StrangeLittleTour
New Orleans, LA
October 30, 2001

Updated January 7, 2002

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Tori performed in New Orleans, LA on October 30, 2001 at the Orpheum Theatre during the 2001 StrangeLittleTour.


Set List


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


'97 Bonnie & Clyde
Little Amsterdam
Leather
improv/Honey
Sugar
Cool On Your Island
I'm On Fire
Beauty Queen
Horses
Tear In Your Hand
Marianne
Playboy Mommy
improv/Mother
Me and a Gun
Over The Rainbow

1st Encore:
Enjoy The Silence
Famous Blue Raincoat

2nd Encore:
Spring Haze
Hey Jupiter
Pretty Good Year
Black Swan


Photos

Check out these awesome photos of Tori from RollingStone.com that show Tori at her soundcheck in New Orleans
Tori is wearing a mask, and these are very well done! Thanks to Lilly for alerting me to these.


Reviews

Latest reviews are added to the bottom of the page.

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


From Danica

Added October 31, 2001 - Danica called me after the show with the set list and a few comments about the show. Tori wore a New Orleans style silver mask for the first few songs, and it came off after Leather. Everyone in Tori's crew was wearing a mask, including Joel!

If you compare what Tori did to her written, official set list, you can see that Tori added Black Swan at the end of the concert, and had planned to play Raining Blood instead of Enjoy The Silence. Parts of the crowd were rude by getting up frequently during the show. During the second encore, the crowd rushed the stage and stayed that way for the rest of the show.


From Michelle

Added November 1, 2001 - I just wanted to send the set list and some comments to you regarding the New Orleans show tonight. I just got in and it's 2 am so I'll be breif.

SET LIST

97 Bonnie and Clyde
Little Amsterdam
Leather
an improv with words like "don't know what I'm going to sing, only you know the words"
Honey
Sugar
Cool On Your Island
I'm On Fire
Beauty Queen/ Horses
Tear In Your Hand
Marianne
Playboy Mommy
an improv of "where is she"
Mother
Me And A Gun
Somewhere Over The Rainbow

1st Encore
Enjoy the Silence
Famous Blue Raincoat

2nd Encore
(there is one here but I didn't right it down and am racking my brain to remember)
Hey Jupiter
Pretty Good Year
Black Swan

As for overall comments, the show was great. Tori was really on and glided over the piano keys like she was just in a trance almost as if they were connected to her. I didn't hear any mistakes in the songs and she played the Little Amsterdam (which was rich and powerful, full of energy) and Leather in a eye mask with a net and i also saw Joel and Steve in Zorro like masks. It was a trip!! Very Cute on them and of course Tori looked fabulous!!! All of the songs were GREAT and Playboy Mommy on the Wirly was really cool. I enjoyed it a lot. She went into the diaper story before playing it and also raised her hand and said in a cutesy voice "new mommy". After Leather she said she thought New Orleans was a magical place and thanked us for having her or that she was glad to be there. Cool On Your Island was awesome ofcourse and so beautiful. They were all beautiful. Me and a Gun was so emotional and powerful with emphasis on certain words and just wonderful. I can never say anything bad about Somewhere Over the Rainbow because it just puts me in fairy land everytime I hear her play it, it's definitely one of my fav's. I had not heard Famous Blue Raincoat live before and it was absolutely electrifying. From Tori's end of things she definitely gave her 10 fold. My husband and I had 4th row seats and were so excited to be so close and really enjoyed it. I saw her perform at the Boston show and I enjoyed the set list there a little more than the one tonight but I'll never compain about her lists because I love all of her songs. I must say that as far as the audience goes the Boston show was better behaved in the sense that during this show people were calling out songs for her to play before she went into each one and it seemed to happen before almost every song. Before Black Swan there was alot of yelling for requests and she stopped and so NO playfully and went into Black Swan but I thought "please let her play her list, it's the last song and your lucky to get 4 in the 2nd encore." I was very suprised by that. Also I swear there had to be at least 200 flashes that went off during her performance from cameras and it really got annoying, especially during Me and a Gun, I thought that was very, very tacky!!! At the end of the 1st encore some people went up to the stage and stood there to hand things to her and when she came back out they just continued to stand there which caused this chain reaction of the about 50 other people give or take a few that decided to walk up to the stage during the beginning of the 2nd encore. I don't understand why they did that. They had seats and it blocked the view of everyone on the 1st 2 or 3 rows and over in the 3 rd section of the floor I know it blocked many more than that. They were all just lined up in the aisle. I thought that was so disrespectful and very uncalled for. My husband and I still can not figure out why they did that................crazy?????!!!!!!

Anyway it was still a great show and I know I'm leaving out some things and not really elaborating much on each song but I am tired and I guess all the stuff I noticed did distract me a bit also. Just in my opinion the audience seemed to be more respectful of Tori and the other people attending the show in Boston than in New Orleans and to me that is sad because I live near New Orleans and flew to Boston so N.O. is like my "home town" that she comes to or closest to it anyway but it did teach me alot about seeing shows in different areas and I am happy for that. (I am comparing it to Boston and no others because these are the only 2 that I was able to see this tour)


From Nikki Lambert

Added November 1, 2001 - I had the best seats, that I had ever had before. I could actually see her shoes! She wore a red spaghetti strap top under a sheer princess sleeve top, dark pants that were slit to her knees with fish nets, and really cool black heels. She had glitter on her eyes too. I have seen Tori every time she has played in NO, and I have to say that this was the best show ever. Not only was her voice strong and absolutely beautiful, so played so many songs that I haven't heard lived. I just melted when she played Honey and Sugar back to back.

I was mesmerized the whole night. After Leather, Tori played a little improv that went something like "you say play this, play that, but I don't know the words". Before she play Playboy Mommy. She said a few words about being a "new mommy" and how her husband is so good at changing diapers; and if men are good at something how they should do it all the time. Before she played Black Swan, there were allot of request shouted. She threw up her hands and said, "NO! this one is coming". I just love all her little improv words during her shows.

0kay, so a few things put a little damper on the show. There was someone on the outside row by me that had an auto-wind camera. So everytime,which was allot, that she took a picture, you could her the cranking of the film. How rude! And she took pictures during Me and a Gun too! By the way, she did emphasize "flat". Then at the end of the show, some people rushed to the stage,leaving other people a view of their behinds and not Tori.

Once again, Thanks Mikewhy for your awsome site!


From Melanie (Mellie Melo)

Added November 1, 2001 - Monday night I received an email from the Tori newsletter that said that orchestra seats were being released and existing ticket holders could bring their tickets in for a free upgrade. We had first balcony, and anything closer would be better. We arrived at the Orpheum in New Orleans for 11:50, and to my surprise I was #4 in line for the ticket upgrade! We got SECOND row tickets!!!! Just that made the whole day perfect.

Now we headed to the Meet and Greet area, which was on the other side of the Orpheum. We met some really awesome people there. I don't remember everyone's names! They were trying to keep things calm and organized and asked that you line up in the order you arrived. Very fair considering some people had gotten there at 7 am. Of course there were the rude people who refused to be civil, but I bitched about that already. It seemed like FOREVER before they moved us to the barricades. Tori drove up in a black surburban! I was on the side barricade, and we were told that she wouldn't come that way, only the front. I saw her when she walked up and she said "Hi Everybody!" My boyfriend stood at a distance and snapped pictures. When she got close to my end I saw her perfectly, and I took the camera and snapped pics like crazy! (to be posted later) A guy in the back yelled 'Tori!' she said ' Yeah', he said 'If I send my ticket to be signed will you send it back??" Of course she said yeah. It was funny. So right then security said ok, that's it. Pointing at the ticket guy, me, and the girl next to me , he said you you, and you and no more. So I gave him my SLG booklet and Tori signed it! That was all I wanted from the entire M&G. whoo hoo! I was psyched after that.

My boyfriend and I walked to the Quarter and ate at Landry's Seafood, and made it back to the Orphuem for 6:30. We picked up a no flash camera on the way. We asked the usher about our seats, and he said there were two rows of chairs in the very front, and we were on the second row... DEAD CENTER! It was cool because all of the great people at the M&G had upgraded tickets and we were all sitting together!

Rufus came on stage right at 7:30. He was goofy, but funny. We enjoyed him.

Then of course TORI!!

97 Bonnie & Clyde - We knew this was the opening, with the torn curtain and lights. It seems Tori skipped over a few of the words, or maybe she sang so softly I couldn't hear them.

Tori walked out on stage wearing a Mask! She waved at us.. it was so cute!

Little Amsterdam - I recognized this right off.... not a favorite of mine, but it was still great.

Leather - I love this song! As soon as I heard the first few notes I was so excited!

improv/Honey - Another favorite of mine. just gorgeous.

Sugar - beautiful as well.

Cool On Your Island - I didn't recoginze this until she got to the chorus. I've heard it and I have a copy of YKTR, but it's not a song I know by heart.

