My Tori Experience, January 31, 1996

I was flabbergasted. It turned out, that she was doing a recording session this afternoon at a studio in Center City, and DRE, a local radio station, had given out 20 tickets to the thing, and invited some mild press.

Well, the DP (our newspaper) was included in the mild press, and no one here could go. So Jason called me. He knew how much of a fan I am. He asked if I could go in his place. I jumped at the opportunity. But it was today at noon. I have a lab from noon til 6 on Wednesdays, and its the kind where if you miss it, you get deducted 10 points from your final average. Well, I got out of it for this. (read: I called in sick and ducked out the back door).

So I got there, and I was one of the first ones there. So They led me upstairs to sit with all the interns, DJs, and other radio people. So we were all sitting around talking, and I was on a couch right at the top of the steps. So I look down to the bottom of the steps, and there she is. Tori Amos. A flight of stairs away, and moving closer. Tori Amos. She looked at me, and she smiled. I knew she had green eyes, but I never noticed how green they were, or how brightly they shone.

So eventually, they let all the radio contest winners(15) come upstairs with us big wigs, and we all got to sit in the studio. A few minutes later, she scampered in, like a little elfling. She's only 5'2"....

I have always loved her piano playing, but to see it in person, fairly close up is just breathtaking. She played a few songs, some I knew, some I didn't, but it didn't matter. Everything flowing out of that Bosendorfer was sheer brilliance.

Then, when the 45 minute concert was over, she stood around and signed 1 autograph a-piece for us. I had her sign my limited edition single of Winter. Its my favorite recording, not just of hers, but ever. I couldn't think of a single thing to say. She said it was OK, and I got a hug. I got pictures of her. I got in a group picture with her. But I didn't get any pictures of me and her. That's the only even remotely bad thing about this entire day.