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14 oct sunday USA Chicago Civic Opera House  Presale started on Friday, August 17 at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT. Regular tickets went on sale Saturday, August 18 at 11:00am CT.

Tracklist Part 1 01. Frosti 02. Overture 03. All Is Full Of Love 04. Harm Of Will 05. Unravel  06. It's Not Up To You 07. Cocoon 08. Jóga 09. Unison Part 2 10. You've Been Flirting Again (ice) 11. Isobel  12. I've Seen It All  13. Generous Palmstroke   14. Pagan Poetry 15. Army Of Me 16. Hyperballad Encore 1 17. Anchor Song (ice/eng) 18. Human Behaviour Encore 2 19. In Our Hands Pictures picture sent by Prithi ticket scanned by Ortgardener1930  photos by manofsuede  photos by lance  photos - japushka, i.grinev Reviews (send in your own review here)   October 14, 2001 - Björk, Matmos Sparkling slivers fell like snow around Björk Gudmundsdottir as she stood in a single spotlight, performing her wizardry while perched on a stool, for the opening music box lullaby, "Frosti". Then another instrumental filled the Civic Opera House, this time utilizing the 54-piece orchestra in the pit below. "Overture" - the classical musical strain from "Dancer In The Dark", for which Björk was nominated for best actress - allowed the tuba and bellowing brass to rumble amid the transcending strings. The two songs set the tone for the first set of the show - an introverted perusal with backdrops of winter landscapes. Then the 35-year-old Icelandic diva, decked out in the famous swan dress she wore to the Oscars, finally took the mic for "All Is Full Of Love". That, along with "Harm Of Will" and "Unison", seemed more restrained than the portraits of intimacy she captured so effortlessly in her latest release, "Vespertine". Björk especially strove for that intimacy during "Cocoon". While one of the highlights, it didn't quite reach the whispering subjective world of the recording. It was further distracted by the synthesizer duo Matmos, who were affectionate with one another - perhaps illustrating the song's intent. "It's Not Up To You" and "Joga" were more successful as Björk, the orchestra, and the 11-member female Inuit choir from Greenland belted out the songs, finding wonder and beauty in the combination. Despite the number of artists involved, it became apparent that Zeena Parkins was the most vital musician as she rotated between the harp, celeste, accordion, and harmonium. The Matmos electronica duo, which opened for Björk, provided the programming. Björk opened her second set with "You've Been Flirting Again", but in her Icelandic tongue. This time she wore a cherry snazzy top with a ball belle skirt made of faded red ostrich feathers, dipped in black at the ends. The ascending orchestral sounds wavered amid Björk's voice. "Isobel" and "Pagan Poetry" best used all of the elements Björk could choose from, but they paled to the extroverted artillery of "Army Of Me" and "Hyper-Ballad", from "Post". They found the yin as Björk's more aggressive side, leaning heavily on Matmos' beats. "Generous Palmstroke", a B-side, flourished too, sounding like a Portuguese folk song with Björk singing along, accompanied only by Parkins' harp-playing plucks. For the encore, Björk sifted through two songs from "Debut". She began gingerly with "Anchor Song", with Parkins pumping the harmonium pedals. Barefoot, as she was throughout the whole concert, she skipped through the danceable "Human Behavior". She ended the evening with a new song, "In Our Hands", which began with hand-clapping and ended with Björk running to the corners of the stage, throwing punches in the air to the celebratory beat. Matmos, the San Francisco duo of M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel, opened the concert with a bizarre excursion of ambient sounds that spat and sputtered throughout their near-instrumental set. The video screen behind them showed maps of streets and cities, but mostly close-ups of the human body. During one song, one of the men took a buzzing probe instrument to the other's skin, while a third person videotaped it for everyone to see. They closed the set exploring the percussion and hissing of balloons, which felt more like performance art than a concert. Setlist First Set: "Frosti"/"Overture"/"All Is Full Of Love"/"Harm Of Will"/"Unravel"/"It's Not Up To You"/"Cocoon"/"Joga"/"Unison" Second Set: "You've Been Flirting Again"/"Isobel"/"I've Seen It All"/"Generous Palmstroke"/"Pagan Poetry"/"Army Of Me"/"Hyper-Ballad" First Encore: "Anchor Song"/"Human Behavior" Second Encore: "In Our Hands" Written by Gala M. Pierce. Posted on 10/21/2001.   it was a spectacular show...words cannot describe the sheer beauty of it.  all i can say is that nothing can ever compare.  thank you, bjork, for bringing tears to my eyes out of pure joy... k.   the chicago show was brilliant.  everything was so perfect.  the opera house, matmos, the choir, the orchestra, zeena parkins, and of course bjork.  we couldn't have asked for a better show from her and her friends.  what a beautiful evening!!  by the way, if anyone has a recording of the show i'm dying to get my hands on a copy.  please e-mail me:  whitworthcas@aol.com    Bjork is an Icelandic Goddess incarnate. Her magic emanates from her voice and vision of the future, while being firmly rooted in the present & past. A wise one indeed... She wove a strong musical spell last night at the Lyric Opera House. The sound & vision meshed in ways not usually heard, seen or felt in Pop music performances of late. It was a unique and moving spectacle of graceful form and raw emotional inter-change. Her set list was impeccably delivered, though "Hidden Place" was missed. Besides this omission, the songs translated distinctly, yet in a familiar and headphone-kind-of-way. "You've Been Flirting Again" in Icelandic was breathtaking... Bright blessings, Bjork, Ezzie Violet   Here's my review, gonzo style: What an unbelievable experience. We drove from Minneapolis to Chicago (and got stranded in Wisconsin due to car trouble on the way home) but I would driven to anywhere in the country to see a show like this. My first, of hopefully, many Bjork and friends show. I had tickets in row KK on the way left, but hey, as long as I could hear the music, it was all good. I very very happy to have gotten tickets. But yes, this WAS an unbelievable experience....sometimes it still doesn't seem real. It's a very odd thing to find a certain musician that absolutely captures your heart, imagination, and soul, dream about how great it would be to see a concert, and then actually get to go. But now I am addicted to Bjork concerts. Something everyone who likes Bjork's music should get to do is listen to her live, in the flesh, at an opera house. I was completely vulnerable, in complete awe, from the power and beauty of her voice at the concert. The music p! ermeated into my heart and soul, and I hope to keep it there, and take it with me, make it a part of me. The crowd was great: respectful, cheery, and excited. Before the lights dimmed for Bjork to take the stage, I could feel the butterflies fluttering around in all of our stomachs. You could all but smell the anticipation in the air. We were ready for a great nite of music. We let go of ourselves and got ready to absorb the music