I'm On Fire - wow.. better than the original!

Beauty Queen / Horses - Ohh ! requested this in a letter I passed up at the M&G!!!!!! Some idiot fat guy in the front row - right when she paused after Beauty Queen - yells MARIANNE!!!- Shut the fuck up!!!! Horses always comes after Beauty Queen idiot! His date/girlfriend kept pushing him away everytime he tried to touch her. She didn't look happy to be there.

Tear In Your Hand - I was surpsied to hear this one

Marianne - even more surpised that she played this after that guy yelled it!

Playboy Mommy - on the whurlitzur (sp)... awesome!

improv/Mother - this was great as well

Me and a Gun - chilling. I had never seen her do this live before. Surprisingly, the audience was quiet. Someone behind me was whsipering/singing along with her though and I heard her every now and then.

Over The Rainbow - beautiful as well!

She walked off and people RAN to the stage (annoying Marianne fat guy was FIRST to jump up). Security said to sit back down.

1st Encore:

Enjoy The Silence - eh, not my favorite song from SLG, but it was nice.

Famous Blue Raincoat - I LOOOOOVE this song! It was beautiful live.

Tori left, and people ran to the stage again. Security did nothing, so MORE people rushed up there. At first some ducked down so we could see, but more and more people went and they all stood... directly in front of us.

2nd Encore:

Spring Haze - Another one of my favorites.

Hey Jupiter - Everyone standing in front of us was lip syncing along with her. We watched them cuz we couldn't see.

Pretty Good Year & Black Swan - I couldn't see the stage at all for either of these and I was distracted and pissed off. My b/f was so mad he threw gum in some girl's hair who was blocking our view! Don't worry, I fussed at him.

I had my laminate on all day long, but I only saw 2 people wearing them. I met painted painful - is that right?!? - (Rachel). Thanks for the stickers! I met Joshua too. I also briefly met nic and jethro.

It was a very different experience being so close! I had never been that close at a concert before. It was like she was looking straight at us and singing just for us. Over all, the crowd wasn't bad. I saw the idiot with the glow stick. WTF????? I woulda knocked him out if I was by him. There were the normal I LOVE YOU TORI! and TTTTOOOORRIIII! and songs being yelled out.

It was a fantastic Tori day, and worth the small hassles, and I'm glad I met so many wonderful people!


From Mike

Added November 2, 2001 - The overall concert was actually amazing from where i was sitting. In fact, the orpheum thatre is arranged so that no matter where you're sitting, it's a good seat, it's always been one of my favourite places in new orleans and i was glad to see tori performing there.

We got to the concert just in time to see Rufus Wainright perform and i actually enjoyed his music very much. He was very talkative to the audience and told some funny stories. He lacked the usual "opening act" self conciousness that most opening acts are obvious about. Then finally it was time for tori and the first song was ofcourse '97 bonnie and clyde. I really enjoy the way tori has chosen to perform this song (even though a lot of people said they didn't care for it), it was very powerful to see the '97 bonnie and clyde character while tori sings behind the curtain. Her voice wasn't as creepy as it is on the album (gives the song a more realistic touch), and ofcourse at the end of the song, the curtain raises and tori actually comes on the stage. She came out wearing a mask which resembled a dolphin and there was netting all around it. she waved to the audience and headed for the piano to do little amsterdam. I thought this was a great song to open up with cos it always reminds me of new orleans. The next song was leather which was very beautiful and definately a treat to see. The lights dimmed and someone came onto the stage to help tori take her mask off and then she sat down to talk to the audience. She basically said "New Orleans is a very magical place and thank you for having me here" someone from the sudience screamed "thank you" and tori nodded her head. The audience seemed very responsive to tori, which ofcourse should be expected at a one of her concerts....She then played an improv about not knowing which song she'll sing next and not knowing if she'll even know the words (it was cute)..then she went into honey followed by sugar. maybe it's just me, but every time tori comes to new orleans she always plays these two girls back to back. Sugar is amazing live, and even more amazing is how this song has evolved. I loved sugar wiuth the band but obviously tori has proven that she doesn't even need the band for this song, it was just as powerful and just as beautiful..it was basically a solo version of the Sugar from the live album with the "oh my god they did it to you boy" and the "me not being good enough for you", it was very sad. The next song was "cool on your island." i have always loved the lyrics of this song but i felt that the original recording didn;t do the song must justice. Seeing tori perform it live at her keyboard was amazing and very beautiful. i've always put this song up there with 1000 oceans and china, but this version of the song with the keyboard which seemed to be pulsating was breathtaking. tori then went into "i'm on fire" (one of my favourite covers) followed by beauty queen/ horses, both my favourites. Next was "tear in your hand" which was also beautiful. "Marianne" was another highlight of the night for me, the piano sounded amazing, i've been waiting to see this song live forever. Then tori walked over to the Whirly and sat down. she introduced the whirl and told the story of how it was from the first woodstock. someone in the audience screamed "will you sell it?" and tori said "absolutely! it's a piece of crap" (very cute) then she said "new mommy" while raising her hands and told a story about how guys a better and changing diapers so they should be allowed to do what they're good at (hehe). So then "playboy mommy" came and i wasn't expecting to here this song, another sad song, but very mellow on the whirly and another unforgettable concert moment. then tori played "mother" and sang " me and a gun" and as usual she scared the audience by saying "flat" real loudly towards the end, but the audience was very silent during this song. Then "somewhere over the rainbow" came and tori waved and then left the stage. for the first encore tori played "enjoy the silence" although this is one of my least favourite songs from the SLG album, i think it's the most beautiful song live from the album. it's very short but tori's vocals are amazing and i couldn't have asked for a better perfromance of the song. then tori did "famous blue raincoat" (a rare treat) and left the stage again.. for the last encore she did "spring haze", very amazing solo but very much slowed down form the original ( i still loved it). Hey Jupiter was beautiful as always, followed by "pretty good year" ....the last song was by far my favourite. "black swan" has always been my fav song from tori and i was ecstatic to see it being played live in my home town. I think it's importaint to comment on the audience. After reading some of the other reviews, people seemed not too happy with other people, and that;s cool, but i just wanted to be one to say that the audience around me was very well behaved and didn't bother me, when people started going up to the stage i thought that it was kind of rude but at the same time, i expected things like that to happen. it just seems to me that a tori concert is such an individual experience that sometimes it is hard to be considerate of others, but from the other end ; being at a tori concert, i was so busy trying to listen to tori and take all the songs in; that it was also very hard for anyone to bother me. Yes, i saw the cameras flashing and people walking to go get drinks and the whispering, but it didn't take my attention away from the show and i thought it was the best i've ever seen and the setlist could not have been more perfect for me.


From Carly

Added November 2, 2001 - i received the email about the ticket upgrade before i left for school and good thing i did! i was first in line for the upgrade (even though some REALLY disrespectful girl went up and got the first given away. she didn't know they gave out second row first! and she and her friends talked and walked around several times during the show. very annoying)! After getting my tickets i went back home and returned in time to buy some merch and drinks and take my seat. rufus was entertaining. the wait during '97 Bonnie and Clyde was very intense. then she came out almost ceremoniously with her mardi gras mask on and took her bow and went to the piano. she did a couple songs with the mask and to my pleasure, had it removed. I was very pleased to hear Honey and then Sugar right after it. I couldn't keep the tears back, especially when she says "...Find out you're just a PUSSY my sweet boy my sugar..." The whole show was mesmerizing and i enjoyed every stare, note, and motion. She played Marianne which has always meant a lot to me so it was very emotional. Playboy Mommy was also very emotional, but she lightened it up a bit before with her speak of being a new mommy and how well men change diapers. Mother followed which touches me somewhere deep. During Me and a Gun she stressed "flat on your stomach" and she looked right in my direction. it put a new twist on the song for me...very spooky. I was very glad to hear Famous Blue Raincoat and Pretty Good Year. When someone requested a song right before the last one, Black Swan, she made a swatting motion and said "NO! this one's for me." After the last song I raced to the back to see her when she came out.ððWhen she got to me she took my hand and I hers and I told her i just wanted to see her and she asked my name. So it was a short introduction of sorts and I'm satisfied. I got a couple pictures which I would scan if my scanner wasn't being moody. It was my first show and it was everything i expected it to be. Thank you, Tori. Also, the girl with the bright red wig, if you read this by chance, email me drugsheep@home.com and i will try to send you the pictures you wanted me to send you.


From Lily F

Added November 3, 2001 - We got there a around 8, enough to see the end of Rufus. He talked a bit about some song being inspired by taking acid and cruising around in graveyards. Now I know he is a skinny guy, but come on Rufus, don't you want to shag something a bit meatier than the skeletons in crypts? The songs were good, if indistinct. I like that he sang in French, sounded like a nightmare lullaby, and I could see him as a 5 yrs old boy smoking cigarettes, drinking cafe au lait, and sporting a beret. The only issue I raise with Rufus: clogs? CLOGS? Rufie, Rufie, you seem so casually vain and effete, please don't wear gardening shoes to hammer in that point. And it was kind of funny-sad to see him so young and getting a touch of the hair loss around his temples. You can tell with a bit of care, he could age to a great beauty (like Bono has) but will probably travel the road of a handsome but flabby Robert Smith.

