Sunday night we went to see tori Amos at the Carting Apollo in manchester.I can't quite express what Tori Amos's music means to me. Ever since i was introduced to Little earthquakes by my ex- many years ago,her words have been the ones, above all othersto most consistently be able to transport me to worlds of wonder, joy, pain, passion, sorrow and Surrealism.

I don't know why ive never been to see her before now. Leeds doesn't havel A big gig venue, but. She was in York at the Barbican in my first year. Think maybe I was too caught up in my own earth.quakes then.

Ano so it was that thirteen years after this onesided relationship began, I made my way across the pennines for a pilgrimage of sorts.

I wasn't prepared for the effect it had on me. I cry at everything. I cry at movies, at songs, randomly for no reason at the beauty and tragedy of life. But l don't think I've ever cried just because I was in the room with someone.

I always thought those pictures of avid fans of whoever weeping and fainting were jest a wee bit hokey. get a life- I thought. So Many things in the world to cry about and you shed your salt for some overpaid pretty boys. But the minute Tori came on Stage- the first familiar echoes of the keyboard, and I felt my heart in my mouth and tears spring to my eyes. 1 felt silly- embarrassed. I wiped the fledgeling tears away and swallowed my emotions., wondering where it came from. I'll be honest, music wise, it wasn't the best concert for me it could have been. Not Tori's failt. My favourite songs come from Older albums, There are a couple of albums I'm not over-familiar with because I've spent too much time indulging in my favorites. So l wasn't totally -not comfortable. That's not the right word, but. Not totally at home with much of the playlist. I knew abort a third well. Another third I was vaguely familiar with - including the few from the new album. By there were a lot I couldn't place. No problem though- Tori could sing Deutschland uber alles and I'd be in heaven. But still. I think perhaps I'm not much of a live music girl. I'd enjoy Myself most at a gig where the artist played my very favourite songs, in the order I wanted, and the Style I was used to. So I could sing along . - and not feel ou of touch. But to be honest ? - that's another thing. I was so overawed by her- l couldn't sing. My voice felt tiny and off key. I felt ugly and clumpy- not fit to be there with this creature of faerie.

So it wasn't a karaoke-fest. lets be honest, lets be honest, keeping up When She goes off on a Jazz improv. Stop/start tangent is a skill not mastered by many. But it was Something wonderful still. More of a Visit with the priestess of the Oracle. She plays the piano like riding a horse. She gets it to pound along. Faster and harder than Sex in the summer. Her voice is unearthly and astounding. So I'd say it was a good night overall. She dealt with hecklers who made a bigger deal of her confusing liverpool and Manchester than was necessary with a swift, Clipped ''piss off". When they persisted it escalated to''fuck off". All somehow reminding me of my auntie Maggie, Who looks a bit like her anyway. She did a version of ''Don't look back in anger" with more soul than Oasis ever sold. And another of ''my favourite things" that was lovely. My partner- who loves some Tori Stuff just as I do -was disappointed at the lack of a band. She was pretty much on her own. Four pianos and the sound guy. I was disappointed by some of the audience. First the couple in front of us who talked All the way through the support aCt -Ton McRae. Hell -I hadn't paid to see him either, bit he was good, and it's just shockingly poor manners to totally ignore someone who is there to entertain yov. And to disregard everyone around you who is trying to listen. Then there were the band of drunken people behind us who were making owl noises or something, and vanished part way through. Probably because someone was too drunk. Bit at least they were quiet through the performance. worst of all were the pair of knobs stood at the back talking loudly through the last few songs. A curse On both their houses. May they never Sleep peacefully again. Nor listen to anything they Wish to hear without it being drowned out by the jabbering of fools.