News: Deseret Morning News Concert Review (November 30, 2007)

Scott Iwaski attended the show at The E Center and reviewed it for The Desert Morning News. Like his colleague at The Salt Lake Tribune, Iwaski was also quite pleased with the concert. His review appeared in the November 30th edition of the paper.

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Amos enchants fans from opening through last encore

By Scott Iwasaki
Deseret Morning News

WEST VALLEY CITY — Although the E Center was less than one-third full, Tori Amos played like it was a full house.

The leader of the “American Doll Posse” took the stage as her brunette alter-ego Pip and tore through a list of angst-filled selections that included “Cruel,” a punchy remake of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold,” “Fat Slut” and “Teenage Hustler,” the last two taken from her newest album “American Doll Posse.”

Backed by her band — drummer Matt Chamberlain, bassist Jon Evans and new guitarist Dan Phelps — Tori, er, Pip, unleashed her abrasive act onto the adoring fans.

The stage was a lit with automated spotlights and colored stage lights that lit up the backdrop curtains.

Amos’ trademark Bosendorfer grand piano stood center stage. Her electronic keyboards were located on the other side of her piano bench and the band flanked her toward the back.

Once Pip’s set was finished, Amos re-emerged as her red-headed self and kicked off the next set with another new tune, “Big Wheel.”

Another new song, “Bouncing Off Clouds,” was sandwiched between vintage Amos classics “Crucify” and “Cornflake Girl.” Her new dynamic arrangement of “Amber Waves” and “Caught a Lite Sneeze” were the perfect complements to other older lullaby-like works, “Mother” and “Merman.”

Amos and her band played each song like it was the last in the set. Her emotive writhing, wry looks into the crowd and heartbreaking delivery brought the already intimate setting down around the audience like a warm comforter.

A jazzy rendition of “Father Lucifer” made way for two encores.

The first encore included the frantic and empowering “Precious Things” and the poignant and tear-inducing waltz, “Pretty Good Year.”

The second encore featured only one song — the space-ballad “Hey, Jupiter.”

Opening up the concert was singer/songwriter Yoav, who was hand-picked by Amos for the tour. For the most part, his blend of world music, blues and folk won the audience over. But, of course, the fans were there for Amos.

And at 44, she is remains an intense performer who can still enchant and sometimes bewitch her already spellbound audience.