with our souls, and our humanity. It would soak up easily. The opera house was dark. A figure scurried on stage, hidden to our eyes by the darkness, but we sensed the bright light at the core of this figure kept hidden by her flesh. Our response was clapping and cheering, and smiling with joy in return for her sharing her light with us. And she hasn't even begun to sing yet. Bjork took a seat, a soft light illuminated an outline of her body. I thought to myself, the constellation Bjork. Snow began to fall over this goddess who was signaling the winter's return with the crank of her music box on the song "Frosti". The dim light supporting the o! utline of Bjork faded out after the song. She would keep us waiting to see her in full light, but appropritately so with the Overture from Dancer in the Dark. Hearing this in darkness reminded me of Selma. Next was "All is Full of Love" which was the best version I have ever heard. Well all the songs were the best version I've ever heard. Well I can't possibly talk about every song, but here's my feelings on a couple. When she sang Joga, I could feel the music literally, physically, flow through me. There was a nice, warm stream of energy flowing throughout my entire body. I stopped watching Bjork and closed my eyes and became completely vulnerable to the energy of her music. It was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever experienced. It was a wonderful suprise to hear Army of Me and especially Hyperballad. The crowd roared in applause as Bjork playfully ran off stage. We knew she had to come back. What happened next was a beautiful rendition of "Anchor Song", combining both Icelandic and English. Then she introduced the people she was collaborating with on the concert. Her genuine character and sweetness jumped out at me and she simply stated who they were. I thi! nk she was having a lot of fun, and so were we. Then Human Behavior was sung with an explosive energy and glee. Then, one of my favorite moments in the night, she sang "In Our Hands", which was an amazing new song. Then Bjork said "Thank you for tonite." Thank you, Bjork, for a celebration in music and humanity. I would like to add that I think these concerts are being performed at an extremely important time for the people of the United States. And its nights like these that keep us going and show us the light one human being can share in not so great times. It's easier to see the beautiful in the ugly; the swan in the swamp. Sean   http://metromix.com/ Music review, Bjork at the Civic Opera House By Greg Kot It played like a scene out of a Wim Wenders movie, a visitation by a surreal angel come to mystify and enchant with the sound of harps, chimes and choirs while feathers floated from above. Dressed in white, a swan's head draped over her shoulder, Bjork Gudmundsdottir sat on the stage of the Civic Opera House on Sunday and serenaded a capacity audience with "Frosti," a wordless lullaby played on a children's music box. It was a bravura exercise in mood-setting by the 34-year-old Icelandic singer, whose reputation for creating otherworldly avant-pop music has flourished over five increasingly mesmerizing solo albums in the last decade. The performance was feverishly anticipated; one of only a half-dozen North American dates, Sunday's show sold out 3,500 tickets in 10 minutes. It was an indication of the stature Bjork has attained, not by catering to mainstream tastes, but by challenging them. She was among the first pop artists to embrace electronic dance music, and her search for new sounds continues; opening act Matmos flirted with goofiness, rubbing and blowing on balloons to add another rhythmic element to their ping-ponging computer beats. But the true source of Bjork's burgeoning popularity is the emotional openness of her spectacular voice, a huge instrument that belies her diminutive stature. When that voice was in its glory—growling on "Human Behavior," declaring her love with unabashed glee on "Pagan Poetry," going toe-to-toe with an orchestra and holding her ground on "Joga"—she was a tiny miracle of moxie and wonder. Even in her lesser moments, the fragile latticework of her recent music destroyed by overly harsh sound experiments, she was never anything less than herself, the least self-conscious of divas. Though she frequently traffics in outrageous otherworldliness, this show was more about Bjork's private inner-world. She strived to create a theater of intimacy, whispering in the listeners' ears, especially during the deep-breathing passages of "Cocoon." The illusion was created even though the singer was backed by one of the most elaborate supporting casts in recent pop-concert history: a 54-piece orchestra, an 11-member choir, a synthesizer duo and harpist Zeena Parkins. The evening was split into two distinct sections, the first devoted primarily to the songs and spirit of Bjork's latest album, "Vespertine." The music was bathed in treble, the tinny, shimmering sounds in the upper range of the sound spectrum: the celestial cascade of Parkins' harp, the fairy-tale twinkle of the music box, the swoop and swoon of the orchestra's string section. Even Matmos' rhythms suggested a dreamy free-fall; the beats did not so much drive the music as sputter, click and purr on its fringes, molecules adrift in a gravity-free environment. Bjork approached her performance more like an actress than a typical rock or pop singer; initially, she barely acknowledged her audience or her fellow music-makers. But her demeanor didn't have the cold remove of another singer-actress-performance artist with a penchant for elaborate visual concepts: Madonna. Instead of keeping the listeners at arm's length, Bjork's more-is-less strategy pulled them closer. As Bjork beckoned, "We go to that hidden place." Yet the songs never settled for mere prettiness. Even in its most hushed state, her music brimmed with an unsettling sense of anxiety and anticipation. Her voice floated beautifully in the open spaces, but occasionally found itself overwhelmed in the more densely arranged moments. She fought back on "Joga," her voice no longer delicate but agitated, reveling in her "state of emergency." The second half amplified this anxiety, literally and figuratively, the look and tone becoming more strident. The oracle of interior stillness who dominated Act 1 was a more animated performer, dancing and prowling. Now she was the shabby angel who had fallen to Earth, wearing the scarlet dress of a predator, adorned with feathers and glass that tinkled as she moved. She looked ridiculous and wondrous: a shimmying belly dancer, a barefoot ballerina, a weathered Atlantic City showgirl, a sea urchin. The Matmos beats hardened, and the soft contours of the earlier ballads developed some edges. "Hyper-ballad" chugged toward the dance floor, and "Army of Me" rode a thick groove while Parkins' electronic harp found an eerie middle ground between the sound of a sitar and a whining slide guitar. Even the somewhat staid-looking choir, from Greenland, found itself grooving, Temptations style. The closing song, an unreleased uptempo track built on joyous hand-clap rhythms, asked, "Aren't we scaring ourselves ... aren't we trying too hard?" Though carefully sculpted, Bjork's music never sounds overthought. Especially when she raises a tiny fist and lets that voice fly, as if calling down some more angels.   