UJ: tori amos

I went to a kick ass concert last night. I went to see Tori Amos. I have seen her a few times before, but her shows are always fabulous! One of my best friends....she is obsessed with Tori like I am obsessed with Mellencamp, so it made it even more special to be going to the show with her. She was so excited that she was giddy...it was wonderful to watch!

I have this wonderful relationship with music....it fills something in my soul. I have had some of the most amazing moments in my life when I have been at concerts. It just seems like I am most open when I am in the presence of it....and it is one of the things I like most about myself. And I usually have one out of two reactions when I am at a concert....I either lose myself in the music...or I have some really wonderful thoughts. Music can just stimulate me in a way that is hard to describe.

Tori was amazing...she is so connected to her music and also so talented. In the MTV generation, it seems that often female musicians are just about pop and being window dressing...but that is the farthest from the truth with Tori. Don't get me wrong....she is such a beautiful woman, but her music isn't defined by her having a pretty face. She has such passion, which is concretely shown in her music...plus, her talent in playing the piano is remarkable. Also, at times...her playing can almost be seen as erotic. I felt priviledged to be in her presence and to be able to hear her perform. She is an artist I will see whenever I can.

And now...is the first time I have talked about the war in this journal. I imagine that most who know me...know that I do not support this war. I just don't think it is the right move...it isn't the right choice to be made. The friends I went to the Tori show with, we all wondered if she would say anything about the upcoming war....since she has never held her tongue before. The opening act was Rhett Miller...and he was wonderful. He mentioned his displeasure that we were going to war...and thought it was wrong that we haven't evolved enough to solve our problems without killing people. I couldn't agree more.

Then Tori came out....and she had a beautiful set. And in the middle she made the most eloquent statement on the war without having to actual saw anything. She sang a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine." It was received with loud cheers and praise....and the audience immediately knew how she felt. It was probably the most emotional part of the night for me. So, I will write a verse or two of "Imagine" for you all to read...and take in...

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Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
and no religion to
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may I'm a dreamer
But I'm the only one
I hope someday you join us
And the world will be as one.

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
Or brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you will join us
And the world live as one.
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