Birmingham, AL

7:00 p.m.
We were scurring in. Guards checked to see if we were clean and camera free. I walked in and the candy was in front of my face, shirts, tour booklets, and so forth.

I waited in line and looked at the different things to get. I got 2 shirts. One shirt had "when pianos try to be guitars" with a bunch of picture circles on the back and 3 on the front and it was white. The other shirt had Tori laying on logs with a listing of Tour stops on the back and it was black. I also got a tour book and a "Raspberry Swirl Girl" neck chain.

Since Jerry won the radio contest in Birmingham for meeting Tori, we had 2 extra tickets. The extra 2 were at the Balcony. We decided to try out both seating before the concert started.

The front seating were great. We were practically at the center. And we were only 10 rows back from the stage.

Next, we went to the Balcony. When I was up there, I thought I was going to fall down. It was too high and far away. We decided to go back down to the Orchestra seatings instead.

Opening Act: the Devlins
After sitting around for about an hour waiting with music in the background to entertain the crowd, the lights started fading away and the Devlins began their short concert.

I wish I could remember everything about them, but Tori is all I can remember right now. I had notes about how I felt about the music and now I can not remember anything for the sake of myself.

What I do remember is the flow of the music. The music was poured out by 3 members. The drummer had a rhythm that made my heart skip, their guitar player kept the soul going, and the lead singer kept the life going in the music. I enjoyed most of the music, but the thing was that I was just too wrapped up in Tori's fingers to really remember anything. I wish I still had the notes.

The Concert

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16	Precious Things Little Amsterdam i i e e e Playboy Mommy Siren Cornflake Girl Leather (solo) Frog On My Toe (solo) Purple People Spark Caught a Lite Sneeze Waitress 1st Encore: God Raspberry Swirl 2nd Encore: Landslide Horses
	Concert songs 2-16 available in mp3.

The concert shot through my like a gun. The drums, guitars, and the lights just came out to me in the dark. Slowly I began to recognize the first song. Precious Things just pounded right through me. I felt like I was being beaten upon. As the rhythm crept up on me, the "tucked inside the heart of every nice girl" just invited me in. Tori handed her crotch and I was just taken off guard. The music continued with lights blasting away at the crowd. When it died, the crowd cheered in awe.

Slowly and steadily from the darkness, Little Amsterdam was invited in. I just can not describe every emotion that was drawn out of me. I felt like I was being sucked into her soul. The extension of the song just kept me on the edge of my seat. My nerves became no better as she continued with i i e e e.

This song blew my friend Jaason away. He said he completely lost it when Tori sang Playboy Mommy and was rocking in the chair. The music flowed and filled me, but not to the extent that Jaason was filled. In fact, he was even more surprised when Tori played Siren. I must admit that this was a song that I did not expect Tori to play. This song was only played once before tonight.

Falling back. I fell back with something familiar and present in my life as I was in school and it made me feel very real and comfortable. Cornflake Girl stammered into the air. I remembered all the things that made me what I am today. Sometimes, I lose myself in the crowd and this song just keeps bringing me back.

And I fall some more. The band is gone and the lights fall on Tori. It is just her and her piano. Leather breaks the space between her and I.

Tori breaks for a second. She talks about her Poppy (grandfather) and lets everyone know how dear and precious she is to him. In fact, my friend Jessica asked Tori to play Frog on my Toe for her tonight. Tori did.

Away. Away, we go. Purple People. Song I did not expect. In fact, all these songs were a surprise for me. I know so many songs that Tori has written that I was just so happy with each one she sang. The lights started out a shade of blue at least to me, but I suppose it was purple after all. The music just flowed into me and all I could do was listen. I was speechless.

The rhythm is back. Beating down upon me again. Spark is playing in the air. I can feel it. I know it. This is how the summer began. And still the music continued. I felt that Tori was trying to bring us to the utmost height.

She kept going with Cornflake Girl. I did not know if I could keep going. The music was just awe inspiring to listen to. Each time I hear he sing these songs, I wonder if I can keep the energy up. I would be lying if I said that I did not have low points during the concert, but music does make the energies and emotions within a person shift.

So, where does Tori go. She goes back to the Waitress. In fact, she looks like she is dressed with that apron tied around her neck and waist. I have said before that I never liked this song, but the last time I said that I loved this song was when I heard it live. I will say it again, "I love this song." I believe this is the only song of Tori's that I must listen to live. I can not listen to it any other way.

Gone? Where did she go? I did not expect the concert to end already. Everybody stood and cheered for Tori and I did the same. Actually, I did the same for every song during the concert. Everyone kept cheering and the band members came out.

Tori hammered away with God. A song that justifies my feelings. My rebellion. My view of religion.

Tori kept going with Raspberry Swirl. The techno beat and rhythm kept everyone going. In fact, two girls to the left of me stood up and were dancing. There was even a crowd of people standing near stage right that were grooving to the music. Everyone loved it. Everyone felt good. I felt great.

Tori went away. I felt abruptly broken. Everyone stood again and cheered. And everyone cheered some more. And finally Tori came out again. By herself.

At the piano, she started and played Landslide. I don't know this song well. When I hear more from my friends, I will let you know. Personally, I thought it was wonderful. And the wonder continued as Tori left us with Horses. With a little help from her band members, she left the faeries and the magic lingering in the air. I could still hear the piano runs from the beginning of Horses. I was warm inside. Even more to the point, I knew my night was not yet at an end.

We left at 11.







August 14, 1998
Updated: November 19, 1998


"Drops of Ivory",since July 1997