Hanging out on the floor, I was privy to several disturbing and amusing conversations from our fellow "toriphiles." While none focused on the dent, I am more convinced than ever that people who travel great distances not so much for tori as it fills some type of hollow in their own life. It's like a fraternity sex-sheet, only with horse-faces, glitter and fairy wings. People boasted of how many times, how early, how long, how many times they had "come." Getting stuff signed was ringing the bell, and I bet many a boyfriend made love to his girlfriend that night as she fantasized about her newly signed tori poster.

As I was explaining to my sis what "the dent" was (yet another gloriously sexual reference), the curtain dropped and thus began the show. I was tempted to scream out at the beginning of B&C I HEAR DEAD PEOPLE , but thought that would be rude and would be thusly pummeled by a hundred tiny fists. You've seen the setlist and MarcGhost gave a pretty accurate song-by-song review, so I'll give my highlights.

The mask was a nice though perfunctory touch. Much like the show. She has gotten leaner, more cat-like in her stride as well as her attitude. More lithe, less ambitious. Little Amsterdam was a great "real" opening choice, since it contains so much of that raw, sex energy. Slow, wet, slipping in, it was a welcome entrance. Then you could almost see at the end of it, tori slipping into "another fucking gig" mode. Leather would better be defined as "Plether." This must be why the idiot with the glo-stick got in a tizzy.

Sugar refused to be compromised, especially with the ÏyouÌre just a pussyÓ part. She did a couple little mini-preggers moves, like the RAINN video. Honey was like the girl who showed up too late for a party and has only the rind of the fruit bowl to eat. Pissers. Cool on your island made a lot of sense hearing it live. It was like the ÏBut IÌm experienced babeÓ attitude. It was meant to sell, but the seams were all on the outside and it fell wrong. So obvious, chappy and syrupy, it totally fit the previous two saccharine b-sides. When she started the ÏIÌm on fireÓ it really made me think, Tori, you were * this close * from a life of Marriot bars. Not that the song was bad, but it was bland, stretching. She sang with gumption and that was cool, but really, who can rightly step in the BossÌs shoes and expect them to fit without coming away stinking?

BQ/Horses is a fav, so it will rest-in-peace, much like the performance. Horse bucked and bit back from the over-pronunciation, IIIIIF Neil maaaaaaaaaaaaakes me a tree. All of fire that was in tori must have died, and from that death, rose a Phoenix from her ashes, because Tear in you Hand rocked! It flowed out, took me by the throat and said, youÌre coming with me little girl, and you better call me MaÌam! It was probably the best performance of the night because it was honest and filled the audience with a grace so lacking from the other songs.

Marianne, never liked it. But damn, wow wow wow, when she felt her way along the stage to that Whirly, you could just feel that something nice was going to happen. This was really the only part of the night that she talked to the audience. She seemed kind of pissed when a crowd member screamed out WHIRLY÷like she thought to herself, how does this freak know what kind of instrument this is, IÌve never played her in NOLA. And then you could see it cross her eyes, yep, itÌs one of the weirdos following me or the pathetic people downloading songs off the net. Dent this, freak. But Playboy Mommy could care less. It wasnÌt somber or loss-filled like IÌd imagined it to be live. It was almost upbeat, like she made her peace with the orchids that grow on her girlÌs grave and those bells are no longer reminders of her death but a welcome chord to a better place. This floored me and I think it was the strongest performance because when tori played, she wasnÌt trying to perform. She wasnÌt making the piano her bitch. It was kind of sad she followed it by Mother, cause it just canÌt compare in strength or tenderness.

MAAG, it was there. This song is important to too many people, but it seemed like she was phoning it in. The FLAT part was kind of scary, but it lacked something. DonÌt know what, just did. Rainbows are good for Judy Garland and Kermit the Frog, but it makes tori just look like a fag-hag. To which, I will note, many had turned out that night, so the point is well made. At this point I was delighted that one 1 song from SLG had been played. Unfortunately her record was broken with Enjoy the Silence. Raincoat, eh.

Spring Haze had the best lighting to distract the people from the sound and the fact that many couldnÌt see a damn thing since the freaks had rushed the stage to get a piece of tori-meat. Hey Jupiter, GREAT!!!! Probably one of my favs, so IÌm not going to smack her around. PGY was unexpected and nice, but bland. This is the first time I heard Black Swan, and I really enjoyed it. It surprised me how clear and desperate tori is. She Ò the girl stalked and demanded by umpteenth fans Ò reveals how desperate she was wanting to be with eric. It was humanizing and heartbreaking. A great ending.

Overall, it was a luke-warm performance with some great gems thrown in. But then again, when youÌre phoning something in, what could we expect otherwise? Tori seemed disoriented, pissed, tired and brimming with music. A lethal combination.


From Jessica Watkins (Posted to the ToriNews mailing list)

Added November 8, 2001 - I don't think I've seen any reviews from the New Orleans show at the Orpheum, so I'll try to write a little something as best I can but my memory is getting fuzzy. Maybe somebody else can fill in the missing spots or make any corrections.

First though, I have two requests for anyone who saw that show. I brought my camera, but during Tori's "Playboy Mommy" it quit working. I used up all the film after only about 5 shots, and then discovered that the film was stuck in the camera! Everything else on the roll came out fine, but my concert photos were ruined. :( I am highly disappointed. If anyone took some good pictures I'd appreciate very much if you could e-mail me some. And the second thing is the set list. I didn't write it down, even though I could have. I'm having trouble remembering it so if anyone has it for New Orleans, I'd be grateful if you could send it to me or post it to the list!

Ok, on to the best review I can muster. The beginning and end are pretty clear to me, but it's the middle part that's fuzzy.

First, the theater itself. It's really steep! The website makes it look a lot "deeper" but it's high up. I had very front box seats on the second balcony, and since they slope downward they're practically even with the first balcony. Even though there was no one to block my view, the leg-room there is very lacking. My legs were smushed against the wall of the balcony and they became cramped and achy! It was like walking on Jell-O for three days. The bar on top of the balcony edge is naturally in your line of sight, too! There was also a metal ladder hanging from the stage that was kind of in the way. Other than those minor things, I can't really complain about my seats. They were pretty close to the stage.

Rufus Wainwright opened. No offense to any of his fans, but I thought he kinda sucked. Sorry!

The first song Tori did was naturally "97 Bonnie & Clyde" that she's been doing with the black curtain and everything. It was creepy, particularly when the curtain fell at the end of the song. I wasn't expecting that. When she came out she was wearing so many layers of clothes it was hard to tell what was what.

From what I could see, she wore black fishnet stockings and high heeled shoes, and over that some black pants that had slits in the sides from the calves down to the ankles. From the thighs down they had alternating black stripes and some see-through meshy material. The top part of them was all black. Waist-up she wore a red spaghetti-strap tank top, and over it a long-sleeved top made out of flimsy black material that you could see through. Since her back and right side were to me most of the time, I could see that under it she had some big, sparkly tattoos on the back of both shoulders and the middle of her back! They were pretty. Over her face when she came out she wore a silver mask in the shape of a fish that had its tail curved up one side, and a veil over the back of her head. She kept it on throughout the duration of the first few songs she played.

The concert seemed dominated by mellow songs rather than upbeat stuff. There were also a lot of b-sides. After 97B&C, she went to the piano and (to my recollection) I believe the first song was Springsteen's "I'm on Fire". I can't remember if there was one before that. I love concerts when the performer does surprise cover songs. She did very well, of course. "Little Amsterdam" was somewhere near the beginning but I can't remember where it fit in. Then definitely "Honey" immediately followed by "Sugar". A lot of sweetness in there. :) Somewhere in there was also "Leather". She also did "Beauty Queen/Horses".

There might have been more songs before she took off the mask. This is where things are fuzzy. She took off her mask and took a bow, and said hi and asked how everybody was doing. Since I can't remember every song in order, I'll just list the ones I know she played but I'll probably have left some out, somewhere:

Cool on Your Island
Alamo
Tear in Your Hand
Mother (absolutely beautiful!)
Me and a Gun
Pretty Good Year
Cloud on my Tongue (not too sure if she really played this one)
Mr Zebra
Marianne
Hey Jupiter
Spring Haze
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Enjoy the Silence
Famous Blue Raincoat
Black Swan

The only song from FTCGH that she played was "Playboy Mommy" at the Wurlitzer. She introduced it as "Wurly" and mentioned that she got it from Country Joe and the Fish, who used it at the first Woodstock. I thought that was pretty neat. Before she played the song she mentioned being a new mommy and how great it was, and had a little message for the girls in the audience: "You know girls, I've realized that men make great diaper-changers. So I figure, if they're that good at something, why not just let them do it?"

