News: Toronto Star Concert Review (October 24. 2007)

The Toronto Star also weighed in on the concert at the Sony Centre, publishing Ashante Infantry’s review in their October 24th edition. Check it out on their website or below. Thanks to char for catching this and letting us know!

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Just be yourself, Tori

Ashante Infantry
Pop & Jazz Critic
Oct 24, 2007 04:30 AM

Tori Amos sure does try to keep things interesting.

It wasn’t enough that the U.K.-based North Carolina native recorded her current disc, American Doll Posse, as five distinct female characters (Isabel, Clyde, Pip, Santa and herself), she trotted out at least two of them for her concert at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts last night.

The singer/songwriter/keyboardist stalked onto the stage in a severe black wig and clingy emerald green dress, apparently as Pip, the persona denoting Dark Energy.

She also seems to be a naughty girl given to middle-finger salutes, something resembling one-armed push-ups and waving her behind to the audience while perched on all fours on the piano bench – all the while wailing like a banshee beneath the din of the rocking three-piece band on new tunes such as “Teenage Hustling.”

I suppose the capacity crowd appreciated the schtick since they applauded heartily after each song; It’s just that during the tunes, few feet, heads, or lips moved. Why so serious, folks?

After a costume break, Amos returned as herself, with crimson tresses and in a gold jumpsuit, and launched into “Big Wheel.” Playing both keyboards and piano, she still had dominatrix appeal while showing measured vulnerability with her powerful little girl’s voice.

After telling the crowd she’d be returning to Canada near the end of the tour, she delivered an improvisational ditty about perusing the children’s section at Indigo Books with her 7-year-old daughter.

“What do you do when your daughter is smarter than you?” ran the refrain; the punchline was “Mummy, if Madonna wrote it, I can read it.”

A tale told in jest, but Amos, whose music is given to feminist explorations – she is a savvy entrepreneur who owns her merchandise company and a partner in the firm that manages her – is doubtlessly nurturing that feistiness in her child.

The highlight of the two-hour set was the segment titled Tori & Bo (as in Bossendorf, her piano of choice).

No band, no kaleidoscope of lights, no tomfoolery; just a great voice and lyrics exuding political and moral strength. Amos knows how to have fun, but gimmicks aside, she is the real deal.