As the harvest moon rose up from the horizon, it's many deep hues of orange, red and yellow intermingling to brighten the evening sky, the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater began to fill with patrons unaware of the incredible show they were about to see. Tori Amos or Alanis Morisette alone would be enough to fill most arenas and please a throng this size, but tonight these folks were being treated to both - a double bill worthy of such an evening.

Tori took the stage first, to the roar of the sell-out crowd. After greeting the crowd, the red-haired goddess took her familiar place behind her Bosendorfer and immediately began serenading the masses with her hits from the past and tunes from her latest release from the choirgirl hotel (Atlantic Records). She even threw in an amazing cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Even though Tori now tours with a full band, the focus is always her and that piano, and the beautiful tones that emit from both.

At various points in the set, Tori spoke to the crowd about her songs and asked how they felt - standard stuff that tends to delight concertgoers. The fans took the greatest delight, though, in watching Tori seemingly make love to her piano as she lost herself in each song, a swirl of magick and wonder cascading around her. Those in attendance who might either not have been familiar with Tori's music, or possibly just unaware of her genius, were easily converted over to "Toriism." Those who were already ardent worshipers of the fairy queen were treated to something that is really the standard for Tori Amos: an incredible display of musicianship and beauty, all in one small package.

As Tori wrapped up her set, the gathering of worshipful young ladies who had made their way to the front of amphitheater, many of whom were dressed in fairy garb, were left spent and speechless, much like the rest of the crowd. Many of them called out their praise and love for Tori, which she graciously acknowledged as she departed. Even though the evening was merely half over, the fans realized they had already gotten their money's worth.

What was termed an "intermission period" between Tori and Alanis would have been better described as a recovery period. The gathering was just beginning to catch their collective breath when Alanis hit the stage.

In contrast to Tori, who spent most of her set seated at the piano, Alanis was a dynamo, moving from one end of the stage to the other and back again, rarely stopping for even a moment. With her long flowing locks and loose sari billowing as she pranced about, Alanis' energy ignited the crowd in a very different manner than Tori; whereas Tori pushed with a heavy intensity and deep passion, Alanis was vibrant and vivacious. As she moved through her many chart-toppers, the crowd began to sing along. Everyone in attendance knew the words - we're talking number one hits here.

While there was some question at the beginning of the evening if the fans of the worldly popular Alanis could mix well with the almost cultic following that Tori's fans provide, it was for naught. I seemed that those who were there for one or the other felt as though they had received a gift, in a sense, by being further exposed to either Tori or Alanis. Some of the Alanis fans commented that they had "no idea" Tori was that "amazing" a performer and similar comments went the other way.

As Ms. Morisette continued through her set, she at various times played harmonica, guitar and flute, displaying her ability as a true musician, not just a singer. While nearly all the songs were familiar, Alanis did mix in some new stuff from her latest, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (Warner Brothers), giving them a preview of hits to come.

As the evening drew to a close and the crowd began herding toward the exits, the common feeling was that, while no new musical ground had been broken, these people realized that they had been treated to a great evening of music by two of today's premier artists.

Tori and Alanis complemented each other like the sun and moon of this day itself, only in reverse. Tori provided the deeper, and in ways darker, intensity and passion coupled with the magick and fantasy of the night, while Alanis was constant and bright energy, flowing forth to bathe the crowd in her glow. Tori's intricate and almost Baroque melodies provided the perfect counterbalance to Alanis' crisp embracing pop.