She was playful. I wish she'd played more at the Wurly because she was directly across from and facing me, but it was only the one song. (And I know everybody says this, but I swear she looked right at me for 10 straight seconds. :)

At some point in the middle of the show, some people started yelling out requests, and Tori smiled and gave them a sort of silly "Oh, hush" hand wave gesture; like when you shoo your hands at somebody. Then somebody else yelled, "Do whatever you want!" (Giggles from the audience.)

I'm not familiar with all the songs from SLG yet, and she only did one that I knew (aside from 97B&C that is). So if any others were played I didn't know them and can't really fit them in.

Tori was such a tease. :) She did two encores, the first one being quite long, after she made us wait a minute for her to come back. I can't even remember all those, but they included "Hey Jupiter" at the Rhodes, and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". I think "Tear in Your Hand" was in the first encore too. I could be wrong, but she sang it either way.

The second encore was much shorter and only included three songs that I recall. The first was "Enjoy the Silence" from SLG, followed by "Famous Blue Raincoat", which I'd never heard and didn't recognize until she said those words. The last song of the evening was "Black Swan", which I absolutely love! I couldn't help but get a little misty-eyed when she played that one. It's even more beautiful hearing her sing it live.

She left the stage in a small shower of flowers, letters, and other little trinkets and things. The crowd cheered and clapped for quite some time, but sadly that was it.

Some minor disappointments: there were a few songs I had really hoped Tori would play, but didn't, particularly "Lust", "Caught a Lite Sneeze", and "Strange Little Girls". I guess certain songs (with the exception of Lust) just wouldn't sound right with just the Bose and no backup. But she made up for it with some of the others that I really like, like "Mother", "Hey Jupiter" and "Black Swan". All in all it was a great time and I wish I could do it all over again!

That's all my bad memory can offer. I wish I could remember more since it was my first Tori Amos concert. If anyone has something to add or correct, please do so. And if you wrote down the complete set list, please send that as well!


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

Review by MarcGhost

Ohhh my first tori show!

Aside from the nonexistant leg room, and the cramp in my leg that strted with me and a gun and didnt finish until i got to the parking garage it was a magical night

1 B&C was blah...

tori came on stage donning a silver mask, with like a net tule type of thing wrapped around her head

2 Little amsterdam was awesome she played it on the keyboard and the piano

3 she went into leather quicker than i though it would appear

Some lady comes on and takes off the mask

Tori says thank you for having me, new orleans is such a magical city

honey was GORGEOUS!

sugar just made me well up

I was suprised to hear cool on your island but it was great too

I was super shocked when she started i'm on fire,

BQ/Horses was the best part of the show for me the lighting was fabulous, and i love horses so much

TIYH Faboo!

I just about died when she played to opening notes to marianne, this was the best version of the song i've heard

Playboy mommy on the rhodes was faboo

Improv/mother was very nice to hear

Me and a gun was very laid back until the flat on your stomach part

Rainbow lasted way too long

The first encore she played Enjoy the silence with a really funny "pieeeeeeeeerced: in the beginning

Famous blue raincoat was gorgeous, and i got teary again

2nd encore
Spring haze with a bright blue background

HJ blah blah blah

PGY rocked!

before the last song people were yellong out requests and tori kinda made a shove movement and say "NO! this ones coming"

It was fabulous.

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Review by mister-zebra

i don't really know what to say. i just got back... from my first tori show, and hopefully not the last.

wow. WHAT A GORGEOUS WOMAN. her voice was SO much more than what i expected. i could not believe my ears, i swear. there's no way i can explain it. she showed an amazing performance!!!!!!

i'm pretty sad she didn't do rattlesnakes, real men, mr zebra (ah), blood roses... but i can't complain, i got sugar, honey, pretty good year... and they were all mmmmmmmmm

especially sugar - WOW!!!!!!!!! this is now my fave tori song i think. i can't get over it. i wish i could live that moment again

and one more thing: I GOT MY TORI CALENDAR SIGNED!!! right after the show we got to the back door and she was there hugging people! aww! i didn't get to hug her, not even a look in my eyes, but she did take my calendar and sign it for me while talking to someone else. she was sooooo cuuute!!!!!

oh and when she came on stage with that mask, i almost fell off my chair laughing. she was so funny and cool about it!!!

"thank you tori"

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Review by BeeJay

Ok, first Tori show, and I have to say it was more amazing than I could have expected. Although the theater seemed like it was made for small children, we still had an awesome view from the first balcony. And by the way, the dude with the spinning glow stick ... this wasn't a rave. Also, since this is basically assigned seating, you can't just sit anywhere (people did do that and got pissy when they had to move).

'97 Bonnie & Clyde - really disturbing, she seemed very into her role and the end where the curtain drops was just amazing to me

She came out with the mask then and everyone went crazy, she seemed like she was feeling frisky with her mask on

Little Amsterdam - great version with the piano and the Rhodes (I think) she was really into this one too

Leather - everyone sang along when she got to the "nice big fat cigar" which I thought was cute

I think this was where she had the mask taken off, when everyone saw her hair come down they started screaming, which wasn't the first time they did that

improv/Honey - the improv was something about not knowing which song to sing, Honey was beautiful

Sugar - really good version, her voice was raspy and deep in the beginning, but towards the end it got much sweeter

Cool On Your Island - i didn't expect this, really gorgeous on the Rhodes

I'm On Fire - nor this one, she had me near tears here

Beauty Queen
Horses - great!!!

Tear In Your Hand - one that I hoped she would play, very moving

Marianne - another I hoped she would play, her ability at the piano always amazes me on this song

she talked about the Wurlitzer and where it came from and seemed surprised when someone yelled out Whurley before she could say it, and then she raised her hand and said "new mommy!" and talked about men changing diapers

Playboy Mommy - my roommate's favorite song of the night, at the Wurlitzer, at the end instead of singing "I'll be home" she sang "I'm coming home" and then wrapped her arms around herself for the "to take you in my arms" really sweet!

improv/Mother - the improv didn't have many words, the song was gorgeous and at the end she hung on to every word

Me and a Gun - the audience was completely silent (for once) the "flat" part scared the crap out of my roommate

Over The Rainbow - really pretty, my friend's favorite moment from the show

the people rushing the stage were aggravating, at least we could still see, feel sorry for those on the floor, but Tori was still gracious and accepted gifts and shook their hands

1st Encore:
Enjoy The Silence - its great that her tone is different on this song live as opposed to on SLG

Famous Blue Raincoat - very pretty

2nd Encore:
Spring Haze - such a great version, the bright blue lighting was amazing

Hey Jupiter - really moving with the piano and the rhodes

Pretty Good Year - my favorite song of the night, gorgeous!!

everyone that rushed the stage started yelling out requests and she shunned them saying that she was going to play "this" instead

Black Swan - I never cared much for this song, but hearing it live really changed my opinion, it was a slow beautiful ending

Note: a lot of people would scream when she would pause or do piano solos which i thought was rude, so stop it, and don't bring glow sticks and spin them around, Leather isn't a techno song

Other than that, it was the most personal and amazing performances I've seen

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Review by loooosey

the concert was awesome!!
but I have a great story!! It made me so happy!!

a friend's roommate works down at canal place and a big guy comes in Monday night and asked her to help him pick out some clothes. At one point he answers his cell phone and flips through his date book. Amie noticed a picture of Tori and when he got off the phone she asked to look at it. He asked her if she was going, and she told him that it sold out before she got a chance. Turns out this guy is Tori's tour manager and tells her that if she finds clothes for him, he'll give her tickets. She got 2nd row tickets!! I thought that was sweet! The people sitting next to her worked in a restaurant, and they had a similar story. That was my feel good story

anyway, my first time seeing tori (FINALLY after listening to her since LE came out) was great! I was so happy she sound good recorded or not, and it was nice to stroll down memory lane and hear so many old ones! I was proud of the audience for keeping their holes shut through me and a gun, but there was no need for all those people to rush to the front during the 2nd encore. the people to the right of us couldn't see. but anyway. She looked and sounded great... we've gone through the list a few times and I won't bore you with it. my favorites were leather and honey and famous blue raincoat!!

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Review by alli

Oh my god, that guy with the glow stick was so annonying. We could only see the very top of Tori's head from our seats, but I could all I could see was that green glowing circle, spinning and spinning.

Anyway, the show was so beautiful. I forgot about the songs that I wanted her to play, but right after Horses, I thought about how much I wanted her to play Tear In Your Hand...and there its was!!! I was so happy.

I don't really like Spring Haze, but I was captivated when she played it last night. Same with Black Swan. Our seats were really close, first balcony box seats, but the speakers were in the way.

The mask she was wearing looked like it was dolphin. Did anyone else notice that?

