You've been waiting.....for my Tori Amos concert review. Well, for starters, apparently my favorite song she played was Little Amsterdam, as I cannot get it out of my head. I remember when I saw her in Dallas a couple of years ago, she played Spring Haze which is definitely a favorite. I seldom forget the most memorable performance of the night.
But I'm getting ahead of myself....
Lets start from the beginning... dropped girls off w/ new friend in Sugar Land-- I am so lucky, as I booked this concert before I met a soul in Houston. We had not been out as a couple since June, pathetic, I know.
So, girls were in Sugar Land at 5pm and we headed to downtown Houston. This ought to get interesting, a night out in the city that we have not explored. Yes, what a great idea, lets explore downtown Houston, one of the largest cities in the U.S. in the dark, and on a timed schedule. We were talented enough to print out directions to the venue (Jones Hall), but too challenged to research restaurants in the same area. So, I dial up Mapquest, a.k.a., my dad in San Francisco. Lucky for me he is always near a computer. To make a long story about where to eat short, he said there were a ton of places so we hung up. We found Jones Hall (good job us) but circled the same 3 streets which kept looking different 100 times. Then we ended up in Bum central. Um, I'm not eating at Churches Chicken in my car with the doors locked. We had time to find a decent place. There was no reason for this stupidity, and Candice was growing more and more hungry. I purposely did not eat much at all, knowing, the big date was coming, and it would deliver food for sure. We start to grow desperate, except for the pappa's bbq, that we saw-- twice-- not the same one, but TWO in the downtown area, there was NOTHING. Ok, well, I don't feel like being a slob and having bbq sauce all over my hands and face. I'm a lady not a rottweiler. Finally! Civilization! We found a hole in the wall pizza place next to the Cabo restaurant. Thank goodness, give us one of everything, we are starving, our gas light is on, we circled your downtown for an hour, saw the same 10 bums 25 times, Michael was cold, my pants - too long were dragging on the pavement, and all I really cared about getting to the concert in one piece and on time.
So after our romantic dinner at the pizza dive, a Bum (why do I keep capitalizing the B in bum?) approaches Michael. What does Candice do? Take off! Literally- I take off running down some random downtown street, heading towards the Honda. I'm digging for my keys in a panic like in an Ashley Judd movie, only to look back and see Michael having a conversation with the scumbucket. You know what I was thinking, I don't even have to say it. I hear him say, "hey man, I don't have any cash"- which is true. We never have cash and its a good thing b/c I have seen Michael give many a dollar to scummy hobos. Please don't get me started on hobos. That is another blog. I don't like them and Michael is nice to everything. I think I've seen him apologize to asphalt. So ten minutes later he meets up with me at the car. "Thanks dear, for letting me run for my life, probably in to the arms of another rapist hobo if the car wasn't parked so close to the steakhouse, um, I mean pizzeria."
Michael says, "Sorry, I didn't realize you were gone until I looked up and saw that you weren't standing next to me"
Huh?
On with the show. We get back to the venue. We were so proud -- finding it for a second time. "Hey look how close we were!"
Yay for us, we aren't complete idiots. By the way, I have to just mention that Houston is very pretty at night, all decorated for Christmas. I'm not sure why no one ever has a lot of great things to say about it, but I was impressed. I'm the one who still gets excited to travel from Fort Worth in to Dallas. The Dallas skyline is beautiful. I think I'm just a city junkie. I get excited to see the lights. I'm sure country folks get excited when they see pasture, you know, wide open spaces (note the dixie chick reference).
We park RIGHT OUTSIDE THE VENUE. We don't pay, we just pull up and park. It was too easy and I expected to get a parking ticket. Nothing that easy is ever legal.
We get inside and I am so struck with awe. I have never seen her perform in such a beautiful place. It was much like the Bass Hall in Fort Worth where I have seen Phantom of the Opera and Nutcracker. For once, I was really thankful to be in Houston. I have lost count of how many times I have seen Tori in concert, this may have been 7th, or 8th, but they were always in Dallas.
Michael buys me a tshirt. We find our seats. And then........the opening act......how could I forget that all concerts have this? I am instantly bored with the idea. Then he comes on, Yeov or Yeav or whatever. He was just okay. I start thinking about everything and wondering when Yeowolf is going to end his show. I think, "did I turn off my straightener? crap- I need milk and coffee filters, like yesterday, my house is such a wreck even a robber would say screw this, not worth sifting through" Michael sees me get agitated and tells me "probably just one more song". I think, if Michael is wrong I am getting out my cell phone and text messaging myself with my grocery list for Tuesday. It took everything in me not to get up and go force pee out of myself, anything to get me away the Y mans songs. The music was pretty, but his voice was odd. Did he purposely want to sound like a girl?
Finally, intermission, and then Tori.....
She came w/ her full band. I always remember that Matt Chamberlin is the drummer. It was such a great show I could have stayed til 4 a.m listening to her. Her last encore she played "precious things" which took me way back when Michael and I saw her in Dallas several years ago and she opened with that song. Nostalgia is sweet. It is good to know that the same guy you mold in to a Tori fan is the same one that has watched your stomach cut open and babies pulled out and intestines put back in. He likes me with my hair down, and he knows I'm the funniest person he knows. He knows that a Tori concert isn't just a night out for me, its a religious experience, a total soul defining experience each time, and he never makes fun of me for it. I heart my giant.
The End
New Project
12 years ago
