Opera House

Tour

Date	November 16, 2009
City	Sydney, AU
Venue	Opera House

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Setlist

Thanks to @sarakthx for sending the setlist in!

Lady in Blue
Here. In My Head
Blood Roses
Silent All These Years
Concertina
Pandora’s Aquarium
Leather
I Can’t See New York
Take to the Sky
Star of Wonder
Bells For Her

Lizard Lounge:

Over The Rainbow
Gold Dust

Virginia
Scarlet’s Walk
Curtain Call
Barons of Suburbia

Encore:

Merman
Putting The Damage On

Reviews

Dan says:

My first show in fifteen years + of being a fan, and to see her at the Opera House was beyond thrilling. Flew from Auckland especially and she did not disappoint.

Highlights were definitely Blood Roses (so gorgeous), Virginia, Pandora and Gold Dust, but really every song was incredible, made even more so by the Opera House acoustics (the echo of ‘can’t stop’ in Bells For Her seemed to reverberate in waves all around the auditorium).

Awesome to hear Star of Wonder live too – the audience seemed genuinely delighted and surprised. Over the Rainbow was a nice little nod to being in ‘Oz’.

My only (tiny) gripe is similar to other comments on her Australian leg – very little interaction w/ audience. She did have a cute, heartfelt little comment about how ‘magical’ she felt early on, but that was pretty much it; at the end she jiggled up and down like a little girl and then disappeared off stage.

But hey, when she’s on fire like she was last night, that’s not a major complaint.

Thanks for a truly fantastic evening, Tori!
Adam (ravenvenom) says:

Tori commented tonight how performing live is magical, but performing at Sydney’s Opera House is that little bit more magical and how ‘we enjoy performing here’. The Opera House is such an amazing venue and Tori sounded absolutely AMAZING! It was a sublime performance from a true musician.

Having said that, the setlist came as a total shock to me. It was not a set I ever imagine would have came together. You would be excused for thinking this tour was On Scarlet’s Walk, as we received 4 songs from that album (I Can’t see NY, Gold Dust, Virginia, and the title track).

Lady in Blue rocked opened the show. The bassy piano at the end gave me chills. A great opener despite my initial reservations when i saw that’s what she was opening these solo shows with. A highlight.

Here. In My Head followed which was a nice surprise and Tori did an amazing job of. It rocked. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance

Blood Roses. I have never really been as into Pele as most other tori fans, but started giving BR some time prior to the show and found a new appreciation for the song. But let me tell you, this performance BLEW ME AWAY! OMG!!! She played Bose, and the three other keys during the song. A incredibly surprising highlight of the show!

Silent All these Year was the first ‘oldie’. The lady next to me who only knew Tori from Little Earthquakes had a big smile on her face during this one. A simple but perfect version of the song. I joked on yessaid.com’s phorum last night that I hoped tori got this song out of the way so I wouldn’t have to see it… but i got it and I’m not sorry i DID.

Concertina. I love TVAB as an album and this version was sonically pleasing. An enjoyable performance.

Pandora’s Aquarium. I have NEVER liked this song despite it being from my favourite tori album and I have tried for years to get into it but it never happens. I have a new respect for this song having seen it live. It gave it a depth and new presence that I hadn’t been able to appreciate before. So that was a nice surprise and a great performance. Tori really rocked parts of this one out.

Leather- perfect. Tori does this amazingly solo

I Can’t See New York- gave me chills. I can’t explain it. The piano parts of this song bought a smile to my face every time. I loved, loved, loved it!

Take to the Sky/I Feel the Earth Move… OMFG! The absolute highlight of the night! Tori killed this one. The audience started clapping along, it had amazing energy and the “I feel the earth move” bridge was sooooo cool. I was tapping to it in my head on the train ride home.

I had a feeling we were in for a Midwinter Graces song and I was right. We got Star Of Wonder. Amazing. I love the song to begin with but this kicked ass!

Bells For Her, I thought (hoped) it may have been Icicle at the very start, but then realised what it was. Despite being a good performance, I can’t help but be a little disappointed. Not my favourite tori song and a song I’ve heard live a couple of times now. I don’t know why I was disapointed, probably that by this point I was thinking this set is a bit over all the place.

Lizard Lounge: Somewhere over the rainbow- never heard before, enjoyed.

Gold Dust- the low point of the show for me.

Virginia- I was surprised what we got another SW song but Tori did a fantastic job with this song.

