StrangeLittleTour
Oakland, CA
November 11, 2001

Updated January 7, 2002

Tori performed in Oakland, CA on November 11, 2001 at the Paramount Theatre during the 2001 StrangeLittleTour. This was the first of two nights of concerts in Oakland.

Set List

The set list below comes from Richard Handal, who called me after the show! Thanks also to Ellen for first telling me by email that Tori did Boys In The Trees.

'97 Bonnie & Clyde
Icicle
Sugar
Cool On Your Island
Cloud On My Tongue
Real Men
Famous Blue Raincoat
Bachelorette
Never Seen Blue
Beauty Queen
Horses
Winter
Bells For Her
Me and a Gun
Time

1st Encore:
Concertina
Boys In The Trees
Landslide

2nd Encore:
I Don't Like Mondays
Marianne
Tear In Your Hand

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 Richard Handal

Added November 12, 2001 - Richard called me on the phone after the show. He said that this show was consciously, even purposely emotional. The show started at 9:14PM and ended at 11:05, which was 1 hour and 51 minutes long. There was a short technical delay at the start of the show. The lights went out and then there was nothing for about 90 seconds. Tori hardly spoke at all tonight, and there seemed to be virtually no break between songs. For example, Cloud On My Tongue began even before the last notes of Cool On Your Island decayed.

Icicle included a long, thunderous introduction. Tori repeated the entire opening section of the song. Famous Blue Raincoat had an amazing vocalizing break. Tori did not go high during Winter. Tori debuted the Carly Simon cover "Boys In The Trees" for the first time on this tour. It was a request. Tori followed her official set list exactly tonight, but Boys In The Trees was written by hand on the official set list.

Marianne really knocked Richard out tonight. He also said tha after this show, he remembered why he drove 3000 miles to see it.

As a side note, Jon Evans was in the audience tonight.

From Lisa (MrsMalkav)

Added November 12, 2001 - We were spoiled tonight.

We got "Boys In The Trees" and a bunch of other tracks that haven't shown up often. You'll get the list from someone somewhere (I forgot the order already), but I just wanted to let you know about that one!

WOW! What an awesome setlist.

From Kevin Hawkins

Added November 12, 2001 - I thought I would offer up a review...I see you've already got the setlist! Or at least I'll give some highlights.

As Richard mentioned, after the lights went down, nothing happened for about a minute. Then, finally, the first curtain dropped, then after a brief pause, '97 Bonnie & Clyde started.

Tori delivered Icicle and Sugar with a deep intensity. While she didn't hit the high range on the "I could have, I should have..." during Icicle, she was very powerful, forceful, then backing off, on both of these. Very dynamic.

After Sugar, she spoke with us briefly. She talked about being a Mommy now, and how "our thing is strawberries and creme," probably talking about Tash, because she went on to say that "it gets in my hair and everywhere, and if you were up close to me, you'd be able to tell that I need a shower." She was talking about this as she was spooning something from a red cup into her mouth, which I had been wondering about from previous shows. I figured it was yogurt. :)

Cool On Your Island was at the Rhodes, but unlike the version I heard in Indy, this didn't have the pulsing backdrop...it was more straightforward, rhythmically. That of course did not detract from its greatness!

Cloud on My Tongue saw an emphatic "you can go now." Famous Blue Raincoat seemed full of tears. Bachelorette was baudy, rowdy! Tori cut loose on that one. Never Seen Blue, I'm not sure I've seen that one before.

Beauty Queen was tough to recognize at first...she put a dark, ominous rendition out there. Horses and Winter.

She did Bells For Her at the Wurlitzer (I hope I'm getting these right). She started playing, but there was no sound coming out of the mic! She stopped, kicked her foot up on the bench, then said something like, "This is the only time I ever get to model shoes."

Me And A Gun seemed more vulnerable than usual. Tori was almost bent over at the piano bench, kind of huddled. She closed with Time.

1st encore

Concertina was done between the Rhodes and the Bosey. That's just amazing to me! I suppose it's all in a day's work for Tori. :)

Her intro to "Boys In The Trees" went something like, "I haven't done this in a long long long time. Someone was nice enough to give me a CD to remember how it goes. A bootleg...quite useful little things." Landslide was as beautiful as ever.

2nd encore

I Don't Like Mondays was done at the Rhodes...I like the low tonal mesh that comes with this. It has such a soft feel, and Tori seems to know exactly when to use it. I wasn't expecting Marianne for some reason. The lighting was the perfect accompaniment to her segue into "the weasel squeaks..." which was eruptive. This song knocked me out.

And, of course, Tear In Your Hand was perfection! I can't objectively say too much about it, since I love it to death! I like how she threw a "hup" in where there's the petal release on the album, right before "Caught a ride with the moon...." It's the little things. :)

All in all, it was a great show, and the technical difficulties, though there were a handful of them, never got up enough momentum to disrupt the show. The lighting is simply brilliant. I could write another whole review on that alone.

Anyway, I guess that's about it. If you like, I'll drop you another review for tomorrow's show.

From Strange Little Boy (michael)

Added November 12, 2001 - The Oakland Show was absolutly AMAZING. Nothing compares. I wish that she would have talked a little more. This is how the set list went: 97 Bonnie and Clyde: I don't like it on the CD but this was a lot better. Although I wish I could have seen her because it got a little old just listening.

Icicle: Very beautiful, Love the beginning.

Sugar: Good, but I like it better with a band

Cool On Your Island: She played this on the Whurrly. At first I had a mind blank and didn't recognize it but after she sang the first few words I recognized it.

Cloud on my Tongue

Real Men: I loved it!!!!!! One of my favs on SLG. I called my friends (bethy and jen) who loved this one two :-)

Famous Blue raincoat

Bachlorette: One of my fav's of the Entire night!!!!

Never Seen Blue: Seemed as if she did an entire section of just Bsides

Beauty Queen: Liked this better than on CD

Horses: Very beautiful, Hit a few very powerful notes that woke me up!!!

Winter: Great, extremely pretty!

Bells for her: This was alright, they were having techinal difficulties and so she put her foot up on the bench and said that "any chance to shoe model" :-9

Me and Gun: Very emotional, i started crying

Time: better than studio

1st Encore:

Concertina: My all time favorite song by Tori's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She played the Whurrly and Bosey both.