She played so many songs I have always wanted to hear, just when I thought it couldn't get better it did. I started crying more than once.

I thought Rufus was great too. I know not everyone loves him, but they didn't have to talk to through his set. This was my dream concert, Tori and Rufus...who were both spectacular.

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Review by Mellie Melo

Monday night I received an email from the Tori newsletter that said that orchestra seats were being released and existing ticket holders could bring their tickets in for a free upgrade. We had first balcony, and anything closer would be better. We arrived at the Orpheum in New Orleans for 11:50, and to my surprise I was #4 in line for the ticket upgrade! We got SECOND row tickets!!!! Just that made the whole day perfect.

Now we headed to the Meet and Greet area, which was on the other side of the Orpheum. We met some really awesome people there. I don't remember everyone's names! They were trying to keep things calm and organized and asked that you line up in the order you arrived. Very fair considering some people had gotten there at 7 am. Of course there were the rude people who refused to be civil, but I bitched about that already. It seemed like FOREVER before they moved us to the barricades. Tori drove up in a black surburban! I was on the side barricade, and we were told that she wouldn't come that way, only the front. I saw her when she walked up and she said "Hi Everybody!" My boyfriend stood at a distance and snapped pictures. When she got close to my end I saw her perfectly, and I took the camera and snapped pics like crazy! (to be posted later) A guy in the back yelled 'Tori!' she said ' Yeah', he said 'If I send my ticket to be signed will you send it back??" Of course she said yeah. It was funny. So right then security said ok, that's it. Pointing at the ticket guy, me, and the girl next to me , he said you you, and you and no more. So I gave him my SLG booklet and Tori signed it! That was all I wanted from the entire M&G. whoo hoo! I was psyched after that.

My boyfriend and I walked to the Quarter and ate at Landry's Seafood, and made it back to the Orphuem for 6:30. We picked up a no flash camera on the way. We asked the usher about our seats, and he said there were two rows of chairs in the very front, and we were on the second row... DEAD CENTER! It was cool because all of the great people at the M&G had upgraded tickets and we were all sitting together!

Rufus came on stage right at 7:30. He was goofy, but funny. We enjoyed him.

Then of course TORI!!

97 Bonnie & Clyde - We knew this was the opening, with the torn curtain and lights. It seems Tori skipped over a few of the words, or maybe she sang so softly I couldn't hear them.

Tori walked out on stage wearing a Mask! She waved at us.. it was so cute!

Little Amsterdam - I recognized this right off.... not a favorite of mine, but it was still great.

Leather - I love this song! As soon as I heard the first few notes I was so excited!

improv/Honey - Another favorite of mine. just gorgeous.

Sugar - beautiful as well.

Cool On Your Island - I didn't recoginze this until she got to the chorus. I've heard it and I have a copy of YKTR, but it's not a song I know by heart.

I'm On Fire - wow.. better than the original!

Beauty Queen / Horses - Ohh ! requested this in a letter I passed up at the M&G!!!!!! Some idiot fat guy in the front row - right when she paused after Beauty Queen - yells MARIANNE!!!- Shut the fuck up!!!! Horses always comes after Beauty Queen idiot! His date/girlfriend kept pushing him away everytime he tried to touch her. She didn't look happy to be there.

Tear In Your Hand - I was surpsied to hear this one

Marianne - even more surpised that she played this after that guy yelled it!

Playboy Mommy - on the whurlitzur (sp)... awesome!

improv/Mother - this was great as well

Me and a Gun - chilling. I had never seen her do this live before. Surprisingly, the audience was quiet. Someone behind me was whsipering/singing along with her though and I heard her every now and then.

Over The Rainbow - beautiful as well!

She walked off and people RAN to the stage (annoying Marianne fat guy was FIRST to jump up). Security said to sit back down.

1st Encore:
Enjoy The Silence - eh, not my favorite song from SLG, but it was nice.

Famous Blue Raincoat - I LOOOOOVE this song! It was beautiful live.

Tori left, and people ran to the stage again. Security did nothing, so MORE people rushed up there. At first some ducked down so we could see, but more and more people went and they all stood... directly in front of us.

2nd Encore:
Spring Haze - Another one of my favorites.

Hey Jupiter - Everyone standing in front of us was lip syncing along with her. We watched them cuz we couldn't see.

Pretty Good Year & Black Swan - I couldn't see the stage at all for either of these and I was distracted and pissed off. My b/f was so mad he threw gum in some girl's hair who was blocking our view! Don't worry, I fussed at him.

I had my laminate on all day long, but I only saw 2 people wearing them. I met painted painful - is that right?!? - (Rachel). Thanks for the stickers! I met Joshua too. I also briefly met nic and jethro.

It was a very different experience being so close! I had never been that close at a concert before. It was like she was looking straight at us and singing just for us. Over all, the crowd wasn't bad. I saw the idiot with the glow stick. WTF????? I woulda knocked him out if I was by him. There were the normal I LOVE YOU TORI! and TTTTOOOORRIIII! and songs being yelled out.

It was a fantastic Tori day, and worth the small hassles, and I'm glad I met so many wonderful people!

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Review by ktlynn319

I was at the show last night and the meet and greet. i was seated to the left in the first balcony i guess it's called. anyway, i couldnt see the "whurly" at all from where i was, so it seemed like tori disappeared when she started playing Playboy Mommy. But, i loved every minute of the show.

The meet and greet was what i expected, but there weren't a whole lot of ppl there. maybe 50 at the most? (anyone else got a better estimate?) we got there about 45 minutes before she actually showed up which is awesome, b/c we were flyin over there from mobile trying to make it in time and then got lost around the one way streets in n.o. for a while. anyway, we were in the middle of the semi-line waiting for tori to get there. we didnt get a spot at the front so we didnt get to see her very well. (my girlfriend and i) so, my girlfriend's 4'11 and she really really couldnt see anything. i put her up on my shoulders (i know somebody's gonna bitch at me about this probly) and she snapped some pictures. So then they said that's it or whatever and off she went. I am wonderin about the guy who sent his drawing up to get signed and if he ever got em back... he sure was picky telling tori exactly where to sign them, oh well...

After that we wandered towards bourbon street and had to have a couple drinks.. seein tori was intense for me b/c i've never been to see her before at all. we drank a couple drinks and walked around for a while then got back to the theater and in our seats just as tori began. she was amazing, everything she played. i just sat there staring at her hanging on to every word of every song. there were a few ppl around me singing, but i expected that too and i didnt really care, b/c i was tuned into tori. the guy with the glow stick-- wtf were you thinking?? i mean really. that was just unnecessary.

anyway, i have been so damn excited and ready to see her forever, so i was kicking myself in the ass during the show, b/c lo and behold, i had double vision!!! Too many drinks. i just got too caught up in bourbon st i guess. i was so mad at myself. i had to keep one eye closed during the whole show, but when i had em both open, i got to see 2 toris! lucky me huh.

so, you guys are gonna really hate me now, this is my first post and i'm gonna draw a little negativity i'm afraid, for, i was one of the assholes who walked up to the stage.. i know it was rude, and no one appreciated it at all, but i could not help myself. it's shameful. i was not however, proudly towering over the first few rows, i was ducked the whole time with my eyes barely peepin over the stage and my girl was in front of me. (she couldnt get in anybodys way if she tried, she's barely as tall as the stage.) i apologize a million times and again to everybody for that selfish and rude act, but like i said, i just couldnt help myself.

i loved the show, but the speakers and a microphone were in my view the whole time. there was this big microphone that was covering up tori's whole head from my viewpoint, which was probably about as annoying as when me and everybody else was up at the stage. i'm sure some will disagree.

i was happy to hear sugar, honey, over the rainbow, leather, little amsterdam. i was happy to hear everything and anything that woman would have liked to sing. tori is awesome, she was beautiful and performed wonderfully last night...

i dont have my pics developed, but i got some really good ones i know at the meet & greet, i got one of tori from head to toe that this nice guy took for me. (thanks) i will post them later on here i suppose in some attempt to make up for my rude and uncooth behavior at the show.

i hope the halloween show tonight is awesome for everybody!!

