I MET TORI!!!
Way back when (you may have read about this on one of my main pages), I wrote a question to Parade Magazine concerning Tori's work on the Great Expectations soundtrack. It was printed, and the next day, Tori's dad called me! He and I have communicated back and forth a little since then, and he was able to get me a backstage pass to the show.
After the show was over, I waited around (despite all the security guards who were trying to kick me out), and I finally found one of Tori's people, who helped me get back to the hall near Tori's dressing room. I waited there with one of the E Center security guards and three other fans. While waiting, I saw all three members of Tori's band (within five feet of me!) and the lead singer of the Devlins, Tori's opening band. I also saw Joel, Tori's security guard.
At one point, while we were waiting, getting nervous, the door to Tori's dressing room opened, and out came four fans, led by TORI HERSELF! Just down the hall from me!! RIGHT THERE!! She knocked on Joel's door, and when he came out, she gave him a tape that one of the fans had given her. "We need to listen to this on the bus; this girl is sharing her voice with us." Something like that. Then she went back into her dressing room.
Soon, Joel came over to our group. "Are you Dr. Amos' guest?" he asked me. I said I was, so he took me back there. "I'll get the rest of you later," he said. Which meant I WAS GOING TO SEE TORI ALONE!!! When we got to the door, Joel told me that I would have to make it quick: Just get some stuff signed, get a picture, talk a while, about five minutes, because Tori was really tired. Which I totally understood, after the passion of that concert!!
Joel opened the door, and for the first time in my life, Tori and I made eye contact!!! "Hi, Sweetie!" she said. We hugged, she asked my name, asked me to tell her the story of how I got to know her "folks." I told her how incredibly generous I thought it was of Tori's dad to do this, and she told me that her parents really like to "connect with the people." She signed my friend Pam's program and my Images and Insights book. Here is what she wrote in mine:
I thanked her, we took the above picture, and I left. Joel led me out the back door, where the van was waiting, and I came around the corner to see lots of waiting fans. One of the E Center security guards told us Tori was going to come out later for a quick meet 'n' greet, even though she had already done one before the show, and even though she was really tired. "We really don't know what to expect," he told me. "No one has ever done this before."
We waited for quite a while, and soon Tori was out there. We were told to be quiet and calm, no pushing, or Tori would get on the bus and leave. She signed as much as she could, she stood there while people took pictures, and then, eventually, she had to get on the bus. She stood in the doorway, though, and waved good-bye while lots of people snapped pictures. Then she went onto the bus, and the door shut. We couldn't leave till the bus was gone, but they were just waiting around. Soon, Matt, Tori's drummer, came running out of the E Center and got on the bus, and as the bus started to drive away, a hand (Tori's hand) knocked on the door's window (the bus's only non-tinted window) and waved bye-bye. That was perhaps the very best way she could have ended that amazing night!
I thought I said I'd make it quick....
After the amazing September 2, 1998, Salt Lake City show at the E Center, I got to go backstage and meet Tori! Here's the story: Doug--
Many travels may you have
with many varied spirits.
--Joyous--
The mystery. [heart]
Tori Amos