The making of a new Tori Amos fan

I've always liked Ben Folds, although I'd never heard him live. So when Magic Dave suggested we go to a combined Ben Folds & Tori Amos concert, I decided it would be fun. We ended up driving from Waterloo to downtown Toronto, grabbing sashimi en route, briefly getting lost on the highways & getting to the ampitheatre in Ontario Place with minutes to spare. Because I was hungry again by the time we entered the park, we bought fries and ate them while fending off a squad of intrepid birds by thrusting plastic forks at them.

Ben Folds was most entertainng, with his charecteristic blend of satirical banter & whimsical ivory-tickling. I loved how he would actually stand up to bang on the piano when he wanted to play the notes really loudly. He also experimented with having the audience simulate the horn section in a couple of songs using their combined vocal chords. Unsurprisingly, his tirade against the genre of music promulgated by Korn was met with keen laughter from the crowd.

The diva herself finally appeared onstage amidst much applause, wrapped in a long dress as flowing as it was frilly. She sat down at her mind-bogglingly expensive piano and began to play as she sang. Right away I was struck by her voice, which was both rich & melodious. After a few songs, she switched to playing the harpsichord instead. I've been a fan of the harpsichord ever since I first heard it being played solo last summer. What was most impressive, however, was when she began playing both instruments at once - each with a different hand - while gazing at her audience.

My favourite song of the evening was undoubtedly "Cornflake Girl". Judging by the response of everyone around me, I'm not alone with that opinion. Several random girls broke out into dance when she sang that song. It was also the reason for her stage backdrop, which had a girl's face with cornflakes for hair.

By the time she was done, I had decided I thoroughly enjoyed her music & would happily accept an autograph if she were to grace me with one. I think I might procure a few of her albums, especially the one with "Cornflake Girl".