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22 may USA Harlem, NY Riverside Church 7.45pm & 9.15pm - sold out! Two special 45-minute pre-gigs on one night, with Zeena & Matmos. 100 tickets sold though bjork.com Ticketprices: $35 + booking fee

Tracklist 01. Unravel 02. Undo 03. All is Full of Love 04. Pagan Poetry 05. Cocoon 06. Aurora 07. Generous Palmstroke 08. It's Not Up to You   Pictures Tickets & setlist, scanned by Eric Belair  More pictures to be seen here!       Pics from Q magazine Reviews Spin.com 05.20.2001 Bjork: Dancer In the Dark Harlem Church May 22, 2001. New York, NY-She walked on water. She healed the blind. She made the recession less painful. Or so it seemed on this magical spring night, where Bjork was not unlike Mother Theresa-prancing about barefoot in an intimate gothic chapel in Harlem, clad only in a simple white flowing robe, and singing songs beneath stained glass windows to a crowd of no more than a hundred. The occasion is the upcoming release of Verspertine, Bjork's fourth studio LP and the follow-up to 1997's Homogenic, due out August 28. In preparation for a fall tour that will take Bjork and her band to opera houses across the country, the Icelandic chanteuse has played a string of intimate warm-up gigs in her NYC loft, as well as Tuesday night's two 45-minute sets in Harlem's Riverside Church. A handful of tickets for each of the night's two shows were made available for fans exclusively through Bjork's website. The first of the eight-song set-six of which were from Vespertine-was Homogenic's "Unravel," during which Bjork walked down the church aisle, within arms reach of the audience, and without the aid of a microphone. Her ethereally beautiful voice echoed off the sandstone walls, literally electrifying the audience. Bjork was backed by a 12-woman choir, harp player Zeena Parkins, and Matmos (an electronic duo from San Francisco whose new album, A Chance to Cut Is a Chance to Cure was recently released on Matador records). The Matmos men, Drew Daniels and Martin Schmidt, were hemmed in by a slew of electronic mixers, wires, cords, and a G4 laptop from which they produced delicate and varied electronic samples and loops. And despite the limitations a three-piece band might present, the trio managed to vary its sound with great skill. On "Aurora," Matmos's Schmidt simply shuffled his feet in a pan filled with snow to create the song's gentle chugging rhythm. On "Undo," Parkins switched to harpsichord, before again moving on to accordion. The majority of Bjork's new songs were down-tempo, with subtle "IDM" (Intelligent Dance Music, that is-the unfortunate name of an electronic music sub-genre that uses barely perceptible warm electronic sounds) elements, and light rhythms-allowing Bjork's voice more room to soar than ever before. At age 35, after a decade of tumult and media battles, Bjork seems as if she may finally have found peace. The night's emotional crescendo came on "Pagan Poetry," a song where Bjork repeats the line "I love him," as the 12-woman chorus answers her back with, "She loves him." Then finally, Bjork concludes that, "This time, I'm gonna keep it to myself." Thankfully, on this night, Bjork failed to heed her own advice. Here is Tuesday night's set list: "Unravel" "Undo" "All is Full of Love" "Pagan Poetry" "Cocoon" "Aurora" "Palmstroke" "It's Not Up To You" By Andy Gensler (andy_gensler@hotmail.com) http://www.spin.com Read the article on spin.com! MTV.com Bjork Takes Vespertine To Church 05.24.2001 NEW YORK — As fans ambled into a tiny chapel at Riverside Church on Tuesday night, security guards kept reassuring them they were in the right place. Roughly 200 fans, who had scored tickets through the Icelandic singer's Web site, were at the historic Manhattan church for an exclusive first taste of Björk's upcoming album, Vespertine. They filed into the neo-gothic chapel to the strange, looping circus hymn of an oversized, transparent Porter music box playing its tune over and over and over. The chapel was adorned simply, with flowers and a few candlesticks. Harpist Zeena Parkins and experimental sound collagists Matmos were crammed into opposite sides of a stage assembled in the nave of the church, with a 12-woman choir between them. After the other musicians had taken the stage, Björk demurely walked to the nave in a simple white dress, said nothing, slid off her shoes and stepped past the microphone. Underscoring the intimacy of the venue, she sang the opening verses of the somber "Unravel," from her 1997 album, Homogenic, without a microphone as she walked barefoot through the chapel. Fans in aisle seats were clearly awestruck as she brushed past them. "Undo," the first new song of the night, Björk's voice soared over ethereal rings emanating from Matmos' Macintosh computer. The electronic duo — who collaborated with Björk on Vespertine (due August 28) — slipped subtle bells and tones into the mix without overwhelming Perkins' delicate strumming. Perkins switched to organ for the next song, "All Is Full of Love," the final track from Homogenic, and the last non-Vespertine song of the night. For the delicate, playful and sadly sweet new material that followed, Björk — who performed two identical 45-minute sets at the church — stretched her voice over layers of