Tori Amos posing for a photo at the Dallas meet and greet, Night of Hunters tour, 2011.

Tori Amos and her daughter, Natashya at the Dallas meet and greet, Night of Hunters Tour, 2011

Tori Amos at the Dallas meet and greet, 2011

Tori meeting fans at the Dallas meet and greet, 2011

Tori Amos in Austin, Tx. 2011

So last week my sister and my two best friends went on a road trip to Austin and Dallas (from Houston) to see the last two shows of the tour for the Tori Amos concerts and we had quite an adventure.

The first night we got to Austin was a day before the concert so all we did was hang out and prep for the Austin show. We had our hearts set on meeting Tori Amos, even though she said she wasn’t doing any more meet and greets, we were gonna try to meet her anyways. During the day we rode around the campus but it turned out we got to the meet and greet an hour late and we didn’t get to meet Tori. Instead we went back to my friend’s apartment and got the party started. My friend lives four blocks away from the UT campus and the concert hall Tori was playing at, so we decided we would get some drinks and get a buzz going and walk to and from the show that night. We set out for the show at around 7:40pm and got there on time right as the opening act was finishing. The show was fabulous and Tori played some great songs, highlights for me were Landslide, Spark, Cloud On My Tongue, Lust, Sweet Sangria, Smokey Joe and Siren! I also fell in love with Butterfly, I had never really listened to it before but now it’s all I want to hear.

After the show we all met up except for one of my friends. We spent an hour looking for our friend after the show. We walked back to his apartment, got my car and drove around the campus searching but he was no where to be found. It turned out that he had gotten a bit too tipsy and was too enthusiastic at the show, causing him to be kicked out during the fourth or fifth song. It was really sad and tragic because he loves Tori so much and he got really good seats but was unfortunately thrown out for showing too much love. He showed up at the apartment later that night and was in safe condition, however incredibly upset about missing the concert. That night we made it a goal to set out for Dallas as early as possible and meet Tori Amos to make up for the crummy night out best friend had endured. 

The next morning we awoke incredibly early (thanks to my persistent sister) only to find that our car had been towed. We lost an hour trying to get the car back and in the end we luckily didn’t have to pay to get it out of impound because the towing guy was feeling nice, I guess. With a little luck on our side we set off to Dallas. About 3 and half hours later we arrived at Grand Prairie Verizon Wireless Theater in time to see that Tori was doing a meet and greet and there were people lining up at the gates. As we walked up to the line I felt my heart pounding in my chest, I couldn’t believe we actually made it to the meet and greet. My hopes were cut short when a chubby, older security guard man with a mustache stopped us to say that the line to the meet and greet had been cut off already and that we were too late. He also told us that if we tried to enter the line we would be kicked out and miss the show. We were crushed. I was heart broken. We were allowed to stand by the gates and watch Tori meet everyone in the line and even though it wasn’t ideal, that’s exactly what I did.

I stood and watched Tori meet all her fans in the line. I also noticed Tori’s daughter, Natashya at the meet and greet and she was also signing things and meeting fans. The air at the meet and greet was quiet and serene. I got a lot of photos of Tori meeting other people and wished and wished it was me meeting her. Towards the end of the line Tori’s personal security guard came over and told us that she would bring Tori over to say hello for a second but not to ask for signings or photos because Tori didn’t have time for it and they were on a strict schedule. I was ecstatic and shaky, I couldn’t believe she was about to be so close to us. Tori came over to see the fans that showed up late to the meet and greet and to my surprise, she began to actually meet us all individually! There were two people before me who met Tori and the girl before me asked to take a photo with Tori and Tori said yes! She is extremely sweet and I was not expecting her to talk to us at all. I have only met Tori once before and that was two years ago in the same place, but she literally made me feel like we were old friends. As soon as she got to me she lit up and said “Hi! How are you?! I’m so glad to see you again! I’m glad you made it here!” I told her she looked beautiful and mumbled how happy I was to be here. She then took a serious tone and asked where we lived. I told her we were all from Houston. She looked me straight in the eye and said “So, how are you? How are things?” I was astounded that Tori was taking a personal interest in me and the sincerity of her tone when asking about me. I stumbled over my words and acted like a school girl on her first date but I finally said I was doing well and that things were going good. She then asked “And what are you doing, what do you do?” At this point I really wanted to fall back on my ass and faint, but I told her I was studying to be a photographer and I then asked her to pose for a photo. She posed and we said goodbye. It was the best moment of my life and I finally got Tori to pose for a portrait, which is what I’ve been wanting so much. My sister and best friends met her and she even remembered meeting one of my best friends before. I’m convinced she remembered all of us because we were in the same group at the last meet and greet and she truly looked and acted like she remembered us all.

The meet and greet was magical and I couldn’t believe that after everything - the bad Austin night, the car getting towed, and getting to the meet and greet too late- we still got to meet Tori Amos and she remembered who we were and took time to make us feel special even though she is the one who we’re there to see. The show that night was beautiful and made up for everything that went bad earlier in the trip. Highlights from the last show for me was God/Running Up That Hill, Happy Phantom, Nautical Twilight, Father Lucifer, Curtain Call, Garlands, Hey Jupiter, Spring Haze, Parasol, Gold Dust, Cruel, Suede, and Carry. Well, damn, that’s most the show, it was all awesome and beautiful and Tori was on point, she sounded crystal clear! We got even more lucky that night and moved up to an incredibly close spot up in the second side row, so rushing up to the stage at the encore was easy and we got really close for that too. The shows were great and I will never forget how special it all was. Photos are following this story!

If you have any Tori-stories or photos from this tour, please feel free to submit! I’ll post them and share!  

Had the time of my life, two great shows and after plenty obstacles, we finally got to meet Tori! Photos and Tori-stories coming soon!

Anyone have any word on a meet and greet here or for the show tomorrow night in Dallas? I’m dying to meet her and it just broke my heart to hear about no more meet and greets for the rest of the tour. We’re about to go check it out, wish us some Tori magic-filled luck!

So, who’s all going to a Tori Amos concert soon? Where and when? I’m going to Austin (hopefully) and Dallas shows in December. I’m so psyched that she’s stopping last in Texas, it’s gonna be magical. Who is as excited as I am?

Cruel Live in Finland, 9/28/11