HI you guys!
I'm just going to post my thoughts here about the show, and hope I don't get flamed for having anything other than a glowing opinion of the show, etc.
Let me preface my review by saying that the first time I saw Tori was 10 YEARS ago this month. I've been a fan since the second I saw the 'Crucify' video on VH1 late one night. I absolutely
Tori and all that she stands for, and all that she has done with her RAINN network. She's is an impeccable artist, writer, singer and pianist. This was the 4th Tori concert I've been to.
That said...
Her choice of setlist was very very downtempo. It was very slow, and again, please don't flame me here, but alot of the new songs sound exactly the same in a live concert setting. Much of her early works are very innovative and odd sounding, and you can truly tell the difference between her odd more experimental old stuff versus her new stuff. And I don't just say this because I have grown into a woman being a fan of the previous albums, and haven't yet fully absorbed the new material.
Due to the prevailing downtempo material, the audience, while rapt, was often listless and bored. Tori seemed disinterested herself, versus other times I've seen her. And I don't fully attribute it to first night jitters. You can tell when someone just isn't having fun up there. You can tell when someone is weary (while understandable.. she does now have a family and thus, other priorities). But, she does have a record contract, and thus a slight responsibility to tour in support of the new album.
On a more positive note, her voice is absolutely electrifying still. Sometimes, with age (she is 39), one's voice wanes, but she is a singing master. I would be hardpressed to say I wasn't moved to tears just by her sheer passion and vocal range alone.
There wasn't alot of chatter to the audience from Tori. The past times I've seen her, she's been very talkative - telling stories, gossiping, taking questions. She didn't do that here. She stuck to the setlist, did her wave at the end of the main set, and as she approached down stage, a fan lept onto the stage and grabbed her. A security guard rushed the fan and Tori stood there stunned. She then cupped the fan's face, smiled, and left the stage. 2 encores preceeded.
I was sad to not see much material from Little Earthquakes, simply because it's more of her most piercing music. Perhaps she is trying to not have the evening be so depressing now that she has found a wonderful man to marry and have a beautiful daughter. She's happier in her own life, and wants her shows to reflect that.
I'm not intending this review to be negative. I'm just not one of those fans who will agree with everything a musician does and never question it. Criticism and doubt are part of life. So to summize, Tori didn't wow me this time, and perhaps as the tour rolls on and takes a personality, she will incorporate more uptempo songs into her set to balance out the slower songs.
It was wonderful to see the remixed "Hey Jupiter" live. I would've died to see "1000 Oceans" or "The Waitress" or perhaps even "Space Dog." Ah well. Maybe next time