Boys in the Trees: I didn't recognize this one until I asked for the setlist and read what song it was

Landslide. Very beautiful (better than the 9/19/99 show in Concord, CA)

2nd Encore:

Monday's: Pretty

Marianne: I started crying in this one two

Tear in Your Hand: My dad's favorite. It was very beautiful and Emotional!!!!!!

i was in the 6th row center, Row F, 117. The view and theater was great. I spent $180 at the merch booth on 4 shirts 3 necklaces, and the calender. The calender is very neato. They have good shirts. I like the Satin worship shirt. The necklaces are good, although, i do like the venus envi ones better. Rufus was very good. He was funny and he ended up signing autographs so I got to meet him. He played my favorite song by him "California". The overall show was GREAT!

Added November 15, 2001 - Joel, William Elefante, Meredith, and Daryle Carlson emailed me this Oakland review, which appeared in the November 13, 2001 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.

Amos through the ages/Singer's message as complex as ever
James Sullivan, Chronicle Pop Music Critic

The most telling lyric of Tori Amos' sold-out solo show Sunday at Oakland's Paramount Theatre wasn't her own. "If there's a war between the sexes, then there'll be no people left," she sang during a meticulous version of Joe Jackson's "Real Men."

Sexual politics is Amos' arena; truces aren't usually in the offing. But Amos is a new mother, and her take on men and women has surely been affected by the experience.@sk,0

Exactly how is anybody's guess. Suffice it to say that she's been affected in more ways than one. Complexity, usually the kiss of death in pop music, is Amos' core characteristic.

"Strange Little Girls," the latest album from the expert provocateur, features a dozen songs by male songwriters, all of them written from distinctly male perspectives. Several of them found their way onto the set list Sunday, the first of two consecutive nights at the Paramount on her first tour since her pregnancy.

The show opened with the most obviously challenging of the new songs -- her cover of Eminem's " '97 Bonnie & Clyde," the infamous narrative in which the rapper fantasizes about killing his wife and bringing his baby daughter along to dump the body.

The "performance" was actually the CD track from "Strange Little Girls," played over the ornate auditorium's sound system. Eerily, a spotlight fixed on an oversize photo of Amos dressed as a blond Stepford wife, proudly holding a chocolate cake.

What, she might have been asking, is a wife? What is a marriage? Where do we find domestic violence? The questions flew, and the headliner hadn't even taken the stage yet.

Two songs later, after striding onstage and making the grand crouching gesture of a samurai, the singer offered a lighter side. She needed a shower, she said. "Sorry about that."

She had strawberries and cream in her hair, she explained, blaming it on her baby daughter.

Her fans cheered. It's no rare occurrence at a Tori Amos show. On Sunday, they cheered when she walked across the stage. They cheered her every hair toss. They cheered when she had microphone trouble.

DEDICATED FANS

Amos has one of the most devout cult followings in pop. At the Paramount, fans were rewarded with selections from each phase of the singer's decade-long career, from defining early songs such as "Me and a Gun" and "Tear in Your Hand" to her "Strange Little Girls" cover of the Boomtown Rats' school- violence song "I Don't Like Mondays."

The set list was stuffed with cover songs, including versions of Leonard Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat" and Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide." From the new album, Amos played Tom Waits' "Time."

As always, she straddled her piano bench, bracing herself between a black grand piano and a vintage Fender Rhodes keyboard. She began several songs by pounding out bleak, heavy chords with her left hand. Then she typically veered into the upper register, playing simple, repetitive notes situated somewhere between ballerina and serial killer.

Given the singer's limited bag of tricks -- the tinkling piano, the swooping vocals -- stretches of the show verged on tedium. But Amos is one of the few contemporary pop singers who truly know how to sing, and the clarity of the sound was something else. Every bit of moisture in her mouth was audible. The audience hung on her every word, and the words of a few others, too.

WAINWRIGHT OPENS

Rufus Wainwright opened with a half-hour of his stylishly weary songcraft. He was at his best telling funny stories about his newfound celebrity (house parties at Marilyn Manson's), and much less persuasive singing a brand-new song he called "11:11," written in response to -- you guessed it -- the terrorist attacks.

E-mail James Sullivan at jamessullivan@sfchronicle.com.

Added November 15, 2001 - Daryle Carlson sent me this Oakland review, which appeared in the November 13, 2001 edition of the Oakland Tribune.

A version of this review also appeared at the Live Daily web site. (Thanks Joel.)

Amos lets her music speak for the girls

By Jim Harrington - STAFF WRITER

Who needs a band? Well, Tori Amos and Rufus Wainwright don't.

On Sunday night at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, headliner Amos and opener Wainwright proved that things like drummers and rhythm guitarists are optional if you've got the right mix of talent and tunes.

Amos was a true force of nature during her one-woman set, fingering the piano with raw emotion and singing as if each word mattered more than the last. There was never any doubt that the capacity crowd was in the presence of a true professional.

Wainwright filled his solo set with catchy, witty songs and joyfully acted like someone who is still getting used to the spotlight.

On the other hand, Amos is completely comfortable performing under the hot white lights before a capacity crowd. It's all about experience. And this singer-pianist knows a thing or two about capacity crowds. Thanks to one of the most dedicated fan bases in the industry, Amos remains an excellent draw on the road.

Tickets for Sunday's gig, as well as the following night's concert, were gone as fast as agencies could print them. Scalpers were demanding hundreds of dollars per ticket on the Internet.

Amos' latest release, "Strange Little Girls," is one of the best-sounding records of the year. And it's one of the most ambitious, as Amos attempts to bridge the gap between the sexes by spinning a female perspective on a dozen songs originally done by male artists.

But the success of a concept album depends on the times. Unfortunately, this is not the right time for "Strange Little Girls." In the aftermath of the tragedies of Sept. 11, the last thing the public wants is a heavy-handed, indulgent look at communication problems between men and women. It just seems a bit trivial during the early stages of war.

Plus, times of trouble foster a sense of solidarity and, thus, in many ways, the difference between the sexes feels less monumental now than it has in years.

Handled incorrectly in concert, the ponderous subject matter could have served as a heavy weight tied around our necks. But Amos never even addressed the concept behind "Strange Little Angels" on Sunday, instead allowing the music to speak for itself.

And it was quite eloquent. The evening's five cover songs - four of which come from the new album - ranked as some of the most powerful moments of the night.

In the evening's only truly theatrical moment, the concert opened with Amos' chilling take on rapper Eminem's "'97 Bonnie and Clyde." As she told the tale of a father taking his baby daughter on a joy ride to dispose of her mother's butchered body, Amos remained out of sight while the crowd stared for a good five minutes at the swirl of lights and the curtain that masked the set. As the eerie song reached its climax, the curtain dropped and the star appeared.

