Private 2001 concerts in Hamburg, Germany and Toronto, Cananda

Updated Sept 24, 2001

There were at least two small performances that Tori did in 2001 prior to her main tour that we know very little about. One took place in Hamburg, Germany and the other in Toronto, Canada at the Now Lounge. The reason we know so little is the fact that these were private record company sort of performances and not really open to the public. Look below for all I know about these mini-concerts.

Monday, August 27, 2001

Tori mentioned that she did "a media show" in Germany on the Amy Lamé radio show, which was broadcast on BBC London Live on September 14, 2001. This interview was recorded shortly after Tori's London concert on August 30, 2001. So her German "media show" must have taken place sometime around that date. Here is what she said on the Amy Lamé show:

I asked those who are they to find something really special,if we were going to play England. We were doing a little show in England and a media show in Germany and for the two of them I said "you know you have to pick something where the place inspires" so the Germans picked a bunker (laughter) and the Brits picked a church.

I found out from Toriphile Klaus Braun that this show was a "Strange Little Girls" album presentation that took place in Hamburg, Germany on Monday August 27, 2001 in some kind of a World War II bunker. There was an article about this show that appeared in the August 29, 2001 edition of the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper. Special thanks to Hathie for telling me about this and translating the article for me, which you can see below.

Tori in the bunker

A white room, a black grand piano, a sea of candles ‚ and in the middle the fragile Tori Amos, tossing back her red dyed hair ecstatically while her naked feet search for the piano pedals and she sings in her songs of different women and their stories. Shy, a little nervous but fully concentrated the daughter of a methodist minister and a Cherokee Indian presented her new album "Strange Little Girls" (to be released on the 16th of September) for the very first time to the world public last monday. It contains 12 cover versions of songs written by male artists like Eminem, Tom Waits or the Beatles, presented by her in an opinionative way. Choosing of all places the bunker in Feldstrasse is not a coincidence: "I wanted to make a show in a place with history."

The capture of the little photo reads: Those who could not see Tori Amos' gig don't need to be sad, she'll be back in town in November [2001].

Saturday, September 8, 2001

We first found out about this show because of an online article that appeared at chartattack.com on September 10, 2001. The article says:

Tori Amos Secret Toronto Show

Way before Britney Spears hit the scene with her abominable version of the Catholic schoolgirl, there was Tori Amos. Bittersweet, fragile and exuding sensuality born out of sheer experience, she graced a small and exclusive crowd with her presence at the Now Lounge last Saturday night for a surprise mini-concert.

Almost two years since her last album, Tori remains both familiar and unfamiliar. Straddling the piano seat and fingers flying across the ivories, she began her seven-song set with "Crucify" as if to hint at the transcendence she's experienced in embodying the "female spirits" who find voice in her new album, Strange Little Girls. By the way, Tori describes this compilation as songs written by men about women, only this time they talk back.

The theme was furthered this evening when she punctuates her point by enlisting the aid of make-up guru Kevyn Aucoin and photographer Thomas Schenk to visually channel these lost souls onto Tori herself. This could be seen on the walls of the Now Lounge as it temporarily houses the 13 pictures comprising the album's themes until September 14, when 12 lucky fans will win a portrait of their own as well as tickets to the sold-out Toronto show on October 19. Each incarnation, ranging from femme fatale to rock chick to the eerie '50s-styled blond holding a birthday cake, is accompanied by a small vignette about the character. And in true Tori fashion, the story of each woman reveals how they meet the tragic hand of fate.

The rest of her set debuted two songs from SLG - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions' "Rattlesnakes" and The Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays" - as well as Tori classics "Take To The Skyí" "Doughnut Songí" "Winter" and "Cooling." As she winded down her provocative melodies, a line from one of her ghostly dispositions came to mind: "You think you know all there is to know about her immediately upon meeting her, but everything you think you know is wrong." Tori's Strange Little Girls invade Toronto's music stores September 18.

- Rachel Ong

You can read more about the art exhibit at the Now Lounge that included Tori's album covers here.

Toriphile Lori (CoraLR) spoke with some people at the Now Lounge who told her that the performance was for a private record company sort of party and not open to the public!

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Please give me feedback, comments, or suggestions about A Dent In The Tori Amos Net Universe. Email me (Mikewhy) at mikewhy@iglou.com