December 9, 2009
Park Avenue Armory
New York, NY
Ruby Through the Looking Glass
China
Lust
Concertina (messed up)
Virginia
Black Dove (January)
Wednesday
Ophelia
Girl
Bells For Her
Toast
Encore:
Concertina (redo)
Maybe California
This was a "secret show." The audience was only a couple of hundred people in a very small space, and many of us did not have entry into this show since it was for contest winners. Nonetheless, we got in anyways. We waited outside until every one had been allowed in, and they let us stand at the back of the venue to watch. Every one who wanted to get in and didn't have tickets was allowed to enter. The standing room space was not big and was kind of uncomfortable, so I spent parts of the show lying down in the pile of our winter coats in the big empty space at the back. I was tired, and standing for China? I don't think so. I feel fortunate that we were able to go to the show at all. I don't think that I enjoyed this show as much as I could have, due to being stuck in the back, but it was awesome to get to watch the show with my friends (I watched with Carole, Sharon, Nicole and Marco IT).
This was a rather strange show. Opening with Ruby? Bizarre. But I also think that, like many shows this tour, you cannot really judge it unless you were there (based solely upon the setlist). This setlist reads as some good, some meh, and a real lack of fan favourites. But it was her vocal performance that put it over the edge. She sounded good, and the high notes were crystal clear. I am impressed with how well she has sounded for the duration of tour this year. She hasn't sounded so good since 2001. Even back in 2003, by now, her voice was rough and had clearly disintegrated a little bit thanks to her rigorous touring schedule and dozens of two-hour long shows. But whatever she did this time, it's working. I think her voice, the strange venue (an old armory) and the bizarre setlist made this an atypical show experience. I've definitely never seen Tori like this before.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Ruby Through the Looking Glass: I used to just adore this song, but I've fallen out of love with it over the years. I think that Apollo's Frock is the best piano ballad on Scarlet's Hidden Treasures by far. But I still can't get over the fact she opened with such an obscure song. Weird.
Virginia: One of the best songs on Scarlet's Walk. Beautiful and stunning as always (but still sounds better with the band.)
Wednesday: Yes! I have wanted her to revive this song (with the band) since 2003 to no avail. But this solo version did nicely. Sharon and I (ironically) did the eagle dance in our back corner.
DEATH CHAMBER:
Maybe California: While there are a number of songs here I would consider death chamber, none of them match the bullshittyness of this one. I was disappointed because from the piano intro, I thought it was going to Amber Waves and got excited. But then, it wasn't. Sigh. This song is just bad. It's almost unbearable.
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