http://www.suntimes.com/ Bjork at the Civic Opera House October 16, 2001 What if "Fantasia" were reimagined for the Ecstasy Generation? That's the question Icelandic alt-rocker Bjork posed at her sold-out show Sunday night at the Civic Opera House. Though she was not fully successful in providing the answer, you had to admire her ambition as she performed with an orchestra of some four dozen Chicago musicians, an 11-member female Inuit choir from Greenland, multi-instrumentalist Zeena Parkins and electronic bleep-and-blurp specialists Matmos. For much of her post-Sugarcubes career, Ms. Gudmundsdottir has complained of being portrayed as a pixie from the frozen north lands instead of a serious, genre-defying musician and vocalist of startling originality. But she actually played to her stereotype through the first of two sets, dancing barefoot with awkward, spritelike moves in front of slides of icebergs and snowscapes while sporting her now-infamous swan dress. Bjork only really came alive late in the evening during the two encores. Then she teetered on the brink of the orchestra pit and twirled in her second outfit, a red affair involving sparkles and ostrich feathers, while delivering gripping versions of "Human Behavior" and a catchy new ditty called "Our Hands." At 35, the singer is clearly wrestling with the dilemma of how to segue from her younger, harder-rocking persona into something more mature and "artistic." As she drew from her new album, "Vespertine," the first set found her veering dangerously close to snoozy new age Muzak and pseudo-avant-garde, mock-classical pretentiousness like the Kronos Quartet. The second set was stronger, injecting more of her upbeat, dance-oriented material. But it suffered from the lack of a human drummer. With all of those hired musicians, couldn't Bjork spring for a flesh-and-blood backbeat? In fact, the orchestra and the choir were underused throughout; it was as if someone had handed Bjork these potent musical tools and she wasn't quite sure about what to do with them. However, Parkins was indispensable, hammering away at an electronic harp, plucking a more conventional acoustic model, squeezing an accordion, tinkling a celeste and pumping a harmonium. Bjork could have performed with Parkins alone and, with the superior acoustics of the opera house, the crowd would have been riveted as she weaved her serpentine vocals through her pagan poetry. And a scaled-back approach certainly could have saved her some dinero on union-scale accompanists. Opening for Bjork with a set of its own material was the San Francisco duo Matmos. Aided at times by a third conspirator, Andrew Daniel and Martin Schmidt attempted to make Tortoise or Aphex Twin-like instrumental soundscapes out of synthesizer burps, squeaking balloons, the plucked wires of a bird cage, and an electronic sensor that reacted when pressed to the skin. Video footage of the latter, including said device's collision with a pimple, was magnified and projected onto a giant screen in what must have been a first for this venerated venue. It was the epitome of electronic charlatanism masquerading as high art. Everyone reading this review could make more interesting music than Matmos by leaning on their car horns, hitting the wrong keys on the computer, or leaving the phone off the hook until the annoying tone kicks in. Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic   So this was my first Bjork show. Everyone has already summed up how beautiful and magical the show was. All I can add is that if I could bottle up an event and relive it -- this would be the one.   Lacy   everything was beautiful and so was she. i'm glad she played isobel and unison. i am soooooo happy. isara   http://rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=14768 Bjork Soars in Windy City Singer displays bird behavior at Civic Opera House It was more of a visitation by a barefoot nymph than a grand entrance by a pop singer whose show had been sold out weeks in advance. With a swan's head draped over the shoulder of her white sequined frock, Bjork serenaded a capacity audience at Chicago's Civic Opera House on Sunday night with a wordless lullaby played on a children's music box while feathers floated from above. She spent the next hour exploring the relatively hushed contours of her latest album, Vespertine. Computer duo Matmos ventured into a nether world of clicks, hisses and purrs instead of dance beats, while Zeena Parkins' cascading harp, an eleven-voice choir and a fifty-four-piece orchestra bathed Bjork in treble -- the celestial frequencies in the upper end of the sound spectrum. The tiny singer's big voice played in the clouds, so intent on promoting intimacy that on "Cocoon" it consisted of little more than her amplified breathing. The old Bjork moxie resurfaced on "Joga," as she went toe-to-toe with the orchestra, and dominated the show's second half. A new crimson outfit jangled as the singer skipped and danced to Matmos' more strident rhythms. Parkins' electronic harp -- which sounded like a cross between a sitar and a slide guitar -- gave "Army of Me" fresh urgency. The singer growled playfully on "Human Behavior," roared with lusty affirmation on "Pagan Poetry" and blasted through the anxiety of "Hyper-Ballad." The closing song, a new uptempo track built on joyous hand-clap rhythms, even got the staid choir grooving, Temptations style. An evening that began in surreal solitude ended with crashing cymbals and Bjork punching the air, smiling at the chaos. GREG KOT (October 16, 2001)   I've been fighting the urge to write this for two days now because it's not my style, but I can no longer hold back.  I actually owned Debut for an entire year before I could listen to it all the way through.  Now, seven or eight years later, I can not go a day without a musical joy transfusion from one of Bjork's albums.  For those of you who can't get enough of Bjork's music, an event like this seems too good to be true.  For first timers, actually getting a ticket seems to good to be true.  If you desire it, do everything in your power to make it happen (short of breaking the law). You will be rewarded, as I was.  Incredible!  The most intense live musical experience of my life, and dare I say one of the top five experiences of my life.  I drove ten hours through four states to watch and listen.  Now having been through the experience,  I would have driven 30 hours and paid 10 times the amount to be in the lobby!  I'm still in awe at Bjork's presence and pure talent.  She was everything I could have dreamed of and more.  Even in the fifteenth row, I wasn't close enough.  Only with binoculars could you get a view of the whole experience, a real sense of Bjork's personality, her facial expressions, concentration, and above all her love of music exuding from every pore.  That in and of itself was half the show.  She had me grinning from ear to ear the whole time.  A sight to behold.  So if you have always wanted a chance to experience Bjork live, don't listen to the neh sayers, I have no connections, I don't know anybody who has special privileges, I'm a fairly regular guy who got a ticket and experienced an event that I will never forget.  