REVIEWS:

What an amazing show... Being a true hard core fiona fan this was something I had been waiting for for almost 4 years. The set was incredible. Every song played was played so close to the album but with so much more passion and emotion. After the second song, my friend Heather went up to the stage and gave fiona some presents she got her. Fiona was talking about something and then stopped, looked down at Heather and said, "Oooow, Presents!!" Me and Heather were both ecstatic. I took pictures of the whole thing from the 10th row! After that we were just so enthralled with the performance. I have never been so moved at a concert (I've been to over 20). After the show we hung around and got Fi's autograph!!! She signed both our Tidal discs and she told heather that she liked the gift she gave her! It was a perfect night that will NEVER be topped. I am still in shock. But I have to gear up for fiona again tonight in vancouver!!! -FHW- love, steve

march 18th, 2000 was a very interesting day.

Star and I left for the Fiona concert around 6pm with the girl I met at the coffee shop who gave us a ride, we got there 40 minutes early. The wonderful thing about seated concerts is that you don't have to get there at like, 2 in the afternoon to get really cool spots. I bought a Fiona Apple tank top and went up to our seats, which were in the first row of the balcony. Very lucky us.

The opening act was Jurassic Five, a hip-hop rap group. I thought it was very interesting that they were opening for Fiona Apple, but they said that she loved hip-hop and so that's why I suppose they were chosen. They were very charismatic I guess, and the Dj's were pretty cool.

When Fiona came out, the crowd went crazy and so did Star and I, and she was spinning her scarf around and jumping over the piano. She played "On The Bound" and "To Your Love," then got up to sing "Criminal" at the microphone.  When she sings at the microphone, it's so incredible, because she dances and her limbs are totally symbiotic with the music, its right on beat. She does little belly dance moves too, SO FUCKING ADORABLE.

Other songs she played were: Sullen Girl, Sleep To Dream, Limp, Paper Bag, Carrion, Love Ridden, Fast as You Can, Mistake, and umm.. well, I didn't write down a set-list. I guess you can say that she plays pretty much the same set list every show, its cool anyways. Its a perfect set list.

After the show, me and Star met up with Alicia and walked around to the back to try and meet her. AGAIN i ended up in the awkward position of RIGHT IN FRONT, and it was totally a scary experience. I was worried that when Fiona came out i was going to be pushed right into her or a security guard, since there weren't barricades or anything. Matt Chamberlain, her drummer and also Tori Amos' drummer, came out and I was the first to recognize him. He's so amazing!!!!! I got him to sign my Fiona tank top with my shiny purple pen.

Just as expected, when Fiona came out, everybody kinda rushed forward. I was pushed to her right side, almost stepping on her foot I think. The security guard didn't bother getting in between her and I, so I just stood there, talking to her like a fool while she signed autographs. Not really nervous or anything, just kind of talking to her and admiring her face, which is incredible up close and personal. Her lips have this.. oh i don't know how to explain it, they're beautiful and she seemed really happy signing stuff for all of us. I got her to sign the same tank top I had Matt sign, so now i have quite the artifact. *grin*

When she turned and gave me her attention, I said "Thank You for playing my favorite song, Mistake, every time I hear it, it makes me so strong, it makes me feel so great." and her face lit up with happiness and said 'Oh Goodie" in the cutest, mouse-like voice I've ever heard. She kinda hugged me and moved on, I mean, i had hogged her quite enough. I tried my best to maneuver out of there and push Alicia into my place so that she could try and talk to her, and I jumped and screamed at Star, who also got her shirt signed, and we got really hyper about it.

over-all, the night was completely amazing, I wouldn't have given up those tickets for *anything* and now i don't know what to do with the tank top and the memories... and... SCREAM... I'm too happy about it all.

"sleep to dream, and live that dream"
-Courtney Griffin, http://lust.darkflower.net

all I can say is WOW! I am a huge Fiona fan and to finally be able to see her live with all her real emotion and passion, and that VOICE, is so much more than I ever expected!   

I spent so much time getting ready, trying to make sure my hair and makeup were perfect just so step one foot out of the car to greet the unbearable wind and rain...it was terrible...but so worth it. I met my friend Jen at the ferry terminal and we went to the paramount hanging around until the doors opened. I had a little gift bag for Fi with some poetry and little stuffed animals I thought she'd like, which took up so much room in my bag, it was really uncomfortable. So after a long time waiting, looking at the crowd, noticing how almost every single female their had some item of clothing on that was obviously made by them to look like "individuals". But I can't complain about that because I made my own "Fiona" skirt that is long and gray, and really like something Fiona would wear. I never saw that big of a crowd  who all were trying their hardest to look like Fiona, esp. all the girls with long brown hair covering their "Fiona glasses" eyes...what can I say, it felt like home!