warm, acoustic instrumentation and Matmos' staccato blips and snaps. Some textures called to mind Radiohead's electronic opus Kid A. The Asian-inflected "Pagan Poetry" evolved into a gospel number, as the singer and her choir engaged in a dynamic call-and-response refrain. "Cocoon" was an emotional highpoint of the night, with Björk alternately singing and whispering about the most intimate of human behaviors in blush-inducing detail. For "Aurora," Matmos' Martin Schmidt stepped out from behind the computer to crush out rhythms using his feet and a box of Styrofoam, emulating the sound of boots trekking through snow. Themes of love and sacrifice resurfaced on "Palmstroke," in which Björk sang, "I give myself up ... I'm eternally yours" as Perkins' harp accompaniment soared to an intense climax. Throughout the show, Björk alternated between singing naturally and using a microphone. Between songs, she remained tight-lipped; her only words were to thank the audience for coming. She seemed most at ease during the night's final song, "It's Not Up to You." As the choir chanted the hooky chorus, Björk danced joyfully in front of the audience. It was a stirring finale and a signal to her fans that the singer is back in a peaceful place after the much-publicized trauma she endured while filming "Dancer in the Dark" (see "Bjork Says New Record Allowed Her To Clear Her Head"). The setlist for Björk's May 22 shows at Riverside Church: "Unravel" "Undo" "All Is Full of Love" "Pagan Poetry" "Cocoon" "Aurora" "Palmstroke" Scott Lapatine and Gideon Yago Read the article on mtv.com! billboard.com   Bjork / May 22, 2001 / New York (Riverside Church) May 23, 2001    Talk about a holy experience! For the hundred-or-so Bjork devotees who managed to score tickets for the Icelandic vocalist's preview concert last night (May 22) at New York's Riverside Church, it was just that. Backed by a 12-person choir, harpist Zeena Parkins, and experimental electronic duo Matmos, Bjork debuted six new songs set to appear on "Vespertine," due Aug. 28 from Elektra. The evening began on an appropriately heavenly note, as Bjork actually walked up and down the aisle while singing the sad, slow "Unravel," from 1997's "Homogenic" album. Fans sat with mouths agape, as Bjork's lyrics likely mirrored the inner monologue of those starved for a taste of her new material: "while you are away / my heart comes undone." The sensual "Undo" was next, marked by a chill-inducing vocal display prior to the song's fade into silence. Another subdued "Homogenic" track, "All is Full of Love," followed, as the solemn setting magnified the subject's struggle to realize the title phrase. "Pagan Poetry" then began a string of five consecutive new tracks, prominently featuring Parkins on harpsichord as well a humorous call-and-response from the choir. "Cocoon" returned to the more unusual synthesizer melodies and skittery beats of Bjork's past, as the vocalist sang of "immense beauty," "magical sensitivity," and "gorgeousness." On "Aurora," Matmos' M.C. Schmidt created the rhythm by sampling his own footsteps, dropping out of the mix in the middle of the track as Parkins plucked a resonant note from her harp. Parkins provided the lone accompaniment to Bjork's haunting vocals on "Palmstroke," a confession of complete absorption in a companion: "I turn myself in / I give myself up / undo this privacy / and put me in my place." The set's final number, "It's Not Up to You," grafted an uplifting chorus atop bizarre synth backing, which in this setting, served as a poignant reminder that much of life is beyond our control. In all, the performance emphasized the diversity of Bjork's songwriting, not to mention her ability to be effective in such a beautiful, delicate setting. The artist plans to stage more of this type of concert in the coming months, which may encompass a tour of opera houses. If the soul-searching new songs previewed tonight were any indication, "Vespertine" is just the album for such an undertaking. Here is Bjork's set list: "Unravel" "Undo" "All is Full of Love" "Pagan Poetry" "Cocoon" "Aurora" "Palmstroke" "It's Not Up to You" -- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y. http://www.billboard.com Read the article on billboard.com! A fan's review: Eric Belair From: "Eric Belair" <djylem@hotmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 4:57 PM Subject: the most amazing experience of my life!!! well everyone, i had the most exhilarating experience of my life last night! it was simply amazing! as most of you know, i was lucky enough to have tickets for both shows. i was the second person in line to pick up tickets, so when i got in, me and the girl i sold my ticket to (a sweet girl named amy) were the first people to walk in, and we were right in the front row! the setup was beautiful! we sat down in the front row, in the first two seats on the right, and my friend ken sat right next to us. we were on cloud nine. the microphone was set up only 12 feet away from us. i went and checked out the set list, and only recognized two songs (unravel and all is full of love). so we waited for a little while and everyone came out - the people playing the music, the harp player, a 12 person choir, and then björk. right there in front of us! she was beautiful! her hair, her