Do it, you will thank yourself, and of course bjork, for the extra effort. And on the off chance that the musicians are on the web looking for some input.  Matmos, the choir, the orchestra, the conductor, fantasic job, everything was seemless from where I sat.  And of course, Thank you Bjork, keep doing your thing, you are an inspiration, Vespertine is a gem. Dan H.   Words can't describe this evening.  The whole night seemed very surreal...it still seems like only a dream.  Thousands of beautiful people, a beautiful venue, and most importantly...very beautiful music.  There was a strange energy from the moment she stepped onto the stage, and the energy seemed to build throughout the night.  As the choir left the stage, and Bjork broke out into "Army of Me" the whole building had possibilities of exploding.  It is remarkable how well the show sounded...much like each disc, but with an unbelievable energy.  The entire evening forced myself and many others to leave with a newfound sense of beauty and happiness.    Steve   Bjork put on the most beautiful performance I have ever seen in my life! Her voice is truly heaven sent! So strong and so gorgeous. For her to perform at the Civic Opera House was just so...magical, absolutely MAGICAL! I actually bursted into tears when she sang "Unison". "Isobel" really made her come alive! The whole performance dazzled me with spine-tingling-shivers. I knew it would be an extaordinary experience but, I had no idea she would leave me fantastically numb! Bjork truly is a great performer!!! I am still burning with fever for more!! I am so glad I took notes and imprinted every image of her performance in my memory. I play her concert over and over on my headphones. It is like I am there all over again. Is it possible to be this obsessed?   Star*   It became clear to me on Sunday in Chicago that Bjork is only visiting our planet.  I am so very happy that she stopped by... --A Fan   All certainly was full of love last night!  I felt so lucky to be at this show, not just because Björk's (and Matmos's, Zeena's, and the choir's) performances were so fantastic, but because the crowd was so great and that really seemed to make Björk happy.  It gave the whole evening a certain energy that made us all leave with a renewed passion for life.  I've never been in a crowd that showed more adoration and love for the performer, and Björk deserved every second of the two standing ovations...  I'll never forget the way she looked standing on stage at the end of the show with a girlish grin and saying to the crowd "You're very sweet" then later curtsying and frolicking off backstage to the delight of everybody in the room.  Her performance was at once delighful and moving.  And I think we can safely say that the Civic Opera House has never before rocked like when she performed "Isobel".  A few times she messed up the words; It really shows how effortlessly she transports herself into the world of her music, and then brilliantly adlibs her way back into the reality of the concert if she loses track of where she is in the song.  She proved that among the many other facets of her musical talent, she is exceptionally gifted at live performing.   She looked angelic in a sequined white dress (complete with swan around the neck) for the first part of the show, and at the intermission she changed into the devilishly elegant and playful red peacock dress with the glass beads that jingled all the way to the end of the second encore.  (With a few delightfully unplanned shimmies in "The Anchor Song"...  I swear that dress is a musical instrument in and of itself!)  The last thing she said before we all left was "Thanks for tonight".  Likewise Björk.  I've never been so smitten with an evening of live music.      Adam Livermore   I flew in from Lincoln Ne to see this show and I want to say it was worth it.  I have seen it all now.  I cried with sure pleasure and extacy as Frosti began and when the overture started i lost it.  The flight to Chicago was long and drawn out but it was all worth it.  My favorite was Pagan Poetry as she sang 'i love him i love him' my heart melted.  then into army of me and hyperballad, i almost peed myself.  i was so happy i wanted to lay down and lick myself.  I do have to say the best was the 'new song'  it was an extrodinary way to end the concert.  i left me yelling 'do it again' love armyofadoremi    Chicago: I might be the only 42yearold who treated his parents to the show. Well, they love Gling-glo. They drove 5 hours to get here, too. Imagine, they survived Matmos, though some of it they found painful to listen to; really only appreciated the balloon-rising with the attached Bjork-song-playing device at the end.  That made them smile.  They also pointed out that she was barefoot throughout. Pluses:  Excellent clarity of sound, not too loud.  Sang Unravel, Joga, Unison, Isobel -- very well.  She talked some; mentioned that the orchestra for this concert was local to Chicago.  Every section started PUNCTUALLY (amazing for an American pop music show). Minuses:  Only 19 songs, and with Frosti and Overture, only 17 really.  No Tanya Tagaq.  No Bachelorette.  Could have done without I've Seen it All, Generous Palmstroke, It's not Up to You just to hear Bachelorette. Overall:  A daring, balanced, accomplished performance by everyone as a team.  A good night for Herself (on some songs, a most excellent night.) Wishes:  Come back soon, Bjork; you owe us 4 songs. Play I Miss You next time, pretty please.  Takk.                             -- Marek My recollection of the setlist: Part 1 01.  Frosti 02.  Overture 03.  All Is full of Love 04.  It's Not Up to You 05.  Unravel 06.  Coocoon 07.  Joga 08.  Harm of Will 09.  Unison Part 2 10.  You've Been Flirting Again (icelandic) 11.  Isobel 12.  I've Seen It All 13.  Generous Palmstroke 14.  Pagan Poetry 15.  Army of Me 16.  Hyperballad Encore 1 17.  Anchor Song (icelandic/english) 18.  Human Behaviour Encore 2 19.  In Our Hands    Well, after fighting tooth and nail with tears and foot-stomping to get a hold of these Bjork tickets online, I felt like the luckiest gal in the world .  Bjork picked no less than the best (the beautiful venue, the great acoustics, the orchestra, the choir, the harpist, Matmos) to back her up.  As for Matmos, I am not sure what they were doing to each other at the beginning of their set, but I was entranced by close-ups of pores and noses and ears and other fleshy parts of their bodies, all the while making music.  The hamster cage sounds were eerily reminiscent of horror-flick murder music.  I dont know where Bjork found them, but Matmos is a perfect fit for her.  Anyway, I had no idea that the silence at the beginning of the concert was due to a problem, but I personally loved that long, delicious pause and thought it was supposed to be there.  All m! y hairs were all standing on end and I was leaning so far forward in my seat and forgetting to breathe during that torturous anticipation that when those first few notes of "all is full of love" came out, I almost fell out of my chair.  That huge moment of suspense fit perfectly and it made the concert that much more gratifying.  I had driven 9 hours and waited since August-that last few seconds was too much!   And after the song, came her voice: 'Allo boostoon!"  I'll never forget it.  