She also delivered a sweet and tender look at Tom Waits' beautiful ballad "Time" and made Joe Jackson's signature "Real Men" into something all her own. Her naked version of the Boomtown Rats hit "I Don't Like Mondays" exposed the song in all its twisted glory.

Despite the wonderful covers, the best song of the evening was the moving a cappella crawl through Amos' own "Me and a Gun," which details the singer's experience with rape.

The son of folk singer Loudon Wainwright, opener Rufus Wainwright never got that heavy but he was still memorable in his run through great tunes like "California" and "Grey Gardens."

At this point, Wainwright clearly isn't in the same league with Amos. But he shows enough promise for us to expect him to one day headline this beautiful downtown venue on his own.

When it happens, maybe he will bring along a band.

You can reach Jim Harrington at jharrington@angnewspapers.com.

Added November 15, 2001 - Another review of the first Oakland show appeared in the November 13, 2001 edition of the Contra Costa Times newspaper. Read it at or below.

Slightly off Amos still thrills fans

By Tony Hicks

TORI AMOS is all about being intimate with her fans -- who on Sunday night at Oakland's Paramount Theatre ranged from the typical girls in fairy wings all the way to the shaggy-maned men clad in heavy-metal shirts.

To those who love her, every foot stomp under the piano bench and husky-throated inhalation furthers the experience. The songs are stripped-down and emotional, without the confines of a commercial framework.

So to her fans, it's always about the experience, even on nights when Amos might not be as overtly swept away by the music as others. The power she puts into performing is always there, but it could be a double-edged sword, making it obvious when it's just lacking a bit.

So it was at Sunday night's sold-out show. It was still Amos onstage, so every moment had the potential to be memorable. The barest of disappointments only came late in the show, when her rapid approach of playing 21 songs in less than two hours without let-up took some of the electricity from the stage.

The initiated Tori lovers didn't seem to notice, but there was a tiny let down for those of us who have never, ever considered strapping on a pair of fairy wings.

Even then, she was more than worth a trip through wet weather. Amos opened with Eminem's " '97 Bonnie and Clyde" from "Strange Little Girls," her record of cover songs with a particular bent toward women and how they're represented in pop music. Unlike the record, in which she slips into various personas, she didn't even attempt anything other than the straight-ahead approach of sitting at her piano and singing her throat dry. That may have been intentional, as the last thing many people want to hear right now is anyone -- seriously or tongue-in-cheek -- emphasizing gender when the country is working so hard at togetherness.

It worked through "Icicle" and "Sugar," which was very intense, with the stripped-down approach allowing every breath to reverberate through the theater. It's songs like "Sugar" that give the impression that every one of Amos' performances matters.

Her voice was typically great -- strong and emotional, typified on "Cool on Your Island" and Joe Jackson's timely "Real Men." She gained steam as the show slid into the middle stages, with a soaring "Famous Blue Raincoat" and strong versions of "Never Seen Blue," "Winter" and "Bells for Her."

At the half-way mark, though, the repeating approach started to wear a little thin.

Part of the problem with being a one-woman show is, unless you throw a few change-ups between songs and show off as much personality as possible, the show stands a good chance of unintentionally winding down. Amos gives so much musically, let-downs during a long set list are inevitable. There's no one else onstage to which the ball can be tossed -- no one who can pick up the slack. Amos fights it off well, with dynamic piano playing and passionate vocals that seem to mean every syllable. Though she was typically caught up in the music Sunday, Amos never approached the sexy, on-stage extreme that formerly made you wonder when she would actually climb up onto her piano and start writhing around in time to the music.

It can also be difficult when an artist seems to be giving a testimonial through each song. Sometimes a break is in order -- though not necessarily for Amos lovers, who make up one of the most loyal fan bases any artist can claim.

Things picked up with her highly personal "Me and a Gun" and the gorgeous Tom Waits classic "Time," part of which she did in a throaty whisper. After her first encore "Concertina," Amos performed Carly Simon's "Boys in the Trees," explaining it was in response to a request by a fan who sent her a bootleg tape of the song ("very handy -- those things," Amos said). She followed up with an overly dramatic version of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide," which didn't capture the mood or intensity of the original, and a sentimental yet potent version of the Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays." If nothing else, she picks great songs to cover and does her best to make them her own. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. She finished up by going back a few years with "Marianne" and "Tear in Your Hand."

An Amos show beats just about anything else in town on any given night -- and it was the case Sunday as well. That gives her enough slack to not always be the best she can be.

Tony Hicks is the Times pop music critic. He can be reached at 925-952-2678 or at thicks@cctimes.com.

From Bella

Added November 15, 2001 - First, I'd like to thank the people who switched seats with us (we were in the very last row and wanted to sit with our friends). Second, I'd like to apologize to the other people in the back row who might have gotten the show interrupted because of my friend getting sick. It was the most amazing concert of Tori's that my sisters and I have ever been too. All the songs were beautiful and I even got to hear "Cool on your Island" which we all agreed that we must find now. Personally for me, I thought "me and a gun" was sooo powerful that I had to cry. And that it was followed by "Time" only made me cry more cause I felt that it was fitting (about being a time to love, etc.). The only terrible thing about that night was that one of my friends was really ill that night (but she was fine earlier that day) and so she was crying through the whole show cause she was soo sick. She put up a good fight but during the first encore, while everyone was clapping, she threw up.

So, one of my sisters and my two other non-ill friends went with the ill one to the bathroom. That's when Tori began "Concertina" and I had to stay at least for half. I was sooo sad cause I knew we were probably gonna have to leave the show and it wasn't even over. While we were all gathering in the lobby waiting for my ill friend to return from the bathroom again, I started to cry cause Tori was playing "Landslide" and that was the song my sister had been waiting the whole tour to hear. She managed to hear maybe the last third of the song. So, we were all upset cause not only was our friend terribly ill (we spent the next three-four hours in an Oakland emergency room), we were also missing what felt like a special and amazing show. Thankfully, my friend is doing much better and we at least got to enjoy most of the show. One thing I've learned from all this: Get tickets to two shows for Tori cause you never know what might happen and what she might play! =)

From Michele

Added November 15, 2001 - I got there after 3 on purpose, since I've met Tori before. People were walking away with signed stuff. Sat around the stage door and waited, and waited, and waited to hear soundcheck. Saw them bringing food in, them welcoming Jon...

