Tori Amos Gig

On Wednesday we went to the Royal Albert Hall to see Tori Amos. Have have been a fan since her first album around 20 years ago, and although I am less keen on more recent albums, she is still a fantastic singer, pianist and performer.


As usual I was stressing about going; which wheelchair to take, surviving the journey, getting between the car and venue etc. Having still not tried the car with the new suspension, I had decided to take the more comfortable outdoor wheelchair. But having completed the lengthy process of transferring me, computer and feeding system, I discovered the batteries weren't charged. And before you think the same thing as my carer said, I had checked before but... Charge indicators on wheelchairs are pretty hopeless. Firstly, when the first of six lights goes off you haven't used 1/6 of the charge but around 70%. Secondly, after charging a flat battery for just 30 minutes of the required 8 hours required, the indicator on the wheelchair will read as full then rapidly fall when the chair is used. And that is what happened so everything had to be transferred back and I just hoped I wouldn't be shaken out of the wheelchair en route!

The journey was predictably slow through rush hour traffic although that meant less bouncing around for me. Our seating position was excellent; close enough to feel part of the show but far enough back to have the best sound (and not be distracted by the rather disturbing results of excessive botox and shocking plastic surgery)

The performance was excellent as usual. She had a contemporary string quartet accompanying her which were amazing in their own right. The setlist comprised of a few too many obscure songs but there were enough favourites to keep us happy. Tori Amos has always had more than her fair share of obsessive fans so there are frequent and rather cringe worthy whoops of delight to certain lyrics or gestures. She played for 2 hours including both encores, one of which included 'Winter' which has always been one of favourite songs from any artist but recent events have made its words very poignant and emotionally charged. The first time I played it after being diagnosed it reduced me to a sobbing mess and I simply can't play it anymore. On Wednesday I managed just about managed to hold it together although a couple of tears still escaped.

If you haven't heard it and have 5 minutes, have a listen





The journey back was pretty quick but very uncomfortable. The route through Fulham and Putney has terrible roads and obviously without the traffic we had been slowed up by earlier, I started doubting whether the suspension modifications had really made any difference. I was really wiped out by the time we got home and wondering how I was going to cope with the three much longer trips to O2 gigs between now and Christmas.

But it was a good evening and a very enjoyable.



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