I've gone to a show from nearly every tour since the Dew Drop Inn tour, and none of them have ever been like this one in intensity or behavior. I also have to say that everyone I talked to (and they were all in different parts of the auditorium) thinks something different was happening during the 'Big Wheel" episode. So I'll talk about the show from my perspective, and then I'll add the things others told me.
First Yoav came out and played. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed an opening performer more before in my life. He was intensely talented and had a very unique way of performing. I've never seen anyone armed with a single instrument find so many ways to coax music from it. He played an acoustic guitar (as a guitar, a percussion instrument, and echo chamber) and had a series of pedals that allowed him to record himself, build loops, and play back on himself. I have never seen a musician build music like this right in front of me. It was like being included in his creative process instead of just witnessing someone recreate sound. Those that chose to miss him, missed a lot. I'm really glad I checked him out in advance and had bought his EP on my way in.
Then it was time to be graced with a Goddess. We were greeted by Clyde, which in retrospect makes complete sense; Persephone's main role was that of Daughter, and that was largely who Tori was when she was living here.
BOUNCING OFF CLOUDS - this was surprisingly engaging to me, I had in the week before complained that the perpetual way that blasted over the top of whatever else I was listening to when I opened the site had started to really burn me out on it. Whether it was in anticipation of things to come, or just the magic of hearing it live I don't know.
LITTLE EARTHQUAKES - Let the tears begin...Tori has a way sometimes of emotionally transporting you to specific moments in your life and they can grip you in ways you don't expect. I had no idea that some of the songs were going to be as moving for me to hear her play as they were. I held it together right up until "Give me life. Give me pain. Give me myself again." Then the tears started sneaking down my cheeks.
JUAREZ - The sound was amazing the whole night, but the first time I was consciously aware of how great she sounded (from a technical point of view instead of performance point of view) was during this song. The way she works with the people she works with, was amazingly showcased. I still have the way she sang "No angel came" still comes drifting through my mind.
RATTLESNAKES - A definite favorite from the SLG era. That song has a lot of spots that are emotional for me, but how anyone kept a dry eye when she sang "It's so hard to love, when love was your great disappointment." is beyond me.
BEAUTY OF SPEED & ROOSTERSPUR BRIDGE - It was very natural to see these two flow into each other. Beauty always reminds me of when you see the edges of a relationship crumble and Bridge the eventuality of it falling apart. "That, and you leaving I have memorized." And then Clyde left us. Wow.
PROFESSIONAL WIDOW - I had thought this was going to be where they played a canned remix of the original, but it was a nice surprise to see that it was the boys playing with a small loop of Tori's voice being played here and there. It really gave them a chance to shine while doing their thing. Which if you know me, this is a really ironic thing for me to talk about, because I always whine when she brings the boys.
This is also when the hubbub got underway. People near the front and a few in the aisles started standing and dancing and getting into bounce of things. Which was fine with me; Tori wasn't on stage, so I didn't feel like I was missing something, and it seemed to be egging the guys on. I was clapping along, because it felt right and they deserve their own measure of love too.
Then Tori was back, and everyone got on their feet and begins cheering and screaming in earnest.
And she and the boys start into Big Wheel; since this is probably the most pop song on the CD and a lot of people were still on their feet, they stayed there, bobbing and clapping along. Then it began; people began - slowly at first, and then gathering speed - getting out of their seats and coming down the aisles (I was in the 12th row) and trying to crowd their way into the pit. I noticed this was happening and got concerned. I saw "Smitty" (her personal security guy) and another security person trying to direct people away from the edge of the stage. {Again, I'm telling it the way it looked to me. If it looked different to you, then you had a different vantage point than I did.} They were still playing and moving into the 'countdown' part of the song. Tori called Smitty up on stage (where he stayed on the edge of the wing for the rest of the show), and stops playing. Then she stands up and quick steps it to the edge of the stage and says (as best I remember it) "Hey! You people get the f_ck out of my show!" Then she seemed to be pointing directly at people and pointing back at the seats. "I knew the North Carolinians were going to get up and want to shake their asses, this isn't school, this isn't DC, but you have to be careful." Then something I didn't catch, about "being safe and nut cases". The crowd was roaring; in my area it seemed like people were yelling their support to her for taking those people on and telling them off. It seemed she was admonishing them for getting too close to the stage and in front of people. (she later said she had family at the show - I suspect they were part of the group that was suddenly being over run) Then she went back to the piano, and most of those people had backed up into a cluster in the aisle. And she and the band backup a bit and picked back up Big Wheel and finished it. Because the people who had grouped themselves into the aisle were now staying there, those with seats that faced the stage at an angle could no longer see without standing. Several seem to enjoy standing initially, then you could see them leaning, trying to sit and lean way to the side in order to see, then giving up and standing for the rest of the show.