Around 4:30 I hear Tori yelling so I finally ask the staff guy when is her soundcheck. He says it's already done, I say oh. He asks if there's something specific he can help with, I reply soundcheck, just want to hear it. He goes over and talks to someone else about it, and he comes back and says no she's still going, my bad. Blah.

I walk around the whole block trying to find somewhere I can hear it, nothing. I cross the street and get a hot dog.

Went back to my car to eat...but I can hear Rattlesnakes!! I run over and here's the last 40 minutes of her soundcheck:

Rattlesnakes

Icicle

two instrumentals, the second one reminded me of Over It, lots of low angry stuff, maybe it was Boys In The Trees s

omething I didn't know? an improv or some part of a song...

Lust

intro of Icicle quickly, then I believe she stopped at right at 6pm.

Rufus: more entertaining than David Poe...he had quite a lot of support and there were way more requests being shouted to him than to Tori! He did a new song, Eleven Eleven because it was 11/11. After a verse or so he simply said this guitar is really out of tune and stopped to tune it.

OK I stopped reading set lists and reviews after NY, but I never see anyone describing lights and the screen stuff so here...best I can remember anyway:

'97 Bonnie & Clyde
The lights went out, nothing happened...
The curtain half fell revealing the shredded curtain behind it and the mom pic
the next day when I was closer I saw the mom pic's spotlight pulsates, til
mom is
in the water and then it's steady
and no the eyes weren't looking around ;)
Red and blue lights, red background when she sings just the two of us
Curtain falls at the end, on three dudes who then lug it out

Icicle
Pink, and purple lights come up during the getting off part

She puts her hand on her heart and says Mommy. We're in the strawberries and cream part, and it's all over the place, so you know it's in my hair and I really need a shower. But I wouldn't trade strawberries and cream in my hair for anything in this world.

Sugar
Just like plugged but unplugged ;P On the screens were dark squares on yellow,
looked like chocolate or candy or rocks
during the hammers part she made a fist and knocked on the piano twice

Cool On Your Island
On the Rhodes
big circling lights for this one

Cloud On My Tongue
They hoist this sheet? over the back and also drop it every once in a
while...this one was raised and the lights were pink, the arc wrinkles in the
sheet make it look like clouds at sunset

Real Men
Very powerful
Purple background
During the chorus the circle lights come back

Famous Blue Raincoat
Also very powerful...I was a bit amused because of the lock of your hair
part, and that recent eBay auction for a lock of Tori's hair...
also "And what can I tell you my brother, my killer" very pointed

Bachelorette
Fun...during the Paris on your own line she did some bobbing up and down and
put her hand over her head

Never Seen Blue
the lights were red ::P for this

Beauty Queen
Very stark, bassy...the Leslie Cabinet effect starts here and continues to
Horses
No disco ball, but the yellow lights with squares circle over and around the
audience

Winter
different background for this one...looks more like white leaves than snow
People started taking flash pictures. Grr

Sits at the Wurly and starts
stops and yells something about THIS ISN'T ON
she then stands up on her seat, shows off her shoe and then sits back down
says never miss a shoe modeling opportunity

Bells For Her
on the Wurly

Me and a Gun
stark white lights gradually fading out as she ended

Let me say that the audience was very well behaved around me...nobody singing and only a guy in front of me screaming once in a while between songs...no cell phones going off Time
during the chorus this white circle of light slowly opens up behind her like
a wormhole

1st Encore:
Concertina
one hand on the piano, one hand on the Rhodes
orange lights

She said So I haven't done this in a long long long time
I got a little letter
thank god they sent me a little CD
so um I couldn't remember me doing it ever
so um wherever, some bootleg, very handy little thing
and um here we go
Boys In The Trees

then into
Landslide

2nd Encore:
I Don't Like Mondays
on the Rhodes

Marianne
red lights
before the weasal squeaks part a heh and then white lights come up on the audience while she pounds away

Tear In Your Hand
Wave goodbye til tomorrow

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

HOLY SHIT!!! besides the amazing setlist, tonight was beyond spectacular. honestly i feel like it was a dream... this doesn't happen to me, ever!!

the meet and greet was fun because i met tons of cool people, and kristen and i sold a bunch of RAINN Showers merchandise for RAINN (THANK YOU to everyone who bought something! ). and even though we didn't get to meet tori, we took pics of her from far away and i passed up the little faerie sweatshirt/jacket kris and i made for tash, along with a lil letter, and i made sure it got up to tori.

so we went to dinner (me, kristen --twinklegrrl--, carolinda --typeotori--, nick --silverdragon73--, robyn --vampandora-- and robyn's friend chris) and i had too much cheap white zin at denny's.

then we went to the show and bought our lil tourbooks. kris and i saw joel inside, so we went over and i asked him to sign my booklet. he basically said no a few times, and i basically kept begging, offering to flash him, telling him he's cool and he's agent orange and that i'm a member of the we love joel fanclub (seriously... lol). so finally he signed it ("mr. joel"--will be in my sig tomorrow cause joel ROCKS!).

then we went off to mingle before the show. see, i bought tickets together for myself, kris, TOT and nick, but since it was 4 tix together at the presale, they were pretty crappy seats. so beth (obscure) met up with us, and she was upset cause her friend, who's not really a full-fledged toriphile, asked joel where the bathroom was, not knowing who he was, and she got front row tickets. so she was upset. then we saw joel walking by, and i yelled "hi joel" and waved and he came over and put his arm around me (tee hee) and i think he chatted with us for about a min before beth told him that he'd given great tickets to her friend who doesn't even like tori that much, and he sort of went "that's awful" and grabbed beth's hand and pulled her away. just then carolinda came back from getting a drink, and i grabbed it and told her that beth was getting front row seats and that i needed a drink. so we look over and see beth pointing at us, and carolinda said she thought beth was getting us tickets too, but kris said not to get our hopes up... so beth comes back, and joel had given her a front row seat and three second row pit seats for us. AAAGH!!!

so... basically, we had pit seats for us girls, but nick had none... which was going to suck because we'd bought him the ticket for his birthday! so he was really mad at me when he found out... and then when he found out that carolinda had also gotten a ticket, and he'd be alone, he was furious... then TOT remembered that steve, the other bodyguard, had said to meet him and so she pulled nick over there and got them both front row seats!!

we went to our pit section, in total shock and disbelief, and after sitting down, found out that robyn and chris were sitting in the second row right next to me and kris!!! it was so amazing... and then the kick ass show that everyone will be posting about of course...

