Striding on stage and blowing a brief kiss at the rapturously applauding audience, Tori Amos wasted no time before launching straight into the primal, religious-tinged ‘Original Sinsuality’, playing her Bösendorfer piano with legs akimbo and fiery red curls flowing. With a forceful stage presence that immediately demanded and received full attention from the audience, she continued with the bluesy ‘Little Amsterdam’, moving with perfect precision from grand piano to Hammond organ and back, at times straddling her seat and playing both together.
What was immediately evident was the power of her voice: the primal tones that pulsed beneath each lyric. Her words, while poetic and beautiful, seemed at times almost superfluous when compared with the hyper-emotional delivery – the soaring highs and guttural tones of angst in ‘Father Lucifer’ and the silky lusciousness of ‘Jamaica Inn’ and ‘Cool On Your Island’.
Inviting us into “Tori’s Piano Bar”, she proceeded to play a superb version of U2’s ‘New Year’s Day’ and a beautifully mellow ‘59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)' by Simon & Garfunkel. ‘The Power Of Orange Knickers’ saw Damien Rice appear on stage and supply perfect harmonies.
Rough edges somewhat polished by the years, Tori proved herself still capable of wild abandon, moving to the music, thumping her hand on the side of the piano in ‘Hey Jupiter’. Finishing the night with a wistful ‘Ireland’ (what else?), Tori left us in a trance, and as always, wanting more.