makeup, her dress, everything! then the music started to one of my favorite songs off the last album - "unravel" (one of my new favorite songs). she started singing without the mic, and her voice just echoed so beautifully throughout the building, bouncing off the stone walls. she walked down the center aisle the whole time she sang "unravel". she walked right next the girl next to me! only about 3 feet away from me! i was shaking, and practically crying, it was so exciting. so she sang 7 or 8 more songs (i can't remember, but i'll send a copy the set list soon), and they were all amazing. her voice was so perfect! you would have been amazed by what she did with her voice. then she left the stage, and i waited around, in case she came out again, and i was able to grab a copy of her set list, as a memento. she did one song, which was a new one, that was so beautiful, called "cocoon" (the best song of the night). then we left and went outside and me and ken got back in line for the next show. unfortunately, we ended up near the back of the line, so this time we were in the tenth row, but i had an end seat, so when she came up the center row, she was within inches of me, and singing right in my ear! it was amazing! i luv bjork! i don't think i can ever attend a concert again for anyone! it will never, ever top this, unless radiohead or travis or coldplay played a show in my bedroom. thanks for listening to my long email... luv... ericb part2 here's some more things about the shows: the choir sounded great. especially during unravel. i could have done without them though. so i could hear more of bjork. i think it was mostly fans. i heard that most people there had guessed the password. the harp was amazing! i said hi to zeena real quick and showed her my appreciation. matmos didn't do much, besides sitting at the computer with a mouse in hand, but they did a great job nonetheless. for one song, one guy from matmos came out front and scraped his feet across some rock salt, which was miked and sounded awesome as a backdrop to the beats and music. i wish i could remember what song it was! she seemed like she was enjoying the performance. her voice was perfect, so she had no reason not to. she was smiling and happy most of the time, especially during Cocoon. and at the end of the second set, she came out and curtsied twice with a big smile on her face. so i'm sure she was happy. one thing i noticed was that she paid very little attention to the audience while singing - she never looked anyone in the eye the whole time she sung. very focused i guess. that's about it... ericb part 3 i thought i might explain to every one what the place was like: the entire church "complex" covers about four city blocks. i walked into one door, and the guy there told me to go around the other side, where i waited in line. once amy and i got our tickets, i walked to the door of the chapel. i stopped, stared in amazement, and my jaw dropped to the floor. it was simply beautiful. a beautiful little church with really high ceilings and the whole place looked like it was carved out of stone. there were about 15 rows of chairs, i think five on each side ( i know that equals more than 100, so i assume the rest were for the guestlist). they were tiny little wooden chairs that creaked. i saw it all before amy did, and she said the look on my face got her all excited, so we walked in together and walked right up front to the front row the first two seats on the aisle, she had the outside seat, i had the one next to her. the microphone was right in the middle on the floor at the same level we were. i couldn't believe i was going to be so close to her! i started shaking! right in front of us, to the right of the microphone, was a large music box which was playing beautiful music. i want that for my house! to the left of the microphone, was a small "piano" (i call it that but it probably has some special name because it was so small). zeena came down and played it for one song, i think all is full of love. (by the way, matmos played a live remix version of all is full of love. it was a harder version, similar to some parts of hunter and 5 years. it was really cool.) behind the microphone, there were four steps leading up to the "altar". on top of the steps were two tall microphone stands, which we would learn were for the choir. to the left was zeena's harp. it was pretty big (i don't know how else to describe it). to the right on top of the stairs was a table with some computer equipment, all i could see was a large LCD Mac monitor, probably 17", but that's irrelevant. this was where matmos was situtated. in front of that table was a "tray", like a large cookie tray with a large amount of rock salt in it and a microphone over it. matmos used this as "rhythmic noise", as i would call it, during one song, can't remember which. i thinkk that is it as far as the equipment set up. the church was beautiful, though, and simply breathtaking. i have such a huge appreciation for that genre of architecture. it was the perfect setting for this experience. and the acoustics in the church made the music and her voice sound even better. it was perfect! ericb A fan's review: Mifixi From: mifixi Time: 23-05-2001 - 20:44 GMT Topic: 2nd NYC set? The second show was different from