but after the show, kris and i went up to joel, who was onstage, to say thank you, and he looked at me and squatted down and said you're welcome and handed me a setlist!!! (now, i'd wanted the setlist tonight but didn't think i'd get it, since i'd thought there was only one copy, but beth and some other girls got copies too... but still, so cool!!)

it was amazing being so close... like, when her mic didn't work, we could still hear what she was saying!!! the only way the night could have been any cooler would be if tori invited us backstage herself to party with her after the show.

sorry so rambly... i'm sure everybody involved in my little story will add more details when they get home... if you read all that then thank you... i'm truly still in shock about the whole thing... it was so fucking awesome... *sigh* four shows left and i'm already wondering how they're going to top this!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Review by Dorena B

today was probably the greatest day of my life.

first of all, i want to send a big shout out to everyone i met at the meet and greet today. i'm not going to get into names because i don't want to leave anyone out. you guys all know who you are and you fucking rule!! california EWF are the best.

i had so much fun just kicking it with everyone before the show. the meet and greet was pretty civil except for this one rude ass guy on the right side of the barricade. you know who you are and if you read this, you're an asshole!!

i can't leave this part out because it makes up one of the greatest moments in my life....TORI AUTOGRAPHED MY BONG!!!! the inspiration came from the girl who got her bible signed in atlanta and was the brainchild of a smoking session back in our hotel room after the meet and greet. i never in a million years would have thought that tori would autograph something like that. she fucking rules!!! seriously you guys, that was like the ultimate in all my years of being a pothead. having tori sign my bong even tops the fact that i went to amsterdam. i can't believe i said that, but it's true.

after the meet and greet my sister managed to score 3rd row tix for us from a scalper. they weren't terribly overpriced. we were stoked because our original seats were in the rear balcony.

the show itself was unreal. rufus was great and i am so glad he said hi to adrienne when i yelled out to him. she's marley's bf's sister and the biggest rufus fan i have ever met. she was on the phone with me and i know she probably almost had a heart attack when he said 'hi' to her. i still can't get over tori's setlist for tonight. it was just one good song after another. i am still in awe over everything that went on today. i will post more later. right now, i need to get my ass to bed.

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Review by Rob

Ya' know, sometimes it's just all too much...what can I say? I was essentially incoherent after the concert. I was babbling excitedly but didn't really have the right words to describe it...still don't.

Tori was happy.

Tori was on fire.

Tori was superb.

Sometimes after one of her concerts it's possible for me to deliver a relatively sober critique of sorts, and maybe compare various parts of the performance to others she's done. That doesn't seem to be happening tonight. It was just too damn good.

There were too many highlights. Boys in the Trees blew me away, but before that Never Seen Blue was better than I've ever heard it...deeply touching and deeply magnificent. Famous Blue Raincoat is one of my all-time favorites from Cohen and I've even got the Jennifer Warnes version on her L. Cohen tribute CD, but Tori's version tonight was the best I've heard from her and the best I've heard anyone perform it. I've heard Icicle 3 times in 3 concerts on this tour now and this was the best! And Sugar - damn, this was a good one tonight! Bachelorette! Even Landslide was the best I've heard her do it. When she first started I Don't Like Mondays I started to come down off the high but then I got right back into it. I don't know how, but she even pulled me into that one.

And I got Marianne again!!!!

Alright, I'm rambling. This concert was just incredibly great. I'm numb...but I'm ready for tomorrow night (unless I have a heart attack from the anticipatory excitement). I think I have to find a way to get to San Diego now.

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Review by Former Waitress

Though the show featured several rarities, I found it lacking in energy, direction and dynamics. I was thrilled to hear "Bachelorette," "Famous Blue Raincoat" and "Real Men."

But most of the setlist (that wasn't a cover song) was comprised mostly of "Little Earthquakes" and "Under the Pink." I would have liked to hear more "Choirgirl", "Venus" and "Pele."

There was a lacking connection between Tori and the audience. Very little discussion. She moved from one song to the next....but the flow was stagnant. Very somber, little energy.
Almost restrained on her part and the audience. One odd moment to mention....there was a naked little girl in the audience (maybe two?) who was wearing only galoshes.

This is my first of four shows on this tour. I hope Tori tries to maintain some balance in her setlists, while trying to vary the level of intensity. I'll have more positive comments tomorrow.

Actually I wasn't having a bad day. It was one of the best days I've had in a long time. When I heard "Icicle," a song I definitely wouldn't prefer, the tears welled up immediately. Just the initial shock of seeing and hearing Tori's voice. But after "Famous Blue Raincoat" the show went downhill...for me anyway. Everyone's experience is different, you know. Maybe I didn't feel the connection because I was sitting too far back to see her facial expressions....and dozens of people kept walking out during every song. I really tried hard to focus on Tori, but I was a little distracted by some folks around me. Lots of weird moments around Orchestra Row MM. I'm not sure what that was all about. Plus, it wasn't exactly my dream setlist but I have a few more chances. Maybe where you sit makes a big difference. I still have high hopes since I've got front row in San Diego....but my friend probably won't see Tori again after this one. I felt bad for him because this was his only show on the tour.

On the more positive side: the lighting and sound were excellent. Tori's voice was crystal clear and the resonance was outstanding. Highlights included her amazing performance of "Me and a Gun." Very chilling. "Marianne" was hypnotizing. "Cool on your Island" was a real treat. "Bachelorette" brought it up a notch. Very playful. Lots of hand gestures.

Every show has its own distinct feel....and maybe I was on a different emotional frequency than Tori last night.

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Review by Northernlad822

The setlist! OMG the setlist! Jeebus Christ that set list! I was blown away. Quite simply one of the best EVER!!!!!!!! She was beautiful. Simply beautiful!

Wow.

Fucking WOW!!!

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Review by Rose Bud

Leina Rose and I ended up in Dorena's Rear Balcony seats. They weren't THAT bad really, but I was just happy to be going period.

I'd mostly seen rock concerts this year-and this was such a lovely change of pace from that. Pardon my lack of a more detailed review, this was my first Tori show. I just thought it was amazing how much passion she can show with just her voice and a piano.

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Review by obscure

All I have to say that I am totally in love.. I could not sleep at all last night! I am ready to leave for today (11/12)



I am in heaven. I don't know what to say.

The set was absolutely amazing! TOT, Nick, and I all sat together... FRONT ROW PIT!

