It’s been very interesting to see how the dolls have played out onstage. The only show I’ve seen on this tour was opened by Clyde, but I’ve read a lot of accounts of the other dolls and their live personas. Here’s my take on them:

“Santa” - Besides Tori, she seems to be the most animated of the bunch. She wears the blonde pageboy wig and typically comes out dressed to kill — leopard print tights and black high heels are a necessary part of her wardrobe. She also enjoys the libations — she poured the band martinis during a performance of “Bug a Martini” and whipped up some margaritas in Dallas. Her favorite songs to perform are “Raspeberry Swirl” and “She’s Your Cocaine.”

“Pip” - This is the gal who struts out in black leather pants and like Santa, enjoys straddling the piano benches with a definitive ferocity. She sports a shaggy black wig and loves to insert obscenities in some of the more popular songs like “Cruel” and famously performed “Me and a Gun” with some scary props in Chicago. Pip definitely brings out the dark side in all of us, especially when she sings “Smokey Joe,” and “Fat Slut.”

“Isabel”- From what I’ve seen so far, Isabel has a stiff posture and enjoys puffing on a cigarette at the opening of the show. She’s prone to wearing printed wrap dresses and a blonde wig that closely frames her face. A lot of fans think she comes off as unusually cold and can’t seem to relate to her segment of the shows. She likes performing political-themed songs like “Yo George,” “Sweet Dreams,” and tunes from “Scarlet’s Walk.”

“Clyde”- This doll wears a long, straight brown wig that falls over her eyes, further enforcing her demure demeanor. She typically opens the show with “Bouncing Off Clouds” and has a completely different posture at the piano than Tori. She crosses her legs and keeps her head down shyly while performing songs such as “Juarez,” “Rattlesnakes,” and “Little Earthquakes.”

That’s my take on the dolls’ live personas. I wish I could have seen the others in action! Is there anything I missed in my analysis? Let me know in the comments section!

Much to many people’s surprise, “Santa” opened the show in Dallas on Nov. 24. She had opened the last show in Florida prior to heading to Texas, so many fans were expecting another doll that night. Instead, “Santa” strutted out in a “Tori-style” Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform complete with matching pom poms! Her show included the set debut of “Sweet the Sting” (complete with margaritas) and she highlights included “Beulah Land” and “Jackie’s Strength” during T& Bo. Most people who have witnessed “Santa” in action know that it’s almost mandatory to get up and dance during some of the more upbeat and sassy numbers like “Raspberry Swirl,” but apparently there were some attendees who took the stodgy route and refused to stand during the concert. Well.

This show will be available for download on at Legs and Boots.

I can’t wait to see which dolls will grace Houston and San Antonio. We all know Tori’s take on President Bush, and she’s playing three shows in his home state. There’s sure to be a variety of politically-charged numbers in each setlist. I’m betting Clyde for San Antonio, and Pip or Isabel for Houston. We soon shall see! Here’s the complete setlist for the Dallas show:

Act I – Santa
Body and Soul
She’s Your Cocaine
Sweet The Sting
Sugar
Secret Spell
Raspberry Swirl

Interlude
Professional Widow

Act II – Tori
Big Wheel
Father Lucifer
Tear In Your Hand
Cornflake Girl
Lust
Liquid Diamonds

T & Bo
improv
Jackie’s Strength
Beulah Land

Band Returns
Horses
Bliss
Code Red

First Encore
Precious Things
Digital Ghost

Second Encore
Bouncing Off Clouds

“Santa” opened up the West Palm Beach show on Nov. 21. As usual, she produced an exciting opening act with “Body and Soul” and “She’s Your Cocaine,” and preceded the costume change portion with the sexy “Raspberry Swirl.” Highlights of the show were tour debuts of “Amazing Grace,” “Gold Dust,” and “Josephine.” Tori’s parents were in the audience and she seemed to play a lot of songs geared towards them. Here’s the full setlist:

Act I (Santa)

Body and Soul
She’s Your Cocaine
Hoochie Woman
Secret Spell
You Can Bring Your Dog
Raspberry Swirl
Costume Change

Act II (Tori)

Big Wheel
Space Dog
Hotel
“to Mary and Don’s house we go” improv
Cornflake Girl
Spring Haze
Solo

Amazing Grace
Gold Dust
Band Returns

Josephine
Sugar
Code Red

First Encore
Precious Things
Bouncing Off Clouds

Second Encore
Digital Ghost

I just checked out Tori’s schedule for the next few days and she is on the move. After spending several days touring through Florida and spending time with her family at her home there, Tori will be hopping back on the bus and heading to Texas. She’ll be in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio on Nov. 24, 25 and 26. Amazing.