Scarlet’s Walk- as much as I love this song, it didn’t do for me what I thought it would live. She played piano and organ on this one and while I enjoyed it, I was just floored that it was another song from Scarlet’s Walk.

Curtain Call- YAY! Finally! Another song from AATS! Brilliant. Divine! I loved it! Haunting and the stage was lit up beautifully throughout this song.

Barons of Suburbia- another Tori song that I never really got into but could appreciate it for what it was. Having seen it live, it has given me a new respect for the song. It really kicked ass and I’ll be playing that song a lot more now I can tell! I thoroughly enjoyed it… and the end of it, especially the “she is risen” OMG I had chills…

Encore: Merman- couldn’t believe it. What a moving tribute to Matthew Shepherd. I could have cried throughout the performance! Simple piano and vocal but moving. Certainly not a song I thought would have been pulled out.

Putting the Damange On. Wow. Lovely way to end the show. Another fantastic performance that I thoroughly enjoyed before I had to run out of the Opera House to try and catch a train home, sad that the show was over and still recovering from the set list’s shocks. It certainly was not my dream set list but tori has once again managed to arrange old songs in new ways that has given me a new appreciation of her true brilliance and artistry.

I wish Tori had spoken more but I think she may have been put off by the screamers who started every time she started to say something.
Sara (sarakthx) says:

It was a wonderful and lovely show! I think I stopped breathing when she pulled out Pandora. Loved it.

Hoping for better reception tonight!
Chris says:

This was my 7th show since 2005 and she just gets better. She makes it look so easy, when it certainly would not be. Looking forward to what she comes out with tonight! Highlights were Pandora, Gold Dust, Star of Wonder, Putting the damage on. And what kick ass shoes!
Ellen says:

This show was amazing, i have been to both Melbourne shows and am going again tonight. I went to three shows in 07 and you just cant compare the two, whilst i love the band Tori has been so connected and amazing without them and i have enjoyed these shows more then any i have ever seen.

i would say the reason she doesn’t interact with the audience much is because every time she opens her mouth people scream and yell and she is completely drowned out. if people stopped screaming out ‘i love you tori’ when she is trying to speak she may take the time to talk to us, why should she talk to people who don't listen??
Helen says:

Show #5 for me since 1994. Not enough, but I’m happy I get to see her at all. there was a real sense the opera house was special for her. How could it not be? After the dire Canberra show in 07, I was glad I made the decision to see her in Sydney instead. Incredible. She really does get better and better. I may not always get what she’s doing, but I get most of it and I appreciate so much how she’s growing and developing as an artist still after all this time.

I longed about half way through for some sign that she really knew we were there. Some interaction would be so nice. I’m sure down the front there was interaction with expressions etc but for those of us further back, something? Tori? Please? Although to be honest I’m fairly certain she gets into such a zone that talking would break the flow.

All in all, one of the best I’ve seen over the years. Adored it.
Zac says:

Absolutely Incredible. Her voice just keeps on improving. Next time (crosses fingers) i’m following her around the country.

Hearing her do ‘Take To The Sky’ with the ‘I Feel The Earth Move’ interlude was amazing and having her play Concertina just topped off my night. She is the greatest musician of all time.

Having her play ‘Curtain Call’ was just amazing.. It is one of my favourites of AATS and it just made the night more magical.

Can’t wait for the next one.
Helen says:

I posted a review (of sorts) on my blog.

http://bellsknits.blogspot.com/2009/11/night-at-opera-house-tori-amos.html
Matthew says:

It was good. But tonight’s concert was much better (17th), Probably because I had company and my seats were wicket, 2nd row, as opposed to the way back where I could hardly see her face.

Her Little E songs were the most popular and got the crowd going, but I was happy to get “Barons of Suburbia” not my fav song, but definitely one of best to hear live!
Bevan says:

An excellent concert! I was lucky to have seats up the front and I very nearly wet myself on many occasions.

The best renditions were Merman, Rainbow & Blood Roses. Actually Blood Roses is the best I’ve ever heard it – it has loads of personality and Tori goes at it hammer and tongs.
Chris says:

I asked her for Merman at the meet & greet – she did not disappoint :-) Enough said
James says:

The show was perfect. Tori at her best
Michelle says:

We enjoyed the concert, Tori certainly has a great voice and is exceptional on piano, though i felt she could have mixed it up a little and changed the tempo with a few song variations. Long time fan.

Reviews are no longer being accepted for this show.

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