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Review by psyck

i saw tori last night too. this was my second show and my first meet and greet. my boyfriend and i got there around 3.30 and i met toriMODE and his friend. i was #59 (so there were about 75 ppl there, whoever wanted an estimate) and quickly went to the side of the barricades after they let us go. i was really glad to see everyone being civil (well, from my spot in the crowd) and there was no pushing/running. i started crying once i saw tori and as she made her way to the side i was on i was shaking and freaking out haha. the girl in front of me got something signed and was a SAINT to let me have her spot (thank you so much! you were wearing a white shirt w/ dark hair, that is all i remember). i was a few feet in front of tori and just watched her talk to other people, she is so kind. joel said "ok, just 2 more things signed" and i was like #3 so no signed pele for me! i didnt even mind, just seeing her that close was all i needed. after she left i was hysterical and crying my eyes out. it was a really powerful experience for me, to be that close to someone who has changed me life. as my bf and i were walking away a really nice guy in a fuzzy hat saw that i was crying and gave me a tori drawing he did! thank you so much, if you come here.

after that i said hi to nicandjethro and her fiance and then we went down to the riverwalk and ate at a sandwich place. we got to the theatre around 6 and there were lines of people waiting to go in. i was SO glad to hear the security telling ppl a billion times not to smoke and turn off their cell phones, both are so annoying!! i saw all of the merchandise on the table but didnt get anything. we found our seats (2nd balcony on the very far right, not too bad) and waiting. i liked rufus but couldnt understand the words, he is very talented on the piano and guitar though. then the lights went out and the curtain dropped. crowd freaks out of course. i wont go through song but song like other people did, but i do want to bitch about a couple of things.

there was a dumbass sitting in front of us who would not shut up. he even sang through me and a gun!!! he yelled out "TORI" a zillion times really loud (you can probably hear in any boots made at that show) and was waving his hands over the side, blocking the view of everyone behind him. thank god he left during enjoy the silence. i also saw that fat guy in the front being rude too from the top!! why was he running up so much?? you already have fucking front row seats! it even annoyed me from the top to see everyone rush the stage too. i dont understand why people want to yell while tori is doing solos either. if you think the piano playing is so great, why dont you shut the fuck up and listen to it? grrrr. other than that the show was the bomb.

after the show we were walking back to my car and i saw the crowd for the post show m&g. we decided to stay and i got on the same side of the barricades as i was on the 1st time. the crowd was really good/quiet. i got my ticket signed!!! unfortunately i left my pele cd in the car so that is all i had w/ me. tori is much smaller and petite than i thought. shes so freaking cool acting too hehe. after that we drove back to mississippi. i am glad my m&g experience was so good and im very thankful (mostly to the girl who gave me her spot) for it all and really appreciate tori for doing them.

i was wearing an orange/grey baseball jersy shirt and blue jeans, w/ short dark red hair. if anyone saw a person bawling their eyes out and wiping their snotty nose after the m&g, that was me

oh yeah, tori's mask was a dolphin

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Review by Ron (toriMODE)

Excuse me for my long-winded post, but everything ties in one way or the other for the whole Pre-Halloween Tori show experience.

Monday, my friend Kelly and I drove into New Orleans from Birmingham, and the moon was almost in full circle to our left, and we were driving over the long bridge on top of the water and the horizon was peach, and it was just beautiful. The water looked like ice, it had a silver shimmer to it...and we put in Pele to set the mood of our Orleans experience. We got to our hotel, checked in, were spastic and pleased with our room, because we had a jacuzi in it, and we were just ready to celebrate and have fun. So that, we did..hehe.....we went down to Copeland's to eat, and Kelly & I tend to scope out cute guys..and there was this really hot guy over next to the window, and we were trying to determine if he was gay or not..lol...sad, I know..but we decided he was gay.....(in my dream world anyway)....so we ate, and then went to our room, and listened to music while we got in the jacuzi and partied....and then we got dressed and ready to go out and listened to Venus, and then got our drink on....and went out to Bourbon street..listened to Choirgirl on our drive to Bourbon, and we were so wasted that we left the headlights on when we left the car...and went down Bourbon, and went to The Bourbon Street Pub (gay club across from Oz), and clubbed our hearts out, and ended up at Oz, and then were back in the jacuzi by 5 that morning, and then went to bed, and woke up at 10, and checked out, and went shopping at the French Market, had beignets at Cafe Du Monde, went to Tower and Virgin records..and while at Virgin, I asked the dj person where the restrooms, were, and she must have seen my SLG shirt, because she played Cornflake Girl LIVE and Bells for Her LIVE while we were in store...so it was very neat to have those tori-vibes with us throughout the day.

Around 2 I think, we drove to find the Orpheum, and after driving around forever, we found the Orpheum, we parked and went across the street to Subway to get some bottled water, and we headed back over to where all the people were standing around for the Meet and Greet. We walked to the end of the sidewalk to see who was all there, and before I know it we have this Mister who is telling us his rules for the M&G, and assigning us a stupid #, and marking it on our hand (I was #56), and so we went back to the other side of the line, and sat down. We met two great guys from Hattiesburg (Adam and Allen), and we had fun sharing Tori with them. We met PaintedPretty which was great, I pretty much thought it was her, before she came up, and gave me a lovely Heart of Gold sticker (thank you), and we also met Psych, and her boyfriend, and they were both nice.

Then finally around 4:20 or so (perfect timing ), the barricades were in place, and we hand-in-hand walked quickly to the barricades, and Steve layed out HIS rules for the M&G, and said to please not ask Tori for any tickets, cuz that puts her on the spot, and there are no extra tickets. Then, I saw Steve go on his radio and was talking, and I figured that he was giving the Ups for Tori and her crew to come out.

I then started to look around, and when I was looking towards the back and to my left, I saw a black Chevrolet Suburban pull up, and I saw Tori's face against the other side of the vehicle, and I was so excited!!! The pulled up, and I waved as they drove past, and then I saw Joel get out, and then Tori, and they came walking up, and I think I got some good pics, and then I had a great view or Tori pretty much during the whole M&G ( I was four people back , just like in ATL), and she talked a lot, and loud enough that I was able to hear her most of the time. I handed up a Bday card (for Joel) and a Halloween card (to Tori, Tash & Mark), and a fellow EWF handed those two cards up to Joel, and he opened his card, and laughed, and he seemed kinda emotional too. It was cute to see his face light up.

So, the M&G was the best I've ever been to (only been to one other though), and people were so calm and quiet, it was like being at a library. I handed up my 5.5 Weeks Program, and Kelly's Choirgirl vinyl to be autographed, and that's when I heard that she wasn't signing anymore, so I was disappointed, but okay with it cuz I got my album signed last time. There were several request (Marianne, Playboy Mommy, etc.) I yelled out BLOOD ROSES! Then someone yelled Tear in your Hand, and she said .."what was that?", and she apparently wrote it on her hand. When she got close on my side, and I saw her hand when she was embracing a guy, and I saw "Fire" written on the top part of her hand, so I couldn't decide if she was going to pull out "I'm on Fire" or "Fire on the Side" (from YKTR). So, after Tori talkign with people for about 20 minutes, she said goodbye to us and went into the theater.

Kelly and I met up with Adam and Allen after the M&G, and we went to the Canal Mall and ate at the food court. Kelly and I got "Honey Chicken" at the Panda chinese restaurant, and when we were eating, we saw that hottie guy stroll past us, while were eating (that we saw lastnight at the restaurant)...pretty coincidental. After eating, we all left, and headed back to the Orpheum, and went to the car to put up our stuff from the M&G, and we went and got in line to the theater. I saw a guy from my college town (Auburn University), and I thought his name was Chris, so I kept yelling that at him, but it wasn't him....it was Sonny..lol..oh well.

So, I saw a few people that I had met from previous show (Tim, John, and a couple of other people), and then finally went in the venue. I went upstairs to see where Kelly was sitting, and then went down to my seats, and met the people sitting next to me, and talked to Carrie who was sitting 2 rows in front of me, and that was nice, and then I saw my friends from Auburn Corey and Jared, go to their seats, and I waved at them, and later they came up and sat behind me and we talked a good bit, and I was telling Jared that she might do I'm on Fire or Fire on the Side, cuz I saw Fire written on her hand, and we talked about the possibility of Tear in Your Hand (Jared's favorite), and then the lights dimmed, and I said bye to them, and then Rufus came out really quick on stage.

Rufus, was in jeans, a t-shirt, and had really long hair. He had some slip on shoes, and he sat down in front of his keyboard and started playing his set. I didn't like the Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk song too much, becuase his vocals sounded bad, but then as he progressed, his vocals and songs were much better. He talked about writing one song that he wrote while he was in a "graveyard on acid".....and he had a story about meeting his "television grandmother" Bea Arthur, and made some comment about how he had to cross his legs while he played his guitar and had to watch for crushing his "balls"..I was impressed with his overall performance. My seat neighbor from Baton Rouge got his Rufus advertisement from a 99 show autographed by Rufus. Then right before Tori came on, he told me not to look behind me just yet, but GEORGE PORTER JR. was sitting right behind me!!!!!!!!!!!

I waited a couple of minutes, and then I looked behind me and I saw George Porter Jr. and his wife behind me. It was just neat thinking that the bassist for Tori, and hearing his voice in Til the Chicken and Samurai was right behind me.....I was excited!

So the girl on my other side of me, was a little tipsy, but she was in wonderful spirits and I talked with her a good bit, and she told me that Pele was her favorite album, and we talked about how great Tori was, and then the lights went off and everyone screamed, and the first drape was dropped, and the set for Bonnie and Clyde was ready.