You heard the story of how that happened (Back2Venus) and I couldn't have been so thankful!

after the first encore tori came up to me and shook my hand... oh boy.. Wow.

After the concert I was given a set list (with Boys in the Trees written in).

and then Joel pick me up and put me on the stage.

GA GA.

I am still in a state of shock.

I can't believe she played "Never Seen Blue" I immediatly started to cry.. it was so beautiful! And TOT held me the whole time. Not to mention Tori was looking at me a lot during that song!

She was looking at me a lot actually..

I can't believe this happened to me!!!!

AHHHH!!!!!

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Review by heather (space cakes)

wow. my first and last show of this tour! i'm just so thankful i got to go at all! it was amazing. i'm gonna do a little play-by-play. i'm starting to forget stuff!

97 bonnie and clyde- much more powerful than i thought it would be. the lighting was amazing. it looked like they were having some troubles, though. you could see guys moving stuff through the tears in the material! (the backdrops seemed to be a problem area all night, but luckily it didn't effect anything!)

icicle-the curtain drops at the last note of b&c and out tori struts! she's gorgeous! right into a beautiful long intro of icicle. amazing performance.

sugar-pretty intense. "hammers, he used one on me" she positioned herself looking directly at the audience and banged her fist from the piano to her chest a few times. powerful. "you're just a pussy" was kinda sneered out while she had her legs crossed. crowed went wild!

story time!-she slurped something out of a big red mug, then put her hands up and said "Mommy!" she's so cute! she said how they're into "strawberries and cream now. and it gets everywhere!" and she said "so if you see me up close you'll can see that i need a shower!" and she also said that it was great to be back. her and her crew missed us!

cool on your island-played on the rhodes. "if you don't treat me betta.." so beautiful! i couldn't believe i was watching this! i love how she's been doing yktr stuff. it seems like she's finally performing them how they were meant to be!

cloud on my tounge-back to piano. started right into the very fimiliar beginning notes. so gorgeous. it was like a lullabye. so comfortable.

real men-holy crap! i couldn't believe it! she was just belting this one out. it was truly amazing. she was really into it. i was so happy she played this cuz it' my boyfriend's fave song of slg! (and he doesn't really like tori that much!) it was cute. he grabbed my hand and pumped it to the music.

famous blue raincoat-i thought i was gonna lose it here. but i hate crying cuz then my vision's blury and i can't see! it was soo soo beautiful. she did a really long piano segment in there. amazing.

bachlorette-holy crap again! this was so fun! she was totally just dancing around up there! she was having a great time, so was i! lot's of suggestive hip movements during "you tried to hmmmm inside the hmmmmm..." heehee! i was bustin up. it was great.

never seen blue-gorgeous. she was really connecting to the audience here. lots of hand motions and piano touching. very nice.

beautyqueen/horses-beauty queen was really really good! very low notes were hit. but not too many. it was very well dispursed. horses was very nice. she had a pedal to hit to change the sound of her piano in parts. (sorry i'm ignorant in that area!) it sounded great!

winter-a ma zing. the girl next to me freaked when she started to play. musta been her song! it was so beautiful. long intro it seemed. she kept it pretty mellow. "hair is grey.." was kinda belted out, then she just slowed it down and softened it. it was very pretty.

BELLS FOR HER-guess what my highlight of the evening was! so, she walks over to the wurlitzer and sits down and plays a nice intro. i was trying to tell myself not to be too disapointed if it wasn't bells! at this point, i had no idea what song it was going to be. well, then she kept repeating the intro and it seemed like something was wrong. then she stopped played and shouted to someone off stage "what's going on here?" her mic seemed to not be working. then she suddenly jumped up off the bench and ran around to the other side of the bench with this cute little smile, she proped her foot up on the bench and just started pointing at her shoe (a great spiked heel)! so cute! (and sexy.. i love the split pant with the fishnets!). then she ran back around to and sat down and said something like "i'll take any chance i can get to shoe model!" she's adorable! then she started the intro again and i heard "can't stop... can't stooop" oh man. i totally lost it. that was absolutely phenomenal. major moment for me

me and a gun-walked back to the piano bench and sat crosslegged facing us with a mic in her hand. the lighing was very effective. god, that is such an intimate song. it seemed to go on forever, but not in a bad way! it was really powerful. it's so amazing how much she shares with us.

time-i love this song. it's really beautiful. i love the last verse. "things are pretty lousy for a calendar girl.." it was very nice. but i was so sad that the night was almost over!

encore 1

concertina-straddled the piano bench the entire time and played both rhodes and bosey the entire time! she sang into the rhodes mic. at some points she was totally playing the piano behind her back. man, i was waiting for here to kick of her shoes and start playing with her feet! she's so amazing. great song. repeated "got a fever above my waist, you gotta squeeze box on your knee" a couple times.

boys in the trees-she talked to us again. she said this next one was a request. she got a letter with a cd. she said thank god! because she doesn't remember playing it! she said something like "thank god for those bootlegs!" crowd went insane! absolutely beautiful. thank you audrey for putting it on your site!! and thank you for whoever sent it to ya!!

landslide-man, i think i cried here. she does this song so beautifully. so emotionally played.

encore 2

i don't like monday's- played on the rhodes. i really like this song. she played it really cute. it was such a lullabye.

marianne-wow. this was a shock. it hit me pretty hard. i wasn't expecting it. it was so beautiful.

tear in your hand-last song! "time to wave goodbye now". great great ending. it's such a reassuring song, in some way. it's like she was our mother singing to each and every one of us as her daughters and sons. it was great. yay tori!!

ok, now that i've exhausted the words "beautiful" and "amazing", i guess there's nothing left to say! *LOL*

i went to the after show meet and greet thingy. i wasn't expecting an autograph or a picture. just a glipse! i'd be happy with that! and that's what i got! i was at the very back of the barricade but along the side, so she tilted over and waved to us. i waved back! too cute! she signed quite a bit more things than i thought she would. she got in an suv and they drove right past me. i double waved at the dark windows, hoping she saw me and felt my love and gratitude. that is one amazing woman.

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Review by prettyh8machine

First of all I must say hello to all the fucking AMAZING people I met last night! You all know who you are so I wont list names...oh and Beth...I still hate you :P j/k

Anyway, the show was fucking amazing, I didnt get Mother so if she plays it tonight I think Im going to die. Im seriously considering driving back up just for the show tonight but I doubt it'll happen...*sighs*

Anyway, thanks again to all the cool people I met, you made the first show for me of this tour a GREAT experience!!! Wonderful civilized meet n greet and I got my HUGE promo poster signed and I spoke with her(even if she didnt play my request) Hope to see you ALL at the other Cali shows!!!