Since I don't even know anyone who loves Fiona, not even Jen who went with me, it really felt very good to me! Then the doors opened at around 7. As soon as I got my ticket stub back, it all hit me so fast!  My eyes started tearing up a lot, so I had to compose myself!  I bought a black Tidal shirt and a white shirt with Fi's face on it as soon as I could. Then we got to finally get to our seats, which were surprisingly closer to the stage than I thought so I was even more excited!  After so much waiting, Jurassic 5 came on. Now I read all the reviews and didn't think I'd be as into them as most of the other people said they were, but I never in my life screamed "Hell Yeah!" with so much passion! They were so awesome. I'm not a big hip hop fan, and I'd actually buy their cd when it comes out! I took a whole role of film on them!  

Then the moment I'd been waiting for, Fiona came on after I was almost crying again in anticipation! As soon as she came out and twirled her brown scarf around and did her cute little circle wave, I knew I'd never forget this night! 

every single song she sand had so much passion and love and raw emotion ..so much more than I expected. And as luck would have it, right during one of my favs, Sullen Girl, these 3 socialite type chicks in front of us were huddling in a circle and have their own fucking conversation when everyone else was polite and silent...then they had the nerve to make fun of Fiona's dancing! So every time I could, I screamed as loud and as high as I could for the rest of the show to annoy one of the girls in particular ..it worked too! Very fun! Back to Fiona, she actually shocked me a lot with her high mousy, almost barbie doll voice! It must have been the amplifiers because I never heard her talk like that ever...but she was fucking so cute! She was talking so fast I could barely understand her! But she did make a big deal about Seattle being  a home town show for her and the band cuz some of the band members were from here I guess. That was cool, even though I don't exactly love WA! And screamed along to every single song, except for "I Know" which I knew I couldn't possible sing along because she was just so fucking amazing singing it! Again, I almost started crying!  And a big highlight for me was "Just One  of Those Things". I never heard it before, and I loved it sooo fucking much! The entire crowd was standing through these last 2 songs. It was amazing and beautiful and PERFECT!  

This was my first concert, so now I know what I can expect from her in the future! But as sad as I am about it, I never got to give her my present. I never got to get an autograph. It didn't even hit me that I should stay after the show and see if she was around, which now I know she was! That really fucking pisses me off, too! I really wanted to meet her!!!!! But even though those things never happened, her performance was extremely more than perfect!  I love Fiona and I can't wait to get my (3) rolls of film developed! She is my fucking hugest inspiration and I'll never forget this night and how beautiful she was!

                               -Haylee

I just had the best two nights of my life.  Saturday, March 18, I sat only 10 rows from the stage at the Paramount in Seattle...and Sunday, March 19, I sat only 2 rows from the stage at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver!  It was so incredible to see Fiona perform live...especially twice!!!  Oh my god...she just blew me away.  At times during her shows, I had the courage to sing along to myself and just gaze at her...but other times I was just too enthralled with her voice and piano playing to even move.  I got chills throughout every minute of both shows.  I love how energetic and friendly Fiona is on stage.  Her dancing just drives me crazy---she is so damn cute, I can't even describe it.  Being only about 10 feet away from her in Vancouver, I could see her every move and expression while standing at the microphone and at the piano, and she is so gracious and beautiful that I don't know what to do with myself.  At the show in Seattle, I ran up to the stage after "To Your Love" while she was talking, and handed her a present.  She grabbed it and said "ooooh, presents!"  I was so happy!!!  I sort of backed up slowly to my seat, fumbling in shock, that she actually took it and was excited about it.  Then, after that absolutely amazing show, we waited for her by her tour bus....and when she finally came out, every one feasted on her like starving hawks.  I had to shout "Fiona, I'm the one who gave you the present"  and she made sure to single me out and thank me for the incense and the wind chime I gave her...she looked at me and said " It makes such a nice sound" and then she signed the cover of my "Tidal" album.  I just kept taking more and more pictures of her up close. . . and then I realized that her signature was smudged, so I held it out for her again, on the other side of the booklet, and she signed it again, and looked up at me with her big eyes, and I said "I love you Fiona" and reached my hand out to her not knowing what to expect.  But like the lovely Fiona, she just reached up to me and squeezed me hands through her little black gloves with a big smile on her face.  I just about died right there.  OOOH, it was such an incredible night...I started crying because I was so happy on the way back to the car.  Thinking that nothing would ever top that, Steve and I headed to Vancouver the very next day, and were only blown farther away from where we stood after the Seattle show.  God, she is so amazing.  These were the best two nights of my entire life...to finally meet, see, talk to, smile to, and touch my greatest inspiration and soul mate...FIONA*

From--Heather

J5 just kicks ass. Hands down. Y'all know I'm not a big rap fan, but  these guys come correct. "Without a doubt." The use of "Those were the  Days", the theme from "All in the Family", to start off the show, was  smart: double meaning of getting rap back to its roots, and a play  (maybe) on the television shows content.