BIG WHEEL - Well, it was, memorable.
CRUCIFY - Another sonic time machine. It is uncanny how she can revisit a song as much as this one and it still feels true and full instead of mechanical.
MOUNTAIN - I think this one surprised almost everyone. Initially I was having that 'I know this one, what is the name of it again?' moments. I knew the music and the lyrics, but couldn't place the name right away.
CORNFLAKE GIRL - I could watch her play this endlessly. She -Powers- through this song flawlessly, and gives us her classic little purr/growl just before she moves into the "rabbit" line.
IMPROV CLASSIC/"Carolina" - I've seen her tiptoe in and around James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind" before, but this time it was especially sweet. She had been dancing more between songs than I can remember seeing her do before. And she said between cousins being there and us, we made being here feel like coming home.
YOUR CLOUD - I was thrilled she played this one, it was one of my instant favorites on SW. When I first recognized it I told Lilyscloak "He's going to be so jealous." When she asked who, I reminded her of MyCloud. Although I'm sure he would have been happy for us instead.
SIREN - The first time I ever remember hearing this song was live, so it was great to hear her play it. I love listening to her stretch "Vanilla".
T & Bo - Finally the part of the night I had been looking most forward to.
MARIANNE - For whatever reason my wires got crossed and I somehow mistake the opening notes of this for Butterfly. I think I must have just had my hopes up for it, but she sang this so tenderly, and Marianne was one of my first friends on BFP, so when I realized what I was hearing I was really happy, and the tears started up again.
FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT - Possibly one of my very favorite covers. I distinctly remember hearing it the first time on the Concertina single and thinking, wow, those people were so LUCKY. It was almost like a reminder to marvel at the intense amount of grace the fates had given me on that day. When she got to the line "And when she came back, she was nobody's wife" the tug on my heart was huge.
VIRGINIA - I love the hypnotic feel of this song and how the sense of loss builds, but when I reflect on what it means for Tori to know a part of her heritage had been suppressed and lost to time at the hands of politicians it makes the poignancy of the song even deeper, and creates a noticeable link to the songs of ADP.
A SORTA FAIRYTALE - I was really surprised to hear her play this, because at that point it seemed like we had really a lot of SW compared to what I had heard she had played other places.
CODE RED - I haven't really connected with this song on the CD yet, there are so many tracks on ADP that it can be easy to get pulled into one area or another. So when it came up I didn't recognize it, then I realized what it was and what it meant. The show was nearly over and seemed to have whipped past me in a flash.
1st ENCORE
PRECIOUS THINGS and TEAR IN YOUR HAND - I know I say it about every song; but I love these. I love the way Precious pushes me to pry loose the hands that have tried to hold me down and not be my own jailer; and the way Tear reminds me that sometimes saying good-bye and letting go are the only ways to heal. Hearing her play them, knowing that it will be a long time before she is recording or touring again was a little bittersweet, but mostly sweet.
2nd ENCORE
HEY JUPITER - I knew this was going to be our last song for the night when she started to play it. I had a very heavy and very full heart. I can't even really articulate the way this song moves me. I can just feel my heart turning over. It was a profound moment, and then it was time for her to leave.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternate Takes on 'Big Wheel'
I met someone while I was out shopping who noticed my concert shirt and started talking about the show; she had been in the balcony. One of her friends had gotten out of her seat and gone up front. When Tori stopped things and said her bit, she thought Tori was talking to the people in the pit & might have them ejected.
Lilyscloak told me that someone she knew in the front row, (and spoke to immediately after the show) felt Tori saw what was happening with people being disrespectful to the people in front row and wheelchair seating and felt it needed to be stopped.
And I have read some people saying it was security she was scolding. I admit it is possible that I'm wrong about this, but it REALLY didn't look that way from where I was.
--
"So now you're off, you're gonna see America.
Well, let me tell you something about America...".
I nearly floated away...