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Review by bobdude

I thought that last night's show was really special... Though I do sort of wish that I was going to see more shows on this tour. I sat farther away than for any of the two previous Tori shows I had seen (row HH), but I thought that her performance was extraordinary.

Don't have much to add review wise that other people haven't mentioned (nice overview space cakes, BTW).

Overall, I'd agree with a previous post that this seemed like a very emotional show. Not sure why that was the case. This is the first time I've seen Tori on her own, but I felt that she conveyed strong feelings throughout the show. I thought that she was in very good spirits and voice. Also, is it my imagination or do other folks think that she really enjoys playing in the Bay Area? It seems like she tends to schedule more time off when she plays this area, and God knows that she performs some great sets of songs here. Probably local bias on my part.

One thing that struck me (that others previously pointed out) was the rapid succession of songs. The only significant break I can remember occurred before Me and a Gun, when someone shouted out a request for A Case of You (a damn fine song, no doubt). But I sort of had a sense that Tori doesn't dig it when people shout out requests. Maybe it's best that people put in the time at the M&G to accomplish this. I don't know.

Thoughts about specific songs.

Icicle was a great opener (second opener? seconder?)
I gained new found appreciation for this guy (gal?).

Sugar was very powerful. This song works very well with the band, as well as when she performs it solo.

Cloud on My Tongue - love this song, cannot get enough of it. Very moving.

Bells for Her - She played this at the Oakland arena a few years back and it sounded very good then. I think it sounds a bit more sentimental and comes across better when she plays it by herself.

Landslide - Never heard her perform this before. Beautiful (Stevie Nicks, eat your heart out).

Marianne - I'm with the reviewer who mentioned that this song wasn't a huge favorite until recently. I used to skip over it when I played BFP, but I've been listening to it more and more and really like. It was very beautiful in concert, I thought.

Tear in Your Hand - As I mentioned in an earlier post, I figured if we didn't get this one near the end of the main set, we weren't gonna get it. One of my absolute favorite songs, means a lot to me. Tori, thank you, thank you, thank you.

If I could hear Putting the Damage On tonight, I could die a happy man.

Finally, not to be controversial or anything, but I just don't get Rufus(sp?) I guess. I saw him open for Roxy Music recently and didn't like him much then, either. Couple of things, first, what was up with the comment about "busting out" or whatever, even if it did involve the Bay Area. I mean, hello, you're the opening act in a hall that seats what, 3000 people, it's not like you're headlining the Compaq Center, Staples Center, or whatever. Also, did he think he was endearing himself to the crowd when he repeatedly dedicated the song about California to Los Angeles. Especially after forgetting that he was in Oakland, not in San Francisco as he seemed to originally think. No biggie and no offense meant to RW fans, but I would have preferred a different opening act. Minor defect in an otherwise wonderful evening.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the other thing that struck me about the show, which was how considerate and quiet the crowd was during Tori's show. Not to sound self-congratulatory or anything, but I was really impressed at how the crowd waited until the final note of almost every song before displaying their loud approval. Also, everyone pretty much quieted down after a few notes of the next song were played. I swear that you could hear a pin drop during Me and a Gun (I that it would be almost profane to applaude the conclusion of that highly emotional and significant song).

Now, again, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I've seen a fair amount of rock concerts in my time (gosh Jeb, I can still recall the lilting strains of Led Zeppelin in '77), and I can't remember when I've seen such a well-behaved, respectful audience. It reminded me more of a symphony performance than a rock and roll show. Wouldn't surprise me if that's why we got such a relatively long show with two 3-song encores. If we play our cards right, maybe we'll get that third encore tonight!

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Review by Whippoorwill

My group of companions and I arrived at the venue at 12:30pm. (the lazy asses decided to sleep in). So we lined up, there was about 30 people in front of us. And we saw some scary looking people. No names need mentioning. Then there were also some really cool people. The ones I talked to don't frequent the Dent. Emma and Chris from UC Santa Cruz were really cool. We spent the afternoon playing "lemon", if you haven't played it before, it involved body parts, 2 different people, the strangest place to have sex, and 5 things you can do to a lemon, all mixed into 5 lil fantasy scenarios. In one of the games, I ended up sucking Antonio Sabato Jr's perineum while hanging upside down from a trapeze at Cirque Du Solei. We also played Pictionary! There were some real cuties, and hey, imagine that 90% of them were polite and nice! The other 10% either had major attitudes, or they thought they were too good to introduce themselves. I got to meet Doreena, Alli, TypeOTori, CruelSugar, NorthernLad822, Kris, Dor, and Nick(so much yummier in person) and lots of other people. When Tori came out, I passed my Boys For Pele vinyl up and she SIGNED IT! Then Doreena yells out Liquid Diamonds and I responded with a huge HELL YEAH Liquid Diamonds!

However, I got separated from the group of companions that I was with, and the next thing I know, after talking to two (totally yummy) different guys downstairs at the full bar (I wonder if they were flirting? I was too buzzed to pay attention - I don't even remember their names), I went upstairs and Nicole comes up to me and tells me that Joel gave her three tickets for the 2nd row. It made me mad! But it was okay cuz I bought Fifth Row on the left center aisle for 60 bucks from a guy at the venue.

I think a guy in a sparkly red shirt was checking me out. He would look and I would catch him looking at me, but when I looked back, we would make eye contact and he looked away. This happened at the table where they sell the Tori shirts and stuff. He motioned for his female friend to look at me. It was fun. I was totally buzzed and the first time I noticed someone doing that. Ok enough flirting stories.

Sitting through that Tori show alone was not fun. Especially knowing that the people that you came with were up front and having fun without you. I was sitting next to this really sweet girl. But it just wasn't the same. So if anyone saw a tall guy with baggy jeans and a Black Sweater with a red stripe across looking like he was abandoned, that was me!

I did not enjoy Rufus at all. I didn't understand 90% of what his lyrics were.

My favorite songs were Icicle (so much better live), Sugar (she really got into this one) Winter, Marianne, Tear In Your Hand, and Bells For Her on the whurly.

My biggest pet peeve was the amount of covers that she did. SEVEN songs out of eighteen were covers.