Don’t forget — if you want to submit a video for the “Bouncing Off Clouds” video contest you have to have it in by Nov. 24. Good luck everyone!

I’ve been thinking about how all the dolls have presented themselves on stage throughout the tour. I’m going to look over all the reviews I’ve posted and work on a post about their demeanor and how it compares to the descriptions we were given of the dolls when the album was first released. If you have any insight you’d like to include please let me know!

“Pip” showed up at the Nov. 20 show in Clearwater and treated the crowd to a live version of “Professional Widow,” - - not just the remixed version that plays during the costume changes. Highlights of the show included “Horses,” “Carbon,” and the tour debut of “Martha’s Foolish Ginger.” See the full setlist on Undented.

Charlotte Creative Loafing included a review by Jeff Hahne (and some great photos) of the Nov. 13 show in Charlotte on their music blog.

Wow. Naples Daily News reviewer Victoria Macchi calls “Isabel” a “tough musical pill to swallow.” Read her review of the Ft. Myers show here.

Florida Today previewed the Melbourne show with an article on Nov. 18. It’s an interesting read, and includes an interview with Tori and an overview of the musical progression of her albums throughout the years. Read closely, you’ll notice the reporter fails to mention “From the Choirgirl Hotel” and “To Venus and Back” in the progression!

Leslie Gray Streeter interviewed Tori for the Palm Post News before the Nov. 21 West Palm Beach show. It includes an inside look on what Tori enjoys about owning a home in Florida.

I find it interesting that so many reviewers don’t care for “Isabel’s” onstage persona. She’s the only one that seems to come across as extremely cold, and many audience members see her songs off the ADP album as coming of as flat live. I wish I could have experienced it in person so I could form my own opinion. Anyone else who’s seen “Isabel” want to chime in on this?

The ADP tour has included several stops in Florida, where Tori owns a home. Appropriately, "Pip" opened the Nov. 16 show in Orlando, Fla. Following her usual pattern, she opened with an expletive-filled version of "Cruel" and surprised the audience with the tour debut of "Heart of Gold." "Pip" and Tori played a lot of songs from ADP and UTP, which the crowd enjoyed very much. Other highlights included "A Case of You" and "Toast" during the T & Bo section. Here's the full setlist:

Act I – Pip

Cruel
Heart of Gold
Fat Slut
Smokey Joe
Teenage Hustling
The Waitress
Interlude

Professional Widow
Act II – Tori

Big Wheel
Space Dog
Bouncing Off Clouds
Cornflake Girl
Doughnut Song
Caught A Lite Sneeze

T & Bo

A Case of You
Toast
Band Returns

Past the Mission
God
Code Red

First Encore

Precious Things
Not David Bowie
Second Encore

Hey Jupiter

The show is not scheduled to be released through Legs & Boots.

“Clyde” opened the Nov. 18 show in Melbourne. Highlights included “Upside Down” and several numbers from the “Boys for Pele” album. Here’s the full setlist:

Act I – Clyde

Bouncing Off Clouds
Little Earthquakes
Juarez
Upside Down
Beauty Of Speed
Little Amsterdam
Interlude

Professional Widow
Act II – Tori

Big Wheel
Father Lucifer
Digital Ghost
“pass the chicken” improv
Cornflake Girl
“you’re a diamond” improv
Liquid Diamonds
Honey

T & Bo

Marianne
“shining” improv/Twinkle
Band Returns

The Beekeeper
Taxi Ride
Code Red

First Encore

Precious Things
Tear In Your Hand
Second Encore

Hey Jupiter

This show will be available for download through Legs and Boots.

Tori’s definitely going to need a long, well-deserved break after this tour!