97 Bonnie and Clyde was not as good this time as it was in Atlanta, but it gave me the creeps more this time, and I took it more seriously. I got chill bumps all over me while I was starring at the Dead Wife's pic to the right and the different lights filtering in and out of the drapes/water.

Tori struts out all stylish in her head-dress..like fish netting wrapped around her head, and a mask with the holes for the eyes....in silver...looked like a crescent moon to me, but I guess it was a dolphin..I dunno. It was awesome to see her though..she was definitely ready for Halloween. I had seen Joel earlier that night in a black mask...very themed!

Little Amsterdam was done on the Rhodes and her Bosie and I was hoping for more improv on this song, but it sounded wonderful on both instruments. A very fitting southern song for New Orleans.

Leather.....so soon into the show, everyone was very happy that she played it. I've heard Leather at every single Tori show I've been to, so it seems to follow me. I enjoyed it, but I was ready for something new.

Then people started screaming out song requests (Waitress , and a bunch of others) and then she went into this really planned improv about not knowing what songs to play or when to play them, and it was cute...and then she goes into one of my favorites for the night.....

Honey! When she first started this, I thought she was doing Sugar at first, I don't know why, but I think I relate songs to one another sometimes, and since Honey and Sugar are on the Hey Jupiter single together, I think that's where I got that from. Before the show, I was thinking about how I had eaten Honey chicken previously at the mall, and how neat it would be to continue that theme, if she performed it, and lo and behold she did, so that was neat how it worked out like that. Anyways (yes I told you this post would be long-winded..haha)....Honey was spectacular, and beautiful, and it made my heart melt. I love this song so much, and I have neglected it over the past few months, but the girl won't be neglected anymore.

Sugar! Wow, another HJ b-side and my favorite b-side!!!!!! I heard her during 5.5 Weeks in Atlanta, and it's always been one of my all time favorite Tori songs, and I was so glad she appreared lastnight. She yelled "You're just a PUSSY!"..so that was awesome! It made me yearn for the band again though. Although it was strong enough with just the bosie..and Tori....great performance!

Cool On Your Island--another of my wish set list songs appears, and I'm very content. I knew all the words, and it was great recognizing a song that most people that night probably didn't. I was able to appreciate it more, probably. Beautifully done on the Rhodes and Bosie.

I'm on Fire--well now I know where the fire was...it was in Bruce Springsteen's beautiful song, she covers this one well. I was thinking about how I have this VH1 show or it might have been MTV (Crossroads?)..I think, and she did Sugar and I'm On Fire, so it seemed like she was warped back into 1996 again performing that show. The cover was so pretty. It made me tear up. Probably the best version of that song I've ever heard.

Beauty Queen, she started banging on the darker keys of her Bosie, and I automatically recognized it as BQ, because she had done the same in Atlanta, and I love it. She completes it, there is slight pause, and (annoying requests yelled and I'm like thinking..duh...Horses always comes after BQ).....

Horses!!! The lights for this song were so beautiful. The white small beams of light mixed in with hues of pink/purple/blue from up above were just awesome, during this song. "Make mother well"..made me think of Kelly's mom, and the performance was wonderful. I was teary-eyed once again.

Tear In Your Hand--really pleased to finally hear this one LIVE. It seems to be a favorite of so many people's (Jared's), and I have grown to really love this song.

Marianne--the intro to this is just beautiful and rich, and it's my favorite song from Pele, and she played it in Atlanta, so it was glad to see that she wanted to visit again (and fulfill some M&G request).

Playboy Mommy--Tori walks over to her Wurley and tells her story about it's origins (same story over and over..and says that she's a mommy, and the diaper story), and she goes into Playboy Mommy (to fulfill another M&G request), and it is another song I heard in ATL '01 and Bham'98, and it's one of my favorites from Choirgirl so I was delighted to hear it once more. I was the one who during "from here to Birmingham" SCREAMED! I was the only one..haha...kinda embarassing..but oh well. Carrie jerked her head back and looked at me after I did it, and smiled...she knew that I was from Birmingham.

Mother--another beautiful improv, and for some odd reason, this song reminds me of Under the Pink a lot, but not any certain song, "mother the car is here...somebody leave the light on"...kinda made me think of me and my mother, and also how it seemed to go along with the previous song well (just like Cooling and Cool on your Island played back to back). The ending was gorgeous. Most definitely the best version of this song I've ever heard. My friend Adam at the M&G really wanted this song, so I was happy he got his wish.

Me and a Gun (the lights go out, and they slowly turn on again in bright yellows)...and up above indigo blue/purple slowly migrates into the lights), and Tori goes into her confessional. People were rude here, and getting up and I think it was the same glowstick guy who knocked over his seat up on the balcony and left. Very annoying. There were some people talking too behind me, and when she got to "FLATTTTTTTT on your stomach", they shut up..thank god..lol.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow--lol...well...I was thinking...are going to do a repeat of the ATL show? Are we going to complete the whole damn Hey Jupiter single? LOL....I love this song! It means so much to me..I'm glad to have gotten to hear it again. During the "chimney top" bit....I would look up, and there was this dark pink light shining down, and the fog/smoke machine on stage, would finally rise up up, and when it would hit the light, it looked like smoke coming out of a chimney top....I don' tknow if that was planned or not, but it was very effective.

I was probably the first one to stand up and applaud and cheer, cuz I knew that Me and a Gun is always the next to the last song, and everyone else seemed to stand up and applaud and scream...it was exciting.

After a minute of cheering, she struts back on stage for the first encore.....again a repeat of the Atlanta show..haha....

First Encore....

Enjoy the Silence--a treat for me...love me some Depeche Mode...and it was fitting for an SLG song to be played, that it be that one for me, although it's not a favorite (only two SLG songs!)

Famous Blue Raincoat, another cover that was just done beautifully, and I really paid attention to the wording, and it meant a lot more to me then. It always reminds me of Here. In My Head.

Second Encore...

Song #1

Spring Haze!!!--beautiful intro, and again the BEST version of that song! I loved how she pulls her arms back at the end of the song, and slowly drifts away from her microphone.....so dramatic! Probably my favorite of the night.

Song #2

Hey Jupiter!!!--LOL..ok, so we've completed the Hey Jupiter single pretty much except for Pro Widow Merry Widow Mix..that's impressive Tori! Corey had mentioned that the N'ville show as so great because she did the best version of HJ there, and when she went into it, I was so pleased. I began to wonder if this would be the last song of the night, cuz she has ended her sets with this song often. But I kept my spirits up hoping for one more song.

Song #3

Pretty Good Year!!!--WOO HOO! My birthday song 28 days later (Joel's bday is the 28th..numerology..hmmm)....and I've always wanted Tori to end her show with this song, so for this song to be played was a dream come true! The climatic part of the song was LOUD and STRONG..very impressive w/o the band to back her.

Song #4....WHAT THE FUCK??????????? Is she going to play a bonus show?????????????

Black Swan--one of the many songs that I put on a Mix Tape I had made for this tour, that was played, and it was so melacholly and beautiful. Very sad, and I loved it. Wonderful way to end a show. Wow!

After clapping forever, and cheering, the lights came up, I left my 11th row seat, and saw Mark Hawley right there, getting all the techie stuff together for another show, and I was tempted to say hello, cuz he was right there, but I didn't. He looked exhausted. But I went and got Kelly and pointed him out to her. We then went up to the car, sat in the parking deck forever (listened to the whole London '01 show), and dropped Adam and Allen off to their car, and drove back 5 hours to Birmingham. What a night! Definitely better than Atlanta '01!

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Review by Sarah (SwordInMyHand)

Guys, I'm new here so I don't know how things flow...

But here's a sum-up of my night Tuesday.

Unfortunately, because of classes, I couldn't leave Baton Rouge until around 4:15, causing me to get to New Orleans at around 5:45. Forgetting what the traffic is like there, and how things roll, my friends and I took at least 30 minutes to find the theatre, find a spot, and stroll on in to the Orpheum. We had pre-sale, second row tickets, we were stoked! But when we got there we found that there had been two extra rows of chairs added in front, which made ours actually 4th row. Not a prob! It was still a beautiful view, and we made buds with the people around us. Its cool how curteous people can be when you're all there for the same reason. The theatre looked smokey, and dark. It was small, but very tall, and very very intimate. Seeing Tori for the first time, anywhere I sat would've been absolutely perfect, but our seats were amazing and I couldn't have been more pleased. My friends and I stuck out like sore thumbs, obviously the youngest, most innocent looking girls there. People started moving in and out of the aisles while we were waiting for Rufus (who rocked) and I knew this would be the start of some trouble.

Rufus came on...rocked us out, made us giggle, and convinced me to buy his CD. Talent!
Lights came back on, and everyone gets itchy, waiting for Tori...we hear the Bosie sound check, and see everyone scurrying behind the stage (Joel included) making sure everything was running right.