I've gone to a show from nearly every tour since the Dew Drop Inn tour, and none of them have ever been like this one in intensity or behavior. I also have to say that everyone I talked to (and they were all in different parts of the auditorium) thinks something different was happening during the 'Big Wheel" episode. So I'll talk about the show from my perspective, and then I'll add the things others told me.
First Yoav came out and played. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed an opening performer more before in my life. He was intensely talented and had a very unique way of performing. I've never seen anyone armed with a single instrument find so many ways to coax music from it. He played an acoustic guitar (as a guitar, a percussion instrument, and echo chamber) and had a series of pedals that allowed him to record himself, build loops, and play back on himself. I have never seen a musician build music like this right in front of me. It was like being included in his creative process instead of just witnessing someone recreate sound. Those that chose to miss him, missed a lot. I'm really glad I checked him out in advance and had bought his EP on my way in.
Then it was time to be graced with a Goddess. We were greeted by Clyde, which in retrospect makes complete sense; Persephone's main role was that of Daughter, and that was largely who Tori was when she was living here.
BOUNCING OFF CLOUDS - this was surprisingly engaging to me, I had in the week before complained that the perpetual way that blasted over the top of whatever else I was listening to when I opened the site had started to really burn me out on it. Whether it was in anticipation of things to come, or just the magic of hearing it live I don't know.
LITTLE EARTHQUAKES - Let the tears begin...Tori has a way sometimes of emotionally transporting you to specific moments in your life and they can grip you in ways you don't expect. I had no idea that some of the songs were going to be as moving for me to hear her play as they were. I held it together right up until "Give me life. Give me pain. Give me myself again." Then the tears started sneaking down my cheeks.
JUAREZ - The sound was amazing the whole night, but the first time I was consciously aware of how great she sounded (from a technical point of view instead of performance point of view) was during this song. The way she works with the people she works with, was amazingly showcased. I still have the way she sang "No angel came" still comes drifting through my mind.
RATTLESNAKES - A definite favorite from the SLG era. That song has a lot of spots that are emotional for me, but how anyone kept a dry eye when she sang "It's so hard to love, when love was your great disappointment." is beyond me.
BEAUTY OF SPEED & ROOSTERSPUR BRIDGE - It was very natural to see these two flow into each other. Beauty always reminds me of when you see the edges of a relationship crumble and Bridge the eventuality of it falling apart. "That, and you leaving I have memorized." And then Clyde left us. Wow.
PROFESSIONAL WIDOW - I had thought this was going to be where they played a canned remix of the original, but it was a nice surprise to see that it was the boys playing with a small loop of Tori's voice being played here and there. It really gave them a chance to shine while doing their thing. Which if you know me, this is a really ironic thing for me to talk about, because I always whine when she brings the boys.
This is also when the hubbub got underway. People near the front and a few in the aisles started standing and dancing and getting into bounce of things. Which was fine with me; Tori wasn't on stage, so I didn't feel like I was missing something, and it seemed to be egging the guys on. I was clapping along, because it felt right and they deserve their own measure of love too.
Then Tori was back, and everyone got on their feet and begins cheering and screaming in earnest.
And she and the boys start into Big Wheel; since this is probably the most pop song on the CD and a lot of people were still on their feet, they stayed there, bobbing and clapping along. Then it began; people began - slowly at first, and then gathering speed - getting out of their seats and coming down the aisles (I was in the 12th row) and trying to crowd their way into the pit. I noticed this was happening and got concerned. I saw "Smitty" (her personal security guy) and another security person trying to direct people away from the edge of the stage. {Again, I'm telling it the way it looked to me. If it looked different to you, then you had a different vantage point than I did.} They were still playing and moving into the 'countdown' part of the song. Tori called Smitty up on stage (where he stayed on the edge of the wing for the rest of the show), and stops playing. Then she stands up and quick steps it to the edge of the stage and says (as best I remember it) "Hey! You people get the f_ck out of my show!" Then she seemed to be pointing directly at people and pointing back at the seats. "I knew the North Carolinians were going to get up and want to shake their asses, this isn't school, this isn't DC, but you have to be careful." Then something I didn't catch, about "being safe and nut cases". The crowd was roaring; in my area it seemed like people were yelling their support to her for taking those people on and telling them off. It seemed she was admonishing them for getting too close to the stage and in front of people. (she later said she had family at the show - I suspect they were part of the group that was suddenly being over run) Then she went back to the piano, and most of those people had backed up into a cluster in the aisle. And she and the band backup a bit and picked back up Big Wheel and finished it. Because the people who had grouped themselves into the aisle were now staying there, those with seats that faced the stage at an angle could no longer see without standing. Several seem to enjoy standing initially, then you could see them leaning, trying to sit and lean way to the side in order to see, then giving up and standing for the rest of the show.
