Alan was nice enough to grab me a setlist
So, this is a long time coming, because the holidays have been NUTS, but I had the ultimate pleasure of attending a private Tori Amos concert last week. It was heaven– in the majestic building that is the Park Avenue Armory. This might be one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen, and definitely the most beautiful room in which I’ve ever seen seen a concert. Tori Amos might have felt like a relative stranger to me before, but now we’re old souls– she’s a true poet, and I finally truly appreciate her.
The Room in the Armory
The show was taped for Artists Den, which is an amazing televised concert series organized by my friend Alan Light. Alan finds the talent–past shows include Regina Spektor, Alanis Morrissette, The Hold Steady– as well as the unique rooms for the shows– it’s a lot to organize, and I believe this Tori show was pulled together in one short week.
tori
Tori was the consummate professional (you get the feeling she’s done this before), sitting straddled between a keyboard and her own beautiful blue piano, working both sets of keys at once, while also employing that haunting, mythical, angelic instrument that is her voice.
I was most affected by her song “Bells for Her,” which is an ominous track (crawling piano keys tend to have that effect) about lifes’ chapters closing and the new ones that rapidly are approaching, and the human struggle that exists in that shuffle– trying to hold on to the past, being fearful of the present. While she’s not as “catchy” as other female pop pianists like Regina Spektor (I’m obsessed) or intimately, destructively dramatic as Fiona Apple (where are you?) she’s an icon, a lyrical great, and serves as inspiration for both aforementioned musicians.
Sorry we weren’t allowed to capture any of the actual performance on camera or tape, but you can catch the performance this spring on Artists Den. For now, here’s that tune “Bells for Her,” that I love (a young fan laughed at me– apparently it’s really old. Sorry!) She didn’t play the song I’ve loved for a long time, called “Winter,” but it’s appropriate for now. That song also carries a crucial message– love yourself before it’s too late.
If I were you, I’d go ahead and buy “Midwinter Graces,” Tori’s recently-released “Solstice” record featuring her adaptations of well-loved Christmas songs, plus some new ones of her own.
Tags: Music
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