97 Bonnie and Clyde...
I was speechless. I couldn't move. It had finally started..

The entire show, I was in awe, sitting up perfectly straight, legs crossed, immobile, just staring. Writing the setlist on our arms, for lack of a better place.

Sugar brought me to tears. Cool on your island made me sob.

The entire night, we felt this vibe going on. She didn't talk much, and I was kind of weird about it during the show, but later I realized...she just wanted to play! And play she did. She let it out in the most beautiful, emotion-rising songs.

Eye contact. During Me and a Gun. Maybe we were imagining it, but the people around us were imagining it too, then. She stared right at us during " and a MAN ON MY BACK..." and leaned towards us, eyes huge and staring. Maybe because we were obviously the youngest, maybe because we were so intently staring at her.

What pissed me off the most? This incredibly rude woman on our row, got up and proceeded to climb over everyone so she could go to the bathroom, or wherever the hell she was going--during Me and a Gun. Ok, maybe I can understand she wasn't a fan, and she was there because she went with someone, but everyone knows that when someone is singing something a capella, its usually *IMPORTANT* and you should *RESPECT* it enough to *SIT YOUR ASS DOWN* and appreciate it. I wanted to slap her.

For the rest of the night, I was interrupted by people getting up, moving around, and blocking my view. Especially this very inconsiderate person in the very first row....

All in all, the experience was absolutely sensational, a total music experience that I doubt I could achieve again anytime soon.

6 encore songs? After numerous rude shouts of requests from the balcony, Tori simply waves her hand down at us and says "Oh, no...this one's coming "

It was beautiful, awe-inspiring, and definitely an experience i would want to repeat.

Tori has won me over as a dedicated (maybe obsessive? ) fan!

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Review by paintedpainful

I went to that wonderful show.....still smiling wide from it all.....

I went to that crazy meet and greet too....still wondering if tear gas should have been used.....

My hubby and I got there at about 11, and talked with some people from Florida, and went back around to the front to wait for Upgrade tickets. We ended up with front row....which is still just amazing me when I think about it....then we went back around to wait for the M&G. People were edgey....I brought stickers to give out, and went through the line letting everyone who wanted one have their pick. I met Ron (toriMODE) and he was super cool, though he called me paintedpretty, which is still complimentory....

The M&G was fab-u-lous!! We stood with the kindest people, far from the other side of the baracade and the cussing and weirdness going on....This was the first time I was able to meet Tori. She looked great, and seemed very happy. She signed my promo single, and my husband's SATY single. Then she went on down the line. I got great pics, which I'll develope soon, and then she was gone.

We met these two awesome guys from Indy and hung out with them after the M&G and the show. IF you guys see this....YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!

We sat down at about 7:00, and rufus came out about 7:35. I liked his music, though the words were coming out a little garbled....come to find out later....he was plastered during his set.... That makes me laugh....but I have his songs stuck in my head now....

Tori's set started with Bonnie & Clyde....I squirmed during the whole thing...cause that song creeps me out....
I'm sure everyone knows the set list by now, so I won't run down it, but I will say I LOVED Honey....Sugar is the total bomb, Tear made me cry it was soo lovely, Me & a Gun was VERY emotional, Cool on Your Island!!!!!!!!! ah ahahhaa hhaa haa!!! I love that fricken song!! And this was the first time I had EVER heard Black Swan....very powerful.....

The night was truly magic....wish Halloween could have been the same......We went to the second M&G right after the show, she came out, and I said "thank you for a beautiful show." She put her hands to her chest and smiled at me, "No, thank you" and then waved in that little way she does. I was touched....she is amazing. We left...but I wanted the night to last forever.....still do.

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Review by hilltoptree

We got there a around 8, enough to see the end of Rufus. He talked a bit about some song being inspired by taking acid and cruising around in graveyards. Now I know he is a skinny guy, but come on Rufus, don't you want to shag something a bit meatier than the skeletons in crypts? The songs were good, if indistinct. I like that he sang in French, sounded like a nightmare lullaby, and I could see him as a 5 yrs old boy smoking cigarettes, drinking cafe au lait, and sporting a beret.
The only issue I raise with Rufus: clogs? CLOGS? Rufie, Rufie, you seem so casually vain and effete, please don't wear gardening shoes to hammer in that point. And it was kind of funny-sad to see him so young and getting a touch of the hair loss around his temples. You can tell with a bit of care, he could age to a great beauty (like Bono has) but will probably travel the road of a handsome but flabby Robert Smith.

Hanging out on the floor, I was privy to several disturbing and amusing conversations from our fellow "toriphiles." While none focused on the dent, I am more convinced than ever that people who travel great distances not so much for tori as it fills some type of hollow in their own life. It's like a fraternity sex-sheet, only with horse-faces, glitter and fairy wings. People boasted of how many times, how early, how long, how many times they had "come." Getting stuff signed was ringing the bell, and I bet many a boyfriend made love to his girlfriend that night as she fantasized about her newly signed tori poster.

As I was explaining to my sis what "the dent" was (yet another gloriously sexual reference), the curtain dropped and thus began the show. I was tempted to scream out at the beginning of B&C I HEAR DEAD PEOPLE , but thought that would be rude and would be thusly pummeled by a hundred tiny fists. You've seen the setlist and MarcGhost gave a pretty accurate song-by-song review, so I'll give my highlights.

The mask was a nice though perfunctory touch. Much like the show. She has gotten leaner, more cat-like in her stride as well as her attitude. More lithe, less ambitious. Little Amsterdam was a great "real" opening choice, since it contains so much of that raw, sex energy. Slow, wet, slipping in, it was a welcome entrance. Then you could almost see at the end of it, tori slipping into "another fucking gig" mode. Leather would better be defined as "Plether." This must be why the idiot with the glo-stick got in a tizzy.

Sugar refused to be compromised, especially with the "you're just a pussy" part. She did a couple little mini-preggers moves, like the RAINN video. Honey was like the girl who showed up too late for a party and has only the rind of the fruit bowl to eat. Pissers. Cool on your island made a lot of sense hearing it live. It was like the "But I'm experienced babe" attitude. It was meant to sell, but the seams were all on the outside and it fell wrong. So obvious, chappy and syrupy, it totally fit the previous two saccharine b-sides. When she started the "I'm on fire" it really made me think, Tori, you were * this close * from a life of Marriot bars. Not that the song was bad, but it was bland, stretching. She sang with gumption and that was cool, but really, who can rightly step in the Boss's shoes and expect them to fit without coming away stinking?

BQ/Horses is a fav, so it will rest-in-peace, much like the performance. Horse bucked and bit back from the over-pronunciation, IIIIIF Neil maaaaaaaaaaaaakes me a tree. All of fire that was in tori must have died, and from that death, rose a Phoenix from her ashes, because Tear in you Hand rocked! It flowed out, took me by the throat and said, you're coming with me little girl, and you better call me Ma'am! It was probably the best performance of the night because it was honest and filled the audience with a grace so lacking from the other songs.

Marianne, never liked it. But damn, wow wow wow, when she felt her way along the stage to that Whirly, you could just feel that something nice was going to happen. This was really the only part of the night that she talked to the audience. She seemed kind of pissed when a crowd member screamed out WHIRLY-like she thought to herself, how does this freak know what kind of instrument this is, I've never played her in NOLA. And then you could see it cross her eyes, yep, it's one of the weirdos following me or the pathetic people downloading songs off the net. Dent this, freak. But Playboy Mommy could care less. It wasn't somber or loss-filled like I'd imagined it to be live. It was almost upbeat, like she made her peace with the orchids that grow on her girl's grave and those bells are no longer reminders of her death but a welcome chord to a better place. This floored me and I think it was the strongest performance because when tori played, she wasn't trying to perform. She wasn't making the piano her bitch. It was kind of sad she followed it by Mother, cause it just can't compare in strength or tenderness.

MAAG, it was there. This song is important to too many people, but it seemed like she was phoning it in. The FLAT part was kind of scary, but it lacked something. Don't know what, just did. Rainbows are good for Judy Garland and Kermit the Frog, but it makes tori just look like a fag-hag. To which, I will note, many had turned out that night, so the point is well made. At this point I was delighted that one 1 song from SLG had been played. Unfortunately her record was broken with Enjoy the Silence. Raincoat, eh.

Spring Haze had the best lighting to distract the people from the sound and the fact that many couldn't see a damn thing since the freaks had rushed the stage to get a piece of tori-meat. Hey Jupiter, GREAT!!!! Probably one of my favs, so I'm not going to smack her around. PGY was unexpected and nice, but bland. This is the first time I heard Black Swan, and I really enjoyed it. It surprised me how clear and desperate tori is. She - the girl stalked and demanded by umpteenth fans - reveals how desperate she was wanting to be with eric. It was humanizing and heartbreaking. A great ending.

Overall, it was a luke-warm performance with some great gems thrown in. But then again, when you're phoning something in, what could we expect otherwise? Tori seemed disoriented, pissed, tired and brimming with music. A lethal combination.

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