Tori Amos performs at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif. on July 26, 2023. Nate McKinley/STAFF.

SAN FRANCISCO — As Tori Amos began her show at the Masonic in Wednesday night, she first paid tribute.

“She warned us of the abuse in the church,” Amos said of Sinéad O’Connor, whose passing the previous day was made public. “And she was right. This was a person who was powerful, who wrote incredible music, and we honor her tonight.”

The crowd cheered as Amos launched into the second song of the evening, “Crucify” from 1992 album Little Earthquakes.

Straddling the piano bench with one hand playing a huge Bosendorfer grand piano, the other triggering synth sounds from a bank of keyboards, Amos sang the song’s suddenly apropos lyrics, “I’ve been looking for a savior in these dirty streets/ Looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets/ I’ve been raising up my hands, drive another nail in/ Got enough guilt to start my own religion.”

Tori Amos performs at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif. on July 26, 2023.

As Amos and her rhythm section, consisting of long-time bassist Jon Evans and drummer Ash Soan, rocked out on the powerful chord progression, Amos began to chant, “We’re never going back!” The crowd’s screaming matched her and the band’s rising energy. It was one of the most empowering musical moments I’ve ever witnessed. And Amos was just getting warmed up.

During her nearly two-hour set, Tori Amos drew from her huge catalog of music, while showing off her insane piano chops and brilliant improvisational abilities.

“We’ve been on quite a journey,” she said. “Thanks for joining us.”

Between songs, she arranged lyric sheets and musical scores atop her piano. Songs often began with elaborate instrumental jams during which Amos would lay down a simple piano riff and then come back to it over and over again, adding elaborate musical filigrees and endless variation. The title track from Amos’ most recent album, Ocean to Ocean, began with interplay between the sparse piano and melodic bass. Evans’ processed bass added synth-like tones to Amos’ keyboards, for a very Kate-Bush-sounding rendition of “Girl,” from Little Earthquakes. 

Tori Amos performs at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif. on July 26, 2023.

Dressed in a sort of technicolor pantsuit, Amos smiled and pantomimed hugging the audience.

About an hour into the set, Evans and Soan left the stage and Amos played a couple of songs solo on piano, including Sinead O’Connor’s “I Am Stretched on Your Grave” and “Three Babies.”

Once the band returned, the three played a very sparse and lounge-like version of the title track from 1999’s To Venus and Back and a rousing “Take to the Sky” that Amos amended with some queer-positive lyrics like “Gay, gay, gay, gay!” and “Jesus loves the LGBT.” Eventually, the jam morphed into a cover of Carole King’s and James Taylor’s 1971 hit “I Feel The Earth Move.”

During the encore, Amos and the band performed “God” and “Waitress” from 1994 album Under the Pink, which included the extra verse from 1998’s Plugged Tour.

Tow’rs perform at Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif. on July 26, 2023.

“I believe in something/ I believe in something/ I believe in that girl/ I believe in her goodness/ I believe in your darkness/ But I believe/ I said I know, I know what I believe,” she sang.

Flagstaff, Arizona trio Tow’rs warmed up the crowd with a tuneful acoustic set, featuring the lush vocal harmonies of Gretta and Kyle Miller. The band’s sound was rounded out by keyboardist Dan Bagle. The band demonstrated that in music, a little can go a long way. Gretta Miller often filled out the band’s sound by providing a simple kick drum or tambourine accents.

The trio got the crowd’s attention with a cover of Bob Dylan’s 1964 classic “Boots of Spanish Leather,” as well as a song off its latest album called “Forgone,” about learning to accept change.

Follow writer David Gill at Twitter.com/saxum_paternus. Follow photographer Nathan McKinley at Instagram.com/memories.by.mckinley.