At the end of the first set came a surprise: Play Dead, one of my favorites.  It's an even more powerful song live!  Then she disappeared and I had some time to get my heart beating again after that unbelievable initial silence.  And she came back out, this time with some percussion accompaniment of her own: the painted-red microscope slides dangling from the bodice of an amazing blood-red ostrich feather dress which made her look and move like a d! ashboard hula-girl.  Every one of her movements was amplified both by an exotic tinkling of the slides and by the huge feather skirt which made each sway and switch of her hips seem naughty and provocative.  We also got to hear some mesmerizing Icelandic, both in "youve been flirting again" and "the anchor song" which was such a treat. For "the anchor song," incredible musician Zeena Parkins played a rickety little organ whose keys you could hear clicking and clacking as she played, and she got every note and rhythm exactly right.  Did I mention Bjork's bare feet?  I think everyone but Matmos was barefooted as well and it was such a special little thing to notice.  The Inuit choir- I was so thankful for my binoculars, because the faces and smiles of those girls singing I will never forget.  Bjork played _2_ encores for us, and I will also never forget Bjorks' screaming "TERRIBLY MOODY!!!' at us during "Human Behavior" as well as her little dance! s and hand gestures and those facial expressions during the whole concert!   For her final song, she played her secret new song "Our Hands" which could have been the best song of the night.  I wish I could have taken Bjork home with me.  I had an new feeling after i got home, and that was that I actually missed Bjork and I couldn't stop thinking about her.  I dont know what I would do without her music.  God bless her! n.         Last night was like the most best day of my life.  It was totally worth the 10 hours it took to get there.  I have never heard Matmos before yesterday, but it was pretty cool, the ballon song, and I think they used a hamster cage or something for another song. Then Bjork came out with the snow flakes, sitting on her stool. It was all so not real to me,  I couldnt believe I finally got to see her, it was like a dream come true.          The second half was really good. There was alot of sniffling around me, It was very emotional.  I just wanted to get up and jump and scream during hyperballed, but, no one else was, and I had to respect the really nice theatre and everything.  The choir was great, even they're dancing and everything.  Bjork set the mood there for sure. Everyone got excited when she was dancing ,  making her little screams, or when she made her red outfit jingle.         The ending was really awsome, she came back and sang the anchor song, then human behavior. (which really got everyone happy).  I think "In our hands" was a really good way to wrap it up. Over all it was good, and worth the long uncomfortable trip. I would do it again in a flash, and I cant wait for another chance!         The only bad part was them running out of the black shirts :(, but I baught every other one to make up for it. It was great!             Thank you Bjork, you make life worth living.                        Tony   When the orchestra unleashed the overture, my goosebumps got goosepimples, and I was sweating from the anticipation.  As beautiful as any picture or artists rendition, Bjork sat in that solo light sprinkled with feathery white papers, completely still and radiant.  I couldn't begin to express my torment when those polar white blinding lights stole her from my sight.  It was over far too soon!  I just want to thank every member of that stage, Matmos, the choir, the harpist, the orchestra, and of coarse Bjork! Keep up all the hard work B-  "PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ON OUR COASTS AND ACROSS ALL SEAS" -GazE- j.d.p.- Detroit, MI-USA   Why is everyone afraid to admit that we were cheated of  Tagag. Possibly Maybe, Bachelorette, Hidden Place  etc. we  paid  as much, if not more than any one else and got much less than many others got in other cities. I really love you  bjork and have been supporting your career all along. This false promise of doing small venues is unforgivable since the frequency of them is so rare. Why even get our hopes up when it only happens for the elite. Don't advertise a throat singer unless you can produce one! One should announce exactly who is playing at the show before one sells tickets! Bjork you were wonderful, sublime but we hold you to a higher standard, because YOU raised the bar for all performers. gerald    The doors to the Civic Opera House opened and I walked inside amongst the hundreds of other excited fans.  The place was gorgeous. We all scurried about the regal interior, tackling the souvenir stand for t-shirts.  Finally everyone was settled...and me...well, I had to take a bathroom run so I missed a tiny bit of the Matmos show.  They had just began when I scrambled to find my seat in the dark, a seat away from a Meester Fly impersonator and his friend who wore fuzzy leopard pants and held an ostrich egg ;D Everyone got quiet and I did as well.  I watched with curiosity as they performed.  There were images of close-up hairs from Martin's arm...which I was amazed at, since it was so CLOSE!  Instead of hairs falling it seemed more like trees, taking the quiet and making symphonies.  The balloon launch was a success, and I laughed as it climbed to the top of the opera ceiling sounding like a drunken elf.  Everyone clapped and seemed to really enjoy them.  One boy behind me in particular. Then what I had flown 5 hours for and waited months for... Her black figure entered the stage and I actually held my breath and I was much more aware my heart was pumping.  "Frosti" twinkled away while orange snow fell.  Then "Overture" from Selmasongs began, slowly swelling until I actually cried a few tears. She sings!  "All is Full of Love" was the perfect start, though we didn't need to be reminded of it considering where we all were at that moment.  Her face was shadowed by the microphone, but I could make out that she was wearing blue and green eye makeup like a sleeping mask around her eyes.  She sported the beaded white swan outfit and was of course, barefoot.  And it seemed her bangs had been cut shorter, and her hair also seemed shorter and closer to her head than I've seen it lately.  Security was tight on cameras and recording devices, so no pictures from the event from me. "Harm of Will" and "Unravel" were very touching, very beautiful.  Myself, and the guy sitting next to me were all thrilled when "It's Not Up To You" started.  The choir was very different sounding than from the album, and they were very energetic and seemed to be swaying more from their own happiness and pleasure to be on this tour than from the beat of the songs :)  They had huge smiles and some made me think of the figure Björk sings about in the song "Mama" from her Sugarcube days. "Cocoon" was breathtaking, no more needs to be said...except that Martin seems to have some magical hands. The crowd went wild when the strings of "Jóga" surfaced.  I could spot Simon Lee waving his wand, the orchestra was invisible.  