The audience was soooo well behaved. No screaming or shouting, everyone waited until the last notes of the piano were finished before applauding. No cell phones went off, Me and A Gun was completely silent. Overall I think Tori did amazing! However, with the whole incident with my companions and stuff, it kinda put me into a really sad state and I did not enjoy it as much as I could have.

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Review by Lunachick

Well, this is the first time I have seen her in four years, so this was incredibly exciting for me. Everything was so awesome except that I wasn't too thrilled with the setlist. There were some of my faves at this show, but this show I think would have been perfect for someone who has seen her 10 times already, ya know what I mean? I wanted to hear the classics, personally. But it was surely an awesome show! Review, song by song...

IMVHO, Rufus was simply AGONIZING. The music was good, like the piano stuff I digged it, but his voice was so blah. It sounded like he sucked in spit with every breath he took, which was very irriating. Ugh. Decided to miss his show on Monday. Good idea.

'97 Bonnie & Clyde: I thought this was a really cool song to open with on the tour. I really liked the setup and everything, but if I was to follow her on tour, this would surely get tiresome after awhile.

Icicle: This song is just incredible. The song just flowed, I dunno, it was just great. Those who have seen this live, which is prolly most of you, you might agree with me on how this is such a great solo song. Perfect.

Sugar: I have always wanted to hear this song live, and I'm so glad I got the chance. I was hoping she'd play this, and I got my wish! She sang with extreme intensity on this one.

Cool On Your Island: I have YKTR on MP3 and although I have only heard it a few times, this song stuck out to me. Played it on the Rhoades (I dunno what it's called...the one next to her regular piano!), and it was just...cool! She played it so well!

Cloud On My Tongue: Um, yeah this was fabulous. I did not expect to hear that one! Done absolutely beautiful. What can I say, I'm an extreme UTP fan.

Real Men: Tori played this song really well, but I'm not a huge fan of this song. I find the song too repetitive in some parts, so I just didn't dig it.

Famous Blue Raincoat: I've only heard this song a few times since I got the Concertina single, and while I'm more of her own stuff than I am of her covers, this one was just amazing. Ooooh it was hot!

Bachelorette: Sorry Bachelorette fans, I'm not a huge fan of this song either. Kinda cool hearing it just on piano like that, but I would have much rather heard other songs.

Never Seen Blue: Okay, I think this was one of the highlights of the night. I totally did not expect her to play this, and oh did she deliver. Perfection.

Beauty Queen/Horses: I do like this song, but I'm not crazy about it live. She played this one kinda dull, like she didn't go off and go crazy, it was just...kinda blah.

Winter: YES! I have never heard this song live before, so this was an extra special treat. This song reminds me of my Dad, so it gets me a little vaclempt. Absolutely delicious.

Bells for Her: FAB on the Whirly. I love that song, but it was a tad repetitive on some parts. She sang "not even you" a whole lot. Which was fine, because any song from UTP is fab. Really cool, that whirly.

Me and a Gun: Very intense...the "FLAT on your stomach" part made me jump, even though I was kind of expecting it based on past reviews! That song is just so powerful.

Time: I hoped I'd catch this one live, to experience similar to what people experienced on the David Letterman show, and now I know the intensity of the song. It was great.

Concertina: This one absolutely rocked, with her playing the Rhoades and the piano at the same time. So much better live than the album version, by far. Tori made me love this song. Just gorgeous.

Boys in the Trees: I had no clue whatsoever what this was...I guess I missed hearing that bootleg. I've seen it on setlists, but never heard it. I kinda guessed that the title had something to do with boys and trees. So I was in the ballpark. Very pretty, but again, would have rather heard other songs, preferably originals. But that's cool all the same, I enjoyed this song.

Landslide: Again a cover I would have rather heard some other time, but hey, I made the best of it. Really good song, and she does cover it really well.

I Don't Like Mondays: Boring boring boring. Again, kinda repetitive and just so monotone. Hearing the Rhoades is always cool, but I just dislike this song a whole lot.

Marianne: WOW! This one was a shocker! Did not expect to hear this one either, but MAN it was so so so good. Very intense, powerful, and my eyes were as round as quarters. Just divine.

Tear In Your Hand: I enjoyed this immensely. I thought 1,000 Oceans would show up, but this one did, and I'm very glad. Always lovely to hear the classics. Definitely better live than the album. The album one is great, but live gives that extra umph to it!

And that was the end!!

Loved many of the songs, but a little too many covers for my taste, but I'm glad people enjoyed the rarities featured and she sounded just awesome. Her presence is intoxicating.

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Review by twistedsoul

I last saw tori plugged in Oakland '98, (great show), so I was excited to hear she would be solo. I sat in the 2nd to last row , upper deck, but that didn't matter. What a great show. She looked great , sounded even better and i got to see it live Sugar, Famous Blue Raincoat, Boys in the Trees, Landslide, Marianne, Tear in your Hand.... I can't believe it.... and I'm going to Monday's show also,(better seats)

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Review by cornflakegrl

I saw Tori at Plugged '98 in Oakland, and then again at the 5 1/2 Weeks '99 in Concord, but this one takes the taco, man.

What an awesome awesome concert!! We had kind of crappy seats in nosebleed three rows from the back of the balcony, but it was still an okay seat. (Could have stood to hear Sweet Dreams, but I wasn't upset...)

I really liked 97 B & C...didn't think too much of it on the CD, but it was pretty cool how it was done with the lighting and mysterious feel.

I also liked Sugar. She's played it all the three times I've seen her in concert, but I still enjoy the song.
She mentioned something about "our thing right now is strawberries and creme", so automatically I thought she was referring to her and Mark for some reason, but it makes sense that she was referring to Tash and her.

But she sang Winter. It meant a lot to my other half, who has a personal meaning to that song, so we both were in tears through the whole song.

First time for me hearing Me and a Gun, though. Seemed very personal and emotional tonight. And Time also touched me.

I stayed through Concertina and Boys in the Trees for the first encore, then my sis and I jumped ship and headed outside during Landslide so we could push up to the stage door and see her, get autographs, etc etc. And we did, by golly.

I turned in my film today so I'll get it back tomorrow. Hoping my pictures turned out well. I was very pleased with this concert overall. I think it's safe to say that it was the best Tori performance I have ever seen. She was so nice outside, too. If it wasn't for this pushy selfish "person", I'll say with a sneer, trying to push me out of the way and get to the front of the gate, it would have been awesome. The security guy told her she was acting like an idiot, though, so she got put in her place. It started to sprinkle a little bit, but the weather was pleasant and so was the concert. Kudos to Tori...see you next time.

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