Miss Apple takes the stage. Y'all know the details...if you don't, well:  SHE KICKED ASS! The band came out dress up fine, like they actually had  dates after the show or something. Matt was even sporting a tie. Fi was in her typical black bottom thing and a black top, with a scarf for good measure. After "To Your Love", she took of the black top to show the red tank. Man, I hope she washes them between shows! ;)

The Ballads: Sullen Girl and Love Ridden were done exceptionally well: at times you could hear a pin drop in the hall, as people concentrated on the muse's heart felt voice. The sound quality was excellent throughout the show. And the timing on the break on "Love Ridden"? Umm...does anybody really know what time it is? (Chicago reference) It was classic Fi. "I Know" was also excellent, Christmas lights and all. (Hmm...Christmas lights? Makes one wonder. ;)) I watched the shadow cast behind Fiona during these songs: you could see her arms and hands gently musing the piona. And when she sang the word "patient", WOW. Oh, and Lucky: nice slide on "Sullen Girl."

On the Bound and To Your Love really hit home, and Fi was banging her head during On he Bound. So was I, the whole show. Paper Bag was good, and Get Gone got a very strong reaction from the crowd. The contrast of quiet musing, and then yelling, "Fuckin' go" during Get Gone makes the song different and pleasing. But I REALLY liked Carrion, a mistake, and Sleep to Dream. In each case, Lucky added the extra "umph" required.   Lucky: can I give you enough props? Probably not. During "Limp"'s Matt solo, Fi put her back to the piona and held on, as if she was going to hop up and sit on it. She was obviously using the energy of the piona to hold her back. At the end of "Fast as you can", she looked up with a HUGE smile on her face for the inevitable appleheads dancing with her. Much fun.

The last two songs were excellent. I liked the jazz standard, and for about 5 seconds the crowd was a bit confused, but they really took to it, filling the isles. Fiona began to dance, as if dancing with a lover. The last song...hhmm...I'll need to listen to that again. Seems like I was transformed in time to a Crowes show. 

Lastly, the crowd was very quiet throughout, which was good. They gave Fi their love after each song, and the love was well received. There were less than 5 gifts given all night, and Fi grabbed all of them at the end of the night. There was only one glitch all night, but Fiona handled it with class: it had nothing to do with the sound, and it happened as the band walked off after "Fast as you can". You can read about it in another thread of mine, but again, Fi handled it with such class and "compassion" (putting yourself in the shoes of another person), that was was very proud of Fi. Way to go Fi! See ya in Portland. Tim

Can be honored enough to praise the wonderful miss Apple?  I too attended the Mar 18th concert at the Paramount, and although i was seated in the worst possible seats, i did not care.  Because being in the same building as Fi is the most amazing thing I could ever hope to experience.  I wish that someday I would be graced with her acquaintance, because everywhere I go, people tell me that I seem just like her.  And I know we would fucking get along so well.

She inspires me in everything I do.  A whole wall of my bedroom is covered with pictures of her, the most beautiful pictures, and yet even they fail to capture her  sublimity.  I would give anything, to meet her, just for a moment.  I was so utterly disappointed that I couldn't see he due to the lighting, because for some reason, these red bright lights were in my eyes the whole time.  But I could still hear her voice.  Fi, if you ever read this, I want you to know that I went through most of the stuff that you have talked about.  I was brutally raped and abused for a long time, and the only thing that let me go on was your existence.  I'm not saying that to sound obsessive, no, i'm a pretty normal girl, a little disoriented at times, but eh, aren't we all?  I just think of you as my inspiration, and my guiding light.  You  have held my hand through the worst of times, and I will never stop supporting you or believing in you. Oh, and about the N.Y. show, don't give it another thought, I know how disappointed in yourself you were, but hey, it was the fucking sound system alright?  You did the right thing by walking off, because that was what you had to do.  And to all the ex-fans or whatever you call yourselves, you obviously never believed in her enough anyway, so why would someone like her care anyways? The truth is, she does care, she cares enough about you mindless jerks to strive so hard for your forgiveness, and that is how we know what a down to earth girl she is.  I love you Fiona.

You will always overcome.
Chantel