Tuesday, May 31, 2022

In Concert: Tori Amos

Tori Amos

Music Hall in Kansas City
May 31, 2022

Opening Act:

Companion

Review:

I’ve been a Tori Amos fan since her debut album, 1992’s Little Earthquakes but this was my first time seeing her live. I have a great respect for artists who have produced a large enough catalog to allow them to pretty much do what they want in concert instead of sticking to a must-play-these-hits-every-time setlist. Amos has definitely reached that point in her career.

I’m also impressed when artists dip into every phase of their careers instead of overdosing on the hits or the current release. Once again, Amos accomplished this task.

Having said that, I admit the perfect Tori Amos concert (for me) would have pulled almost exclusively from her first two albums and B-sides from that era. She did play “Girl” and “Precious Things” from Little Earthquakes, but none of the singles from that album (“Silent All These Years,” “Crucify,” “Winter,” “China,” and “Me and a Gun”). I’d have also loved to see her version of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” a B-side for “Crucify.”

Similarly, she barely touched sophomore album Under the Pink. She did play arguably her best-known song, “Cornflake Girl,” from that album, but ignored the other singles (“God,” “Pretty Good Year,” “Past the Mission”). She did play “Honey,” a B-side from “Pretty Good Year.”

So was it a good concert? Sure. I’m glad I went. I just wish there would have been a few moments where I was ecstatic about her playing one of my favorites.

Click here to see other concerts I’ve attended.

“Juárez” and “Bouncing Off Clouds” Live in London, 3/13/2022


Setlist:

1. Juárez 5
2. Bouncing Off Clouds 9
3. A Sorta Fairytale 7
4. Caught a Lite Sneeze 3
5. Ocean to Ocean 6
6. Girl 1
7. Honey 2
8. Jesse (cover of Janis Ian song)
9. Oysters 14
10. Russia 15
11. Don’t Make Me Come to Vegas 7
12. Addition of Light Divided 16
13. Siren *
14. Tombigbee
15. Devil’s Bane 16
16. Cornflake Girl 2

Encore:
17. Precious Things 1
18. Raspberry Swirl 4


Discography – Studio Albums:

1 Little Earthquakes (1992)
2 Under the Pink (1994)
3 Boys for Pele (1996)
4 From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998)
* Great Expectations soundtrack
5 To Venus and Back (1999)
6 Strange Little Girls (2001)
7 Scarlet’s Walk (2002)
8 The Beekeeper (2005)
9 American Doll Posse (2007)
10 Abnormally Attracted to Sin (2009)
11 Midwinter Graces (Christmas songs, 2009)
12 Night of Hunters (2011)
13 Gold Dust (rerecordings, 2012)
14 Unrepentant Geraldines (2014)
15 Native Invader (2017)
16 Ocean to Ocean (2021)


Resources and Related Links:


First posted 6/1/2022.

1 comment:

  1. Dude, it was glorious. Stellar musicianship. What an amazing performer. She had us in the palm of her hand. And we were happy to be there.
    “It was good but she didn’t play what I wanted.” - that’s your review? C’mon…

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