Tori Amos
Murat
Friday, Nov. 2

A platinum-blonde, Paris Hilton-wannabe Tori Amos, smoking up a storm before she takes to the piano? Why not? It’s only one of the numerous personas she developed for the “American Doll Posse” album, a trick that has resulted in a different show every night of the tour. She changes up personae for each concert — in the case of her Murat show, she performed as a Hilton-look-alike and a stunning redhead in a disco-diva gold pantsuit.

It makes for an interesting take on her show, as it’s not quite like anything she’s ever done before. The centerpiece of any Amos concert for years has been the persona of Tori herself, a dervish wildfire straddling her piano bench like a woman possessed, a singing voice at once lilting and soft and banshee-terrifying. That persona’s still there under all that, but filtered through the new look, the personalities she takes on and off as easily as her wigs.

Musically, the concert focused on the newer material, peppered as always with a few of the classics. And here’s an interesting thing: Even though she puts her all into every show, the world’s most famous unofficial Bösendorfer piano pitchwoman has always had a certain detachment, an otherworldly and deathly-serious air that makes you wonder if she’s even really here. As a result, you kinda start to worry if she’s even enjoying herself. No doubts this time around; Amos seemed to revel in the craziness and the sly sarcastic attitude the different approaches allowed, as if she was giving herself permission to release the wry snark and sarcasm we often see in interviews or photo shoots. Tori Amos enjoying herself; who’d have thought?