BIG WHEEL - Well, it was, memorable.
CRUCIFY - Another sonic time machine. It is uncanny how she can revisit a song as much as this one and it still feels true and full instead of mechanical.
MOUNTAIN - I think this one surprised almost everyone. Initially I was having that 'I know this one, what is the name of it again?' moments. I knew the music and the lyrics, but couldn't place the name right away.
CORNFLAKE GIRL - I could watch her play this endlessly. She -Powers- through this song flawlessly, and gives us her classic little purr/growl just before she moves into the "rabbit" line.
IMPROV CLASSIC/"Carolina" - I've seen her tiptoe in and around James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind" before, but this time it was especially sweet. She had been dancing more between songs than I can remember seeing her do before. And she said between cousins being there and us, we made being here feel like coming home.
YOUR CLOUD - I was thrilled she played this one, it was one of my instant favorites on SW. When I first recognized it I told Lilyscloak "He's going to be so jealous." When she asked who, I reminded her of MyCloud.
Although I'm sure he would have been happy for us instead.
SIREN - The first time I ever remember hearing this song was live, so it was great to hear her play it. I love listening to her stretch "Vanilla".
T & Bo - Finally the part of the night I had been looking most forward to.
MARIANNE - For whatever reason my wires got crossed and I somehow mistake the opening notes of this for Butterfly. I think I must have just had my hopes up for it, but she sang this so tenderly, and Marianne was one of my first friends on BFP, so when I realized what I was hearing I was really happy, and the tears started up again.
FAMOUS BLUE RAINCOAT - Possibly one of my very favorite covers. I distinctly remember hearing it the first time on the Concertina single and thinking, wow, those people were so LUCKY. It was almost like a reminder to marvel at the intense amount of grace the fates had given me on that day. When she got to the line "And when she came back, she was nobody's wife" the tug on my heart was huge.
VIRGINIA - I love the hypnotic feel of this song and how the sense of loss builds, but when I reflect on what it means for Tori to know a part of her heritage had been suppressed and lost to time at the hands of politicians it makes the poignancy of the song even deeper, and creates a noticeable link to the songs of ADP.
A SORTA FAIRYTALE - I was really surprised to hear her play this, because at that point it seemed like we had really a lot of SW compared to what I had heard she had played other places.
CODE RED - I haven't really connected with this song on the CD yet, there are so many tracks on ADP that it can be easy to get pulled into one area or another. So when it came up I didn't recognize it, then I realized what it was and what it meant. The show was nearly over and seemed to have whipped past me in a flash.
1st ENCORE
PRECIOUS THINGS and TEAR IN YOUR HAND - I know I say it about every song; but I love these. I love the way Precious pushes me to pry loose the hands that have tried to hold me down and not be my own jailer; and the way Tear reminds me that sometimes saying good-bye and letting go are the only ways to heal. Hearing her play them, knowing that it will be a long time before she is recording or touring again was a little bittersweet, but mostly sweet.
2nd ENCORE
HEY JUPITER - I knew this was going to be our last song for the night when she started to play it. I had a very heavy and very full heart. I can't even really articulate the way this song moves me. I can just feel my heart turning over. It was a profound moment, and then it was time for her to leave.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternate Takes on 'Big Wheel'
I met someone while I was out shopping who noticed my concert shirt and started talking about the show; she had been in the balcony. One of her friends had gotten out of her seat and gone up front. When Tori stopped things and said her bit, she thought Tori was talking to the people in the pit & might have them ejected.
Lilyscloak told me that someone she knew in the front row, (and spoke to immediately after the show) felt Tori saw what was happening with people being disrespectful to the people in front row and wheelchair seating and felt it needed to be stopped.
And I have read some people saying it was security she was scolding. I admit it is possible that I'm wrong about this, but it REALLY didn't look that way from where I was.
--
"So now you're off, you're gonna see America.
Well, let me tell you something about America...".