The Storytellers - Part One

A clear, brisk Friday morning found me and my dear friend Willow on the road, heading to Boise to worship the Goddess Tori Amos in concert. To say we are merely fans is putting it lightly. We are enthusiastic followers.

Tori is more than a musician, she is a weaver of tales. She marries her words with the music so beautifully and her spirit embodies passion, love and what it really means to be a woman. Her music has long been a place for me to escape and take solace or simply just to rock out. It often reminds me of where I have been and also where I am going.

Willow and I have traveled to see her in concert before, but as it had been some years we decided a girls road trip was definitely in order. Our girl trips are always the best.

Getting out of town was a bit of a comedy of errors, forgetting pillows and directions and also the tickets, but eventually we made it onto the highway. A storm was set to hit any time, but our five hour drive to Boise was clear sailing.

Once we arrived, we decided to stop first at the venue to see what the meet-and-greet looked like. Much to our surprise and delight, there was hardly anyone there which meant it was most likely we'd get a chance to talk to Tori. And we did. Well, Willow did. She and Tori shared a good ten minute conversation while I stood by and took photographs. I have met Tori several times in the past, and I felt that I have said everything I needed to say to her and that I didn't have anything else to say that she hasn't already heard a million times. I was quite content to shoot pictures and just observe. She is an amazing subject, I love to photograph her.

The concert was extraordinary, she played most of the songs I had hoped to hear and some I never dreamed I would hear her perform live. Willow had made a request of her at the meet-and-greet...a song that was very special to her...and Tori played it. I really enjoyed sharing that moment with Willow as I knew how much that song meant to her and how much it meant that Tori played it. We both got a bit teary...it was so great.

Despite being exhausted after a long day of travel and excitement, we were still on far to much of a high to sleep once we got back to the hotel, so we stayed up talking. I love just staying up talking.

Again, despite the storm warnings, the drive back home was smooth sailing and we arrived back in Salt Lake about 5pm Saturday evening, just having missed the huge snow storm that dumped six inches of snow in the valley.

It was a brilliant trip. Good Karma was with us all the way, and so was a cherished friend.