the first in that the lights in the audience were turned off as opposed to left on. The set list, however, was the same. Both sets began with Bjork stepping out of her white high heels to sing "Unravel" off mic while walking down the short and narrow isle of the chapel. The difference in lighting between the two sets made each performance profoundly different. The first set looked more like a shared experience or ceremony than a performance. The atmosphere was appropriate considering the show's chapel setting. Because Bjork was wearing a white dress, and at one point walked down the chapel isle, I could not help but think about the connotations of marriage. The lighting also allowed Bjork to step in front of her microphone stand and venture into the audience throughout the set. The fact that only the front of the chapel was illuminated during the second set confined Bjork to a much smaller area if she wanted to remain seen. This resulted in a greater distance between Bjork and her audience through most the set. She did however begin the show by walking the length of the chapel, as she did in the first set. This was a more spiritual experience. During this performance her white dress made her seem like a ghost. Because she could not see the audience, I think that Bjork let her guard down and was less nervous. Although she danced more during the second set, both vocal performances were equal. Neither show was superior. One was more inclusive while the other more energetic; making both shows very special experiences. A fan's review: Tom Whitney From: "Tom Whitney" <Intuition22@AOL.COM> Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2001 4:29 PM Subject: the gig. I was able to attend the concert last night at 7:45... I see you have all been told all about the set list and the intimacy of the event... it’s was crazy. Although I enjoyed the ENTIRE show... here are 3 highlights: For the opener Bjork sang Unravel without a microphone... she lightly paced up and down the aisle of the small chapel... the crowd was stunned... this gesture was so intimate, and really engaged the crowd. Everyone there was SO pleased. And of course dead silent so as to not miss a note! Bjork was literally a hands touch away from each of us. Palm Stroke was also really strong..... I think this song could be Embrace Fortress. It had a real medieval vibe to it, and the lyrics were pure poetry. And Zeena’s harp playing was so dynamic on this track... it really showcases her talents. She played so gentle at times, and almost violent at others.  And another favorite moment of the performance was seeing Martin walk on a tray of rock salt to recreate the sound of the footsteps in the snow on Aurora. It was a bit silly, for sure... but I really liked that they choose to do it this was instead just playing a sample... NICE TOUCH!!!!!! I hope to see more stuff like this, because it just held a lot of integrity. I must agree with those that said the gig was mostly full of fans. It didn’t have a press and or VIP vibe at all. (I heard there was a bit more press at the later show). Most people I talked to were so excited to go to this concert, and said they couldn’t believe that got tickets.... everyone seemed to guess the password. Six fans who didn’t get tickets online got into this show... apparently 3 people failed to pick up their pairs of tickets. I was really happy to hear of their luck! There didn’t seem to be any scalping at all... the way the tickets were handed out... it was impossible to go back out on the street. So any notions of some sort of treachery regarding ticket sales is in my opinion absolutely false! These were all fans that obviously felt SOOO blessed. This little chapel was really beautiful and really tiny... Matmos, Zeena and the Choir were really packed into the altar. Bjork was on the floor in front. For those who care she looked lovely in a handsome drape of white fabric, it was almost toga like, and very pure in its look. She wore no shoes and her hair was long and down. And yes her eyebrows are back to black! So sleep well kids... no more worrying! LOL!  Speaking of style, nice mohawk on Drew! I haven’t been online since earlier so I don’t know what pictures have surfaced... I think I saw Meester Fly taking some... I figured it must be him since he was always surrounded by a swarm of adoring women! ;)   I got to talk to some of the choir before they left... they told me they really enjoyed doing the show, they said they had so much fun. It was all really sudden for them, and not their usual type of work. They were only hired a week before and learned all the songs from scratch in 5 hours the day before!!!!!!!!!!! WOW! Not bad at all... I’m impressed! The choir was 12 lovely women and they did a smashing job, and looked great on stage all dressed in black. I don’t really know what else to tell you other then I loved every second of the experience. If this is a warm up..... we’d all better brace ourselves. If you have any specific questions drop me an e-mail. bye.        -Tom (tHE bOY fROM tHE wHITE iSLAND) Wanna contribute? Codes in the + section: means tracklist, means review, means pictures, means samples Copyright © 1995-2001 by Björk Overseas Ltd. All rights reserved. See our privacy and copyright statement for more information.