A lovely moment occurred during the song when everything stopped for a second...then, "eeeeeee-moooo-ooooohh-shheeen-ahhh-ahh-ahlll!"  When it ended everyone on stage left quickly for the first intermission of her performance. She came back in her now famous fiery red Alexander McQueen gown, bringing with her "You've Been Flirting Again", sung in Icelandic.  "Isobel" was where it was at though.  She shook off her intimate-quiet mode and slipped into this goddess of the forest attitude.  Her arms lifted into the air, swayed to the sides...like an entranced ballerina.  I quietly sang along.  She was perfect, it sounded better than any Isobel I'd ever heard before.  She sang "I've Seen It All" next.  She swayed her hips which is nothing short of amazing when you've got a glorious huge red ball gown streaming red ostrich feathers.  I kept staring at her feet and toes while she sang ;) "Generous Palmstoke" was another huge highlight to something which is hard to highlight when it all feels like a dream.  Very powerful.  She got gruff with some of those,"she's STRONG in his hands!"  Towards the end, Björk stood by Zeena with pride as the harp went wild. "Pagan Poetry" was thrilling.  My favorite song from Vespertine, it blows me away anytime I hear it on the album, and this was no exception. "Army of Me" was hard-core.  Almost too loud for me, and the sound seemed to get a bit muddy.  The most grungy song of the night from Björk, the brave and odd ugly duckling.  Still very enjoyable.  I think "Hyperballad" got the most screams when everyone immediately recognized it.  A girl a few rows ahead of me was bopping her head, I wanted to stand up, it felt odd to be sitting down at times, this was one of those times.  Everyone went nuts when she did the simplest little run across part of the stage. She could barely wiggle her hip or caress her feathers, and she'd get swoons and applause ;) The group darted off the stage and the lights went down.  Everyone was already on their feet cheering like mad for 5 or 6 minutes until they entered the stage again, and the already HUGE applause seemed quiet when the eruption from everyone spewed as Björk took her place standing by Zeena with her accordion.  The first half was sung in Icelandic which is something I had never heard before I know she had done this with previous shows, but it was still very touching for her to split the song like that.  Half of it seemed all hers, letting us only share by the sound of the words...and not the words themselves.  Then the English verse took over, and it got more applause as she started.  She made the sweetest gesture also, as she offered a few tiny shakes perfectly in time with the accordion, many people made very humble and excited giggles. Human Behaviour EXPLODED as the stage was filled with everyone again. Probably my second favorite of the night, next to "Isobel".  She screamed in between verses of the song.  At this point I finally realized how absolutely flawless the show had been.  I wasn't critiquing or waiting for anything to go wrong, but it just hit me that her voice, Matmos, the choir, Zeena...it was all such amazing cooperation. The stage emptied again.  This time they entered quicker than from the last encore.  Björk was so cute as she thanked the audience and did a curtsy.  She introduced her friends to everyone.  Starting with Simon Lee and, "an orchestra, from YOUR town...Chicago!"  Then she girlishly rushed over by Matmos, and presented them, her Greenland Choir, and Zeena Parkins.  She went on to explain that the next song was a new one, there was applause while she was talking and when it quieted she just said something like, "Umm yeah, so...it's new!  Hasn't been released yet!" And, what else but "Our Hands" begins!  I have to admit to not being a huge fan of the studio version, but this live one was incredible.  The Greenland Girls added their own bit of "reality music" to the show as they contributed to the texture of the song by playing a sort of 'patty cakes' with their hands in the opening.  The song was so filled with passion, Björk kept motioning with her hands as she sang the actual word "hands".  The audience got a chance to clap along a little while.  Björk clapped as well, she seemed to me at her most excited of the night. It was a precious and generous closing to a grand Björk concert, my very first. --Lance http://www.bjork.has.it ICQ: 115061737   SKIES LOWER; HEAVEN VISITS CHICAGO   News just in: those thick icy clouds that watered the city all day Saturday have departed, and Sunday evening it become apparent to anyone fortunate enough to have taken shelter inside the Lyric Opera House that Heaven is now a place on earth.  Specifically, that place is the Opera House because Björk, Zeena, Matmos, Simon Lee, and an Inuit Choir with orchestra have blessed everyone present.   Yes, can you tell?  I am very happy now.  Everyone else here has already told enough of the details so I need not add more.  I have to admit though, that during the first part of Björk's set I had the distinct impression she was uncomfortable.  There were moments in which she seemed halting, and she *did* miss cue on a lyric or two.  But by the end of her first set she was settling in nicely, and in fact the whole set from the beginning suffered almost nil from her unsure start.  (during Jôga she seemed frustrated at the slow tempo of the orchestra, which seemed to drag the pace down).  These are minor points though, as I agree with another reviewer here who said Jôga was a high point!  Do I seem contradictory?  Well, it is just impossible to adequately describe anything about Björk without being so.    One thing I HAVE to comment on is her dresses...so far I have only seen still photos of her in the swan dress and the red one, but watching her move on the stage lets us see how fabulous these dresses are!  They are made for dancing :-)  I was just hypnotized by the way the red one swept to and fro as she moved her hips.  Gorgeousness.  (and she used the glass slides as percussion in Anchor Song!)   Who was it here who said he was tapped on the shoulder and asked to stop dancing during the second encore?  I was just four rows behind you and saw that!  I also saw other people dancing near the orchestra, but most had to stop because they were blocking the view of those behind.  So sad...I wanted to dance so much I almost exploded...but damn it all in an opera house it is hard to do!  Especially with her earlier songs like Human Behaviour, which pretty much REQUIRE one to get up and dance...I am not too upset though.  Vespertine really does do best hermit style, (forgive me :-), and an opera house, with the full orchestra and the choir, makes it perfect.  I just felt bad for those who tried to dance and got shushed.   I think this was quite an eye-opener for the orchestra.  The night before, I was there to see Otello, and I spoke with a couple of the orchestra members afterwards.  Neither of them had a notion of who Björk is, and I tried to give them some idea.  Even so, they surely had to contend with a performance and an atmosphere totally alien to them....starting right from the moment Matmos entered the stage and the audience yelled and cheered.  And then when Björk appeared...OH MAN I thought my eardrums were gonna bust!!!  We were SOOO INCREDIBLY LOUD, I am sure the orchestra never had a response like that for the usual shows they play for.  :-D  Thrilling!   And finally, a moment of cuteness from the beginning of Björk's set:  in the small interval of relative silence that followed the initial uproar at her entrance, someone behind me yelled at the top of her lungs "I love you Björk!" and I could hear lots of quiet giggles all around me.  I think she didn't expect her voice to be all alone just then  :-)   ~Bachelor Bjork's performance was flawless Sunday!  Ok, she messed up the words on I've Seen It All,  but I was already in tears as soon as the song started, so I hardly noticed.  I'm not a fan of Matmos' music,   but when they performed with Bjork they were perfect.  The first half of the show was so beautiful and surreal I couldn't believe I was there.  It was like a fairy tale. The second half was total high energy and I wanted to dance, but respected the venue and bopped in my seat :)   When Hyperballad ended, it was all I could do not to jump up and scream like a madman!! I talked to some of the choir after the show...who BTW were enjoying a smoke!!!   They were so kind and genuinely appreciative of the praise my friends and I offered them.  I could have died happy with last night in my eyes. Cheers! Jas The Chicago show was so wonderful! The levels of experience were numerous very fulfilling. The Civic Opera House has to be the best sound system in Chicago and it sure seemed to be true. The Civic Opera House's atmosphere has an aura of grandeur and pomp that set a mood of rich playful elegance. The crowd was so beautiful. I sat with a girl named Shauna and she was just perfect to enjoy the show with - totally random. The lady's dresses were extraordinary and the ladies were all so beautiful! Thanks to all the ladies who came dressed so beautifully! You made the experience extra wonderful in so many ways. I wish I could have complemented all of you personally. Björk orchestrated a set that took us in and out of dreams and elicited vast amounts of emotion from us. As usual her timing was impeccable. Björk became very playful during the encores. I do love when she gets playful--it puts me in a very playful mood. Björk wore her Swan Dress for her opening numbers and I was so glad she chose that dress.  It was just what I wanted. And when she introduced the Orchestra she made such a point of letting us know they were from our home town, Chicago. This made me feel like a part of the whole production - I don't think I'm alone because the Room exploded with cheers. Björk pointedly made us realize how special we were! The show was delightful in so many sensual ways. I just have to send out my compliments to everyone that made this night so magical from the Fans to Björk and back again!  To the bottom of the sea and tops of cliffs - all was full of love! ~Michael Thank you Björk, Matmos, and everyone involved with this production! While i'm still riding from the rush of the concert last night I feel the urge to tell you my impressions and experience.  one word: Isobel.  goddamn that song rocked out so hard.  the string section had me melting in my seat.  the one big surprise of the concert for me was how much bjork moved and did quirky little dances and skips.  i was also suprised by how little she talked.  Joga and Cocoon were a big highlight for me.  Joga is such a searing melody and it really comes out when it's just her and the strings.  the overture was lovely, nice to have that there.  the a capella part in Pagan Poetry revealed a very personal and honest moment to me.  the whole evening had this IMMENSE feeling of immediacy.  bjork, matmos, zeena, the girls, and the orchestra HAD to come together that night in the Civic Opera house and perform even if there wasnt an audience.  i've often wondered if bjork gets tired of singing her same songs over and over again since she is so firmly against dw! elling on old music.  but, when she sang Human Behaviour she seemed the most alive and that's one of her oldest songs.  she is able to find a fresh and wonderful journey in each of her songs and make them new every time.  the immediacy in the air was tremendous and i was beyond ecstatic to be a part of it.  i was more then happy to clap for the 5 minutes or so to get the 2 encores.... god, the clapping in In Our Hands was so cute.  i wish i was back there watchign it again.. it gave me a real rush.  bjork = god.  laters. thanks Gavin R. p.s. someone make some live mp3s of the concert, pleeease :) last night has been of a strange, slow, tender intensity, a very curious thing for me is that i am being affected by it today even more than i was last night. i just feel this incredible energy inside, love and desire to live. thanks, bjork! you are so personal to each of us! japushka Last night's concert at the Lyric Opera House was awesome!  The venue's beauty was fitting for Bjork's unbeleivable performance.  The orchestra sounded so powerful and the chorus was outstanding.  I was stunned by her live vocal range!  Although it is difficult to pick a single favorite, All Is Full If Love had the most profound effect on me and I thoroughly enjoyed In Our Hands.  My daughter (she is 5) was delighted when Bjork encored with Human Behaviour, as was the rest of the crowd. Although I have been a fan for a long time this was my first Bjork concert.  I am now anxiously awaiting the next time around. Amanda L   After driving for over 5 hours from Detroit (we got lost for a while), my brother and I finally found the Civic Opera House.  Chicago is a very nice city, but I felt out of place until I saw Bjork's name on the sign of the building... it made me feel right at home.  Walking around the city before the show was an odd experience.  Ever since the attacks last month, I, like most eveyone else, look up at tall building in a different way.  The Sears Tower was just two blocks away from the opera house.  There were so many planes taking off... they seemed so close to the buildings.  It's such a shame that we need to fear these things now.  After wandering around town for about an hour, looking for a place to eat, we finally found a nice restaurant.  Eventhough it was Sunday, it seemed odd that nearly everything was locked up by 5 pm in such a big city.  We finished eating with about 45 minutes to spare, so we headed over to the opera house.  The line was around the building, and we took our place at the end.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that our wait paid off... we were the first to show up in mezzanine box #29, so we got to take the seats in front.  The view was quite nice, however I felt the seats were a little high priced.   They were $130 apiece, and so much further away than the main floor seats of the same price.  After the show was over though, it was well worth it.  Matmos was kinda wacky... blowing up balloons and running probes over various body segments.  They were definitely different.  Bjork finally came out to the joy of everyone and performed amazingly.  The shock and uneasiness of the recent events were washed away for the two hours that Bjork sang.  She is magical.  We really got the perfect set list... I heard just about everything I wanted to hear.  I'm very thankful that Bjork exists, and that I have the opportunity to enjoy her music.  