“Isabel” opened the Nov. 17 show in Ft. Myers, Fla. The setlist included the second tour performance of “Mountain,” which I’m sure fans appreciated, as well as a number of song’s from “Scarlet’s Walk.” I thought it was interesting that during “Isabel’s” set, she only played one song off “ADP,” which was opener “Yo George.” The rest of her set included some politically charged numbers like “Sweet Dreams,” but “Isabel” must not have been feeling like playing some of the recent numbers like “Dark Side of the Sun.” Very interesting indeed. Here’s the full setlist:

Act I – Isabel
Yo George
Mountain
Sweet Dreams
Sweet Sangria
In the Springtime of his Voodoo
Tombigbee
Scarlet’s Walk

Interlude
Professional Widow

Act II – Tori
Big Wheel
Pancake
Tear In Your Hand
Cornflake Girl
Amber Waves
Glory of the 80s

T & Bö
Seaside
Silent All These Years

Band Returns
Suede
Black Dove (January)
Code Red

First Encore
Precious Things
A sorta fairytale

Second Encore
Bouncing Off Clouds
Hey Jupiter

In other news related to the Ft. Myers show, this article, written by Charles Runnells of the Southwestern Florida newspaper News-Press, previews the Nov. 17 show in Ft. Myers. It is a must-read, as it includes an interview the reporter had with Tori back before the Buffalo show back in October. Among the revelations in the article: some of the Australian fans didn’t realize the person opening Tori’s show was Tori herself dressed up as one of the Doll Posse (huh??), and the chorus to “Big Wheel” came to her “in a dream.”

Today, the same reporter published his review of the show on the newspaper’s website. While not a big fan of opener, Isabel, whom he thought was a little on the boring side, he happily writes that Tori came out and “rocked the house.” Read full review here.

If you didn’t think she was a rock goddess before, now you know for sure! I was also very pleased to see several other YouTube clips from the show on Undented’s Charlotte show page. Head over there and check them out when you get a chance.

Following her victorious performance in North Carolina, “Santa” brought down the house in Atlanta the following night on Nov. 14. Highlights included the tour debut of “Carnival,” “Beulah Land” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” AccessAtlanta has posted a slideshow of “Santa” on their webpage. Guess the photographer must have left before the second act.

Here’s the full setlist:

Act I – Santa

Body and Soul
She’s Your Cocaine
Hoochie Woman
Carnival
Secret Spell
Raspberry Swirl
Interlude

Professional Widow
Act II – Tori

Big Wheel
Sugar
The Power of Orange Knickers
Cornflake Girl
Bells for Her
Take to the Sky

T & Bö
Beulah Land
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Band Returns

Northern Lad
Hotel
Code Red

First Encore
Precious Things
Digital Ghost

Second Encore
Bouncing off Clouds

This show will not be available through Legs and Boots.

The winner of the Tori Amos Halloween Contest has been chosen. Click here to view the winner and finalists. The winner will receive a “Tori trick or treat” bag containing a signed CD, vinyl and exclusive tour merchandise. Congratulations!

Hello!

I’ve still got a nice little “Tori” hangover from last night’s show. It was well worth it though! Heading over to the concert at Ovens Auditorium, I told my husband I had one wish. I wanted “Clyde” to be the one opening the show, because I love her contributions to the ADP album the most.

I got my wish! When I heard the opening chords of “Bouncing Off Clouds” at the beginning of the show, I seriously almost cried. It only got better from there. Tori and “Clyde” played the setlist of dreams. The only song I really didn’t care to hear was “Cornflake Girl,” and jaded as it sounds, I think it’s because I’ve heard it performed live too many times. I know, poor me, right? Tori’s vocals and piano playing were absolutely flawless. You never would have guessed she played a full show the night before in Nashville. I love the lighting on this tour, especially the backdrop that looks like it’s covered in twinkling stars.

There was a bit of a snafus after Tori came out started playing “Big Wheel.” I think some of the security members were trying to keep audience members in the front row from dancing out of their seats. There must have been some unecessary manhandling going on, because first Tori yelled for her bodyguard in the middle of the song. Then she stopped playing, marched over to the edge of the stage, and declared “Get the f**k out of my show!”

