energy level was through the roof.

The Natashya story was great. Hopefully someone will be able to give a transcription soon, despite it having been probably a good five minutes. Tori called Natashya a toddler (hard to believe she's already 1!) and did this unbelievably cute impression of a toddler's walk to go along with Natashya's "no no no!" fit in the middle of Sears.

Before Crucify, Tori said that this girl "wanted to wear a new dress" for a while.

Hey Jupiter was definitely a highlight of the night. I know it seems trite to dwell on her fuck-ups, but if you've ever seen one, you know that they are just so CUTE! Going into the first "and I thought I wouldn't have to be..." she totally messed up the lyrics, bringing in lyrics from all over the song and screwing them all up into this terrible jumble. I thought "hmm, guess she's changing it up some!" Then she went into the "oo-oo-ooh"s, but did the really climactic one from the end instead of a "normal" one, and I thought "wow, her energy is really through the roof tonight!" And then she did about four bars of loose improv, and I thought "wow, what a nice little new improv bridge in the middle of the song. And then she just stopped COMPLETELY, no trail-off or anything and said "So what happens now?" The audience chuckled a bit, and she said "No, really, what happens now??" and someone in one of the front rows gave her the cue "sometimes I breathe you in.." and she said "oh yeah!" and just jumped back into it. Classic. For that being the last song of the night, it left everyone in a really warm, light-hearted mood.

It sounds like Past the Mission would be a frivolous follow-up to 97B&C, but the arrangement was darker and dripping with beauty. The dense, new piano arrangement that preceded every verse (including the first verse) added a new dimension to the song.

Doughtnut Song was gorgeous. The way she extracted "you told me it's over... come in Houston" background and turned it into its own verse was magical. Hearing this song really made my night. (As if you care.. I know you're all a bunch of detail-whores )

Northern Lad and Rattlesnakes were standouts. Both were far more gorgeous than I'd ever heard them before. Sweet Dreams.. hmm. Not the best song solo, it seemed. The only lackluster song of the evening. No real innovation in the arrangement, just the original version stripped of all other instrumentation.

This was a phenomenal show. This looks like it's really going to be the tour of a lifetime, judging from this show and what I've heard about WBP last night. Pay whatever you need to pay to get tickets!

From sufisdance (From The Dent Forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - songs for the soundcheck were Doughnut song, Past the Mission (twice), Merman, Northern Lad, Past the Mission (for photographers)

she also mentioned Sugar and it was on one version of the setlist...

From Canodiva1 (From The Dent Forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - For those I saw this weekend, I just now got home.

Rufus played the same setlist, except for he added a song. I've had 6 hours of sleep since Thursday, so don't ask me what he added. (I'll call Josh in a few hours and see if he remembers.)

Personally, I don't care for Rufus. Well, his music anyways. He has absolutely no passion, and no energy. Both nights his performances have been very flat.

However, he did have some funny remarks. He's pretty vain, but at least he admitted it, and it was funny.

Tori - Her outfit: It was the same style as last night, just different colors. Her pants were white, and looked like satin, but they had slits in the outside seams to the knee. She had on a tan suitjacket, but the jacket was mid calf length, and had slits up the sides, and front. Very very classy, and very feminine.

I snuck a few pics (No flash!) and if they turn out I'll put one up.

From titania_fairie_ (From The Dent Forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - I am so jealous of all of you who get to see her more than once. I had planned a little mini tour of my own to see her in about 5 cities, but then I got engaged and money is tooo tight!

Anyway I know this is Clearwater date ONLY so here is my take. I loved that she came out on stage and said, "It's been awhile, how are you guys?" She knows how to make us feel like friends.

I have to admit bonnie & clyde 97 gives me the creeps. But I love it you're creeped out and enthralled at the same time.

Take To the Skies is one of my FAVORITE songs it was fabulous! I never thought I'd see her do it live.

I loved Northern Lad, I don't think I took a breath through the whole song.

When she did Me and A Gun I got chills. I think we could have herad a pin drop when she sung it.

Also, Crucify, well that was different. Not that I didn't like it. I was just dissapointed that was the ONLY song she walked away from the piano to play. I was REALLY hoping she would come on stage for her encore and WAIL Blood Roses.

I have heard Leather before, but last night it was amazing.

One comment on her outfit. I love it when she wears those breezy pant suits. She can straddle the piano bench and still look whispy!

