Posted to Really Deep Thoughts:

Date: Thu, 1 Sep 1994 00:42:52 -0700
From: estephen@netcom.com (E. Stephen Mack)
Subject: Orpheum, San Francisco, 8/31/94

I'm basking in the gleam from my first Tori show.  I know gregb will
post his review afterwards, but I couldn't resist posting myself.

My seat was okay but not great: mezzanine, row F, to the left.  She was
a very small figure.  In fact, during the first song there was still
some mist, and with the lights, I couldn't see her features at all --
it looked as if her face were completely blank, like a wooden doll.  As
the fog cleared (or my eyes adjusted), I could see a little better, but
not really well enough to see her emotions.  My seats at Zellerbach
(9/10) are much closer, so it'll make an interesting contrast.

Overall, I was hypnotized by the entire show.  I was surprised at
how I didn't recognize some of my favorite songs until they were
halfway through.  Her performance is definitely over the top (the
way she holds the notes in Angie and Precious Things is literally
unbelievable).

Here's my set list (from memory, so probably lots of errors):

Little Earthquakes      (I was so out of it, I thought she was doing SATY)
Leather                 (lots of drawn-out notes, interesting version)
Waitress                (a capella first verse, very playful)
Icicle                  (Robert Plant story introduced it)
Precious Things         (longest "grrrllll" I've ever heard)
God                     (I'm neutral about the backing track)
Silent All These Years
Daisy Dead Petals       (B-sides personified as intro)
Bells For Her           (amazing, piano very different from album)
Me And A Gun            (very emotional, couple of missing lines; in the
                        silence before, three young women yelled "Take
                        To The Sky")
Angie                   (completely over the top performance)
--encore--
Cornflake Girl
American Pie            (she repeated the "three men I admire most" bit
                        twice, before and after chorus -- is this how she
                        always does it? -- then straight into:)
Smells Like Teen Spirit
--encore--
Cloud On My Tongue      (Yay!  My current favorite song.  Twenty second, sort
                        of bouncy intro I'd never heard before; it made me
                        expect Space Dog from what I'd read here -- I
                        was very pleasantly surprised.)
Take To The Sky         ("squeaky wheel gets the grease -- here you go, girls!")
Famous Blue Raincoat    (introduced by saying this was one of her favorite
                        artists, although she didn't mention Cohen by name;
                        something about how "you'll see in January".  I'd
                        never heard this song before; not an immediate grabber
                        but I'd like to hear it again and compare Tori's to
                        the original.)
--encore--
Winter


So, a couple rare songs, including what might well be a one-of-a-kind.
I hadn't heard of her covering any Cohen before.

Overall, I loved everything.  Bill Miller, as good as described.  The
light show was diverting and well done.  I picked up a "Bitchin'"
shirt, a necklace and a program.  I can't wait to hear her next Friday
at Zellerbach.  I'm glad we're back: I missed you all.  Sure, I've
been sort of quiet over here in the corner, but it's good to hear
your voices again.

-- E. Stephen