She went on to explain to the crowd that she told everyone on the bus that North Carolinians “know how to dance” and that “this is NOT school. “This is not Washington.” Bottom line, she wanted the audience to get up and dance. I will add that most of the security and staff working the venue looked like retirees, so I guess that age group didn’t have much love for dancing Tori fans. The Christian rock group that was performing at the arena next door probably didn’t either!

Tori played several different songs that I’ve never heard live but always wanted to, such as the b-side “Mountain,” “Virginia,” “Marianne,” and “Famous Blue Raincoat.” I couldn’t have been happier. The only thing I didn’t get to hear was “Digital Ghost,” but other than that, I have absolutely no complaints. Oh, besides the fact that this show will not be available on “Legs and Boots.” We have all been robbed of a historical performance!

Set List:

Act I – Clyde
Bouncing off Clouds
Little Earthquakes
Juárez
Rattlesnakes
Beauty of Speed
Roosterspur Bridge

Interlude
Professional Widow

Act I – Tori
Big Wheel
Crucify
Mountain
Cornflake Girl
Carolina On My Mind (solo)
Your Cloud
Siren

T & Bö
Marianne
Famous Blue Raincoat

Band Returns
Virginia
A Sorta Fairytale
Code Red

First Encore
Precious Things
Tear in your Hand

Second Encore
Hey Jupiter (Dakota Version)

“Isabel” opened last night’s show at the Andrew Jackson Hall at TPC in Nashville. She debuted “The Power of Orange Knickers” with the band and other highlights included “Putting the Damage On” and “Cooling.” Here’s the full setlist:

Act I – Isabel

Yo George
Sweet Dreams
Sweet Sangria
In the Springtime of His Voodoo
Almost Rosey
Tombigbee
Scarlet’s Walk
Interlude

Professional Widow
Act II – Tori

Big Wheel
Concertina
The Power of Orange Knickers
Cornflake Girl
Putting the Damage On
Glory of the 80s
T & Bo

Dixieland improv
Cooling
Cool On Your Island
Band Returns

1000 Oceans
Hotel
Code Red
First Encore

Precious Things
A Sorta Fairytale

Second Encore
Bouncing Off Clouds

Get out your reading glasses! Matt Mazur interviewed Tori recently for a two-part series in Pop Matters. He chats with Tori in the first part, and completes the piece with an essay on how Tori portrays each posse member in concert. Fascinating reading! This is also an iinteresting 451 Press post on themed music collections, such as ADP.

And right now, I am so excited I’m about to jump out of my skin. I’ll be heading over to Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte this evening to see Tori! It just now hit me that she’ll be taking the stage in a matter of hours. Part of me wishes I had been able to get the time to buy the VIP packages and experience all the madness and thrills, but I’ve got to work around the schedules of my two kiddos. I’ll give you a full report tomorrow!

Here’s a round-up of recent newspaper reviews and concert details:

The Cleveland Free Times published a review of the Nov. 1 performance at the State Theatre. “Pip” opened that show and reviewer Anastasia Pantsios seemed well-versed in Tori’s catalog of songs old and new.

Greg Kot with the Chicago Tribune posted a review of the Nov. 5th show at the Auditorium Theatre. I particularly loved this line:

“As usual at an Amos concert, it was a bad night for patriarchy in all its forms.”

Read the full review here.

“Isabel” graced the Northup Auditorium in Minneapolis with her presence on Nov. 7. Highlights of the show were “Graveyard” and “Code Red,” but many fans were disappointed that Tori didn’t really speak to the audience during the show, and some reported that she seemed annoyed and bored while playing “Cornflake Girl.”

“Clyde” landed in Lawrence, Kansas at the Nov. 9th show and played “Beauty of Speed,” “Girl Disappearing,” “Juarez,” and the tour debut of “Frog on MyToe.” See the full setlist here.

“Santa” hit Omaha, Nebraska on Nov. 10th and charmed the audience with “Raspberry Swirl,” “She’s Your Cocaine,” and the tour debut of “Bug A Martini” (complete with martinis for the entire band!) and “Peeping Tommi.” See the full setlist here.

Jimmy posted some awesome photos and accounts of his VIP experiences and meetings with Tori over on his blog. Go check them out when you get a chance!