From rob (Kurt658) (From The Dent Forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - this Clearwater show was SOOOO SOOOO good!

i was at the Meet & Greet (with my cousin Maribel) and as we got there around...12:30-1, the people already there said "Hi" and "Where you from?". everyone was really nice!! Brian and Mina were the first two i talked to, i think...Hii.. and i met miss Dor...then this girl from Miami, Osiris..and then two more girls from miami (or who used to live there) who were so nice and so funny but i don't remember their names! and then Osiris's three friends..and then another Miamian, Sarah (who had been at the venue since super super early). for a while, we were waiting in the front of this sign..everyone just sitting around, munching on food and talking...eventually some guy came and told us we could go back to where tori would be..so we did. and we stood there for about 2 hours. i was two rows back and talked to some nice people around me.. everyone was gettin' along and having a pretty good time, it seemed to me. Oh! and the girl with the stuffed fish comment...i dont really remember the girl, but i remember the stuffed fish. it wasn't that she called tori a stuffed fish directly; it was that she had a stuffed fish (like a stuffed animal toy or whatever) and she goes "it looks like you!". i didnt' get a good look at the fish, so i'm not sure if it really did look like tori or not. *shrug* i heard people say that tori started crying! i didn't really see her crying, but i do think i saw her eyes watery. she hugged some people, she signed stuff, took pictures..she even talked to some guy's girlfriend on the phone..it was her birthday and tori sang her Happy Birthday over the phone! when she was coming towards my side...well, i wasn't close enough to get a picture or a hug, and i didn't really want anything signed..or didnt' care too much to get anything signed. but i did wave to her and she did see me and i did say Hi and she did say Hi back (or something like that..my memory is fuzzy as to exactly what happened) and i was really calmer than i expected and all i said was "how are you?" and i'm not sure if she said "good" or if she smiled but i did reach out my hand and she did grab it for a couple seconds and it was very great! after the M&G i went to the hotel and changed then came back for the show..

the tour book is sooo perdy!! it is a calender for 2002 and for each month is a diff. girl from SLG...(one month has a pic of both Heart of Gold girls) and it has the stories by Neil Gaiman.

and so..here's a cool story to tell that i'm still in awe about sort of..... as i was walking down the stairs before Rufus even came on, a girl says Hi to me and i didn't recognize her at first but then i realized it was this girl Carolina who i kind of knew from school last year. we were in the same school club together and i had talked to her a few times and stuff...i didn't even know she liked tori. and it was so..ironic that i see her at a tori show in Clearwater! but get this! her seats were right next to mine!! i had row JJ seats 18-19; carolina and her friends had row JJ seats 20-22!

the actual show...B&C is creepy as hell but a Great opener!! just like WPB, i thought she sounded angry as she sang the song, rather than sad (how she sounds on teh album, to me at least). the stories were adorable as everyone has said! she's so happy to have natashya!! ^_^ Doughnut Song-WOW! Northern lad!! LOOVE it!! and it was soo touching and great! i love Rattlesnakes done the way she does it at the shows...even better than on the cd, i mean. and i like Sweet dreams a lot too! Winter gorgeous (of course!). i was so happy she did Merman...i looove it!! and..it was all great!! you just...i'm sure you all know how what you feel like when you see tori live. it's so hard to explain in words. and i'm not going to try, either.

after the show there were a LOT of people waiting for tori. me and my cousin weren't in the crowd this time..just kidn of hanging around behind them. we talked to Brian and Mina some more and we met Steve who was mega nice and cool!! we were about to leave (along with steve) when the people started cheering... so we get on top of some of these chairs that were there and we kind of get glimpses of tori here and there. and then she left and then we left.

it was such a great experience!! i mean..it's not only seeing tori live..it's also meeting and talking to other toriphiles. and... i'm just very happy with my weekend.

From Fluffy_bunny (From The Dent Forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - i thought the show was gorgeous... She sang a lot of my personal favorites, and turned "Past the Mission" into a song i keep tucked close to my heart... i was surprised it was such a small theatre, happily so!

The only strange thing was after the show, the meet and greet. There was a ton of people, mostly pushing. Did anyone see one of the security people take someone out of the crowd?

From Jenn (FurtherToFly) (From The Dent Forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - Hey, this is my first post here, so sorry if it's completely messed up

Anyhow, my name is Jenn and I've been a Tori fan for some time now, but this was the first concert of hers that I managed to catch.

I live in Orlando for most of the year while I attend UCF. For this concert my best friend Nicole drove up from West Palm Beach and then we drove over to Clearwater from Orlando.

