Tori Amos’ out-of-print masterclass performance from Sessions at West 54th proves the incendiary power of live rock

There are times words fail, and many of them occur during the viewing of these seven incredible live videos taken from Tori Amos’ performance on the oft-missed program Sessions at West 54th. Amos and her backing band set these songs afire in a series of performances which rival the Sessions release by Ben Folds (one of the few remaining in print). This is rock music the way it’s meant to be experienced, so powerful and raw in its depth you can only absorb it more completely with an ear pressed suicidally against the side-stage speakers. I’ll let the songs do the talking, thanks to the wonder that is YouTube.

Enjoy, and feel free to post in the comments some live performances which inspire you as a listener. The more the better!

Guitar: Steve Caton

Bass: Jon Evans

Drums: Matt Chamberlain

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SONG #1 — “Precious Things”

SONG #2 — “iiieee”

SONG #3 — “Past the Mission”

SONG #4 — “Caught a Nice Sneeze”

SONG #5 — “Take to the Sky” (Solo)

SONG #6 — “Cooling” (Solo)

SONG #7 — “The Waitress”