Boy, was it worth it. When we entered the lobby we must've gone in the side entrance cos they weren't selling many things at all, only about two shirts and the tourbooks, yet I had read the reviews here from the day before and I knew there were more. So I was a tad bit frustrated, but got over it cos I knew I'd be attending the Orlando concert as well. And more importantly, I was there for the music.

So we had average seats, off to the right side a bit, but basically in the middle of the threatre. Good enough, I suppose.

About five or ten minutes before Rufus came on someone dressed in all black came up to Nicole and I (he spoke more to Nicole, I had difficultly hearing what he was saying) and said that he was a representative of Tori (I'm pretty sure now that he was her bodyguard, but I didn't get a good look at him, and at the time I figured it was either a really good hoax or a dream) and that he had two tickets for the front, if we were interested.

If we were interested?! Of course we were! So, Nicole starts following him and I'm all panicky cos I can't get my sandals back on, and I still have to grab my purse, water, and the tourbook. I'm sure I looked like an absolute dork as I then proceeded to effectively sprint down the asiles after Nicole, who had the tickets in her hand at that point.

It was real. FRONT row, in the pit. When I stretched out my legs I could touch the stage. >From what I could gather, the first three or four rows consisted of other people like myself, just randomly seated people who had been offered these seats.

I could ramble on for hours about the songs but many people have written much better reviews in here already...all I can say is I was in absolute awe.

Nicole, who was only kinda interested in Tori after my repeated attempts to play her CDs in the car every time we went anywhere, walked out of the concert saying it was the best she'd ever been to. Ever.

Pure magic.

I went to the concert last night in Orlando, and while it was absolutely great and amazing, nothing, absolutely nothing will ever compare to my first Tori concert.

Wow.

From littlemasokist (From The Dent Forum)

Added Oct 14, 2001 - I attended the Clearwater show and was able to sit in the second row. AMAZING!! No artist expresses Themself the way Tori does in concert. The words Sensuous, erotic, compelling and spellbinding come to mind. The absolute silence during "Me and a Gun" was deafening, even to the point where audience members jumped when she raised her voice! Then to go into "Time" set a truly introspective tone. "Hey Jupiter" brings out so many emotions each time I hear it, and now I can add humor to them. She recovered so cleverly when she forgot the beginning of the second verse. At this point I can only begin counting the days to the next tour. After the show I was able to go backstage and meet Tori. I can only say that you should pay close attention to every good thing you ever hear about Tori because it is all true. She is one of the kindest and most compassionate people I have ever met, and even for just the short time seeing her she had a profound effect on me.

From Richard Handal

Added Oct 14, 2001 - As predicted, this tour is NOT Dew Drop Inn revisited, this is a shiny new creature with a delightfully relaxed and centered Tori. She's quickly getting her sea legs and I'm anticipating increasing transcendentalism as the tour progresses.

Darn near every song has a new arrangement; and my, she *does* like to straddle that bench and play the Rhodes and the Boesey at the same time. Jupiter on this combination is wonderfully cool and smokey. A top centerpiece at these shows is the previously rare Sweet Dreams, which we can expect to hear a lot of, as Tori's put in much effort to the arrangement, and Dan's created special effects with the lighting. (BTW, the lighting design is THE BEST, most artistically and creatively designed of any tour. Tasteful and low key. And Simon was considered such a hotshot.)

When she does Gun she sits on the bench with one white light from stage right casting her profile shadow onto the stage left wall of the house, with subtle wisps of smoke slowly wafting in from the wings. Appropriately austere.

Although so far I've pretty much had my eyes glued to the binoculars and focused tight on herself, I can testify that the lighting is beautiful.

The first night had little variation in tempi from one song to the next, but she had a lot more variance going on night two, and I would look for a good ride from this point on. Frankly, even without the ride there's her voice, which is featured in new arrangements designed to give more opportunities for vocal soaring of the kind that'll set off chills down one's spine. Oh--and there's her; *lots* of her at these shows.

She seems to be playing the Wurlitzer maybe two songs each night, and between the sound of it, plus the sound of the Rhodes and her left hand on the Boesey, it makes for a lush, intimate atmosphere. She's gone from rhythm being the guiding force to its being a supporting cast member. The songs and simply their presentation are the main things going on now, and the expressiveness of the music coming directly from her has taken center stage.

That's all I can write now. Just a few impressions is all I'm up to. If you go to any shows plan to sit down, relax, and have a good time.

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