I've heard her say that she wants to continue making music until she's 85... we're in for a beautiful ride.        Dave    dear web person, this is a poem-review i wrote for my friends who could not get tickets to last night's show. it covers the whole evening from the line outside until bjork's last words on stage. please post any part of it you like on the reviews page. the whole thing will be posted at www.mutagenesis.org/bjork.html  sell me streetwise, god bless and enjoy the bee-york concert lend me $10 for white plastic opera glasses security is at its tightest!! they are patting down people as I speak there is a garbage can for all your cameras and recording devices!!! I don’t think he is capable of a relationship at all she is married and has moved to canada finish your drink or sneak it under your seat is matmos the name of the girl who plays the harp? drills, the music of an instrument pressed into skin, lights, camera, projection surgery room rooster crow, voice announces landscapes of growing hair I want to dance with dee-lite and the huge shadows over us roadmaps alabama california beautiful guitar plucking a wire cage the bird gone take out a bow and saw it in half his nails down a chalkboard sound samples the cage is in the keyboard it is a symphony I think the man next to me is asleep a red balloon is funny with blips and beeps is beautiful. onscreen they are blowing up hamsters? licks palms and blue balloon becomes drum squeezed between knees while 3 more white are filled helium they go to the ceiling above the curtain a woman’s voice they are the moon the usher hollers, nobody’s moving yet check your seats!! get up get out of here we are not an opera crowd we are a high school production of indie kids on a night out huge mesh skirts sequined gold hats fishnets half slips hair frizz and me 5 inches taller in silver space boots there will be no getting up once the show begins darkness flakes of gold leaves fall as the music box plays darkness again overture then all is full of love and feathers footlights make face shadows and huge shadows on the wall the glaciers do a slow slide her legs are polar white I leave her be stamping like an angry swan make new love a little hip shaking ballet dance so slow I almost cry then I see half the back of her dress is missing fidgets with white feathers it’s not up to you the elbows dance blue glaciers red inuits and a white swan who would have known miraculous breath the lights go down again and again jóga ice skates around the spotlight circles compromise the inuits have been watching her dance they do the karate chop the sparkly swan is a funny prom dress she says thank you and skips off stage matmos follow in white jackets and cowboy hats in the 2nd balcony 4th row on the right side an aisle seat a long, graying mullet in tan rustlers in front row bowling shoes and cell phones a girl says I’m at a bjork show he’s worried about his new roommate who works at a dot-com and has been given 6 months to live I’d kill for a tuna fish sandwich but not a person maybe I’d kill a tuna fish back lit but I think a huge red dress you've been flirting again in icelandic this time isobel bursts into a flame, a ruby, an exotic bird and someone’s drawn sea creatures on the wall in orange red so sexy a fan flamenco hula dance in ostrich crinoline and red lights I’ve seen it all matmos in black dress jackets make a train embrace me the harp is huge gorgeous gets the thumbs up pagan poetry microscopic water animals army of me goes thru the roof the harp is jumping the lights flashing beats pounding pouring hyperballad into black and white sea shells like stars accordion a cymbal played upside-down on the table a white mohawk? we cheer, stand, whistle, scream a train that refuses to put on its brakes drop my anchor a tiny organ zeena rocks her head adorable shine a bright green light on human behavior warmer and wilder every flick of wrist and dip of hip leaning over the pit I would like to introduce the people who play with me here tonight zeena parkins a choir from greenland simon lee an orchestra from your town see-cago new song not out yet it’s in our hands thanks 4 tonite -ddd   How will any concert ever compare? That is truly the only downfall to Bjork's flawless performance.  Matmos, the Orchestra, and the Choir were beautiful, beginning to end.  Everything about that performance was simply amazing.  Heading into the show I felt that I have seen some great Bjork shows, but in terms of her performance, and given the exquisite surroundings, none of her previous shows that I have seen could ever compare. Now my only regret is that I didn't dish out the money to get closer seats. It is definitely worth every penny. ~David~   ahh.........i have now seen it all! the show was flawless. thank you bjork. Mary J   Bjorks Voice was GREAAATTTT. her horrible horrible dancing was the cutest thing i have ever seen, I love it. The music was 500% better than any of her cds. All the performers put out HUGE energy. other than that im speech less:) tim   Bjork is a genius whose sensitivity and creativity are unmatched in contemprary music. The show was amazing, a bit short but just one word would have been enough to make the evening magical.  The Civic Opera House is a fantastic venue, but why did no one dance? I actaully got tapped on the shoulder and was asked to sit down during the second encore. How can you not dance to that wonderful, driving music? It was sad that nobody danced. Have people sat through all the other shows as well? If so, perhaps Bjork should inform the audience that despite the haughty venue, shaking your thang is encouraged. Louis K   just got back from the lyric opera house, and it was great! here goes the right songs she played there was no "An Echo a Stain" but it went like this (hopefully in this order) frosti overture all is full of love harm of will unravel it's not up 2 u cocoon joga unison --intermission-- you've been flirting again (icelandic) isobel I've seen it all generous palmstroke pagean poetry army of me hyperballad --encore 1-- the anchor song (icelandic/english) human behaviour --encore 2-- our hands she was awesome and the orchestra was from chicago (she said " your town, Chicago" everyone went wild... antone   thanks for posting the song list. just got back myself. what a great show. the opera house was the perfect setting for her and the ecclectic crowd that showed up. and it was so nice to have an intermission. the thing that impressed me was how true the live performance of the Vespertine songs was to the recording. this is complex music, certainly difficult to record, but I didn't imagine that it could be reproduced live! consider: an orchestra in the pit, zeena parkins playing harp on one side of the stage (she's fantastic!), Matmos on the other side doing their thing, the chorus in back, and Bjork singing over all of them! everyone's delivery was flawless. no mistakes or miscues. Bjork did not hold back at all. Her range and phrasing had all the intensity of the studio work. what energy and what beautiful sounds. lfhawley   Sunday, October 14, 2001 It was an unforgettable experience.  I just “ had to happen” ….Matmos blurring incredible sounds, a wonderful performance by a melodic chorus, the reliable perfection of the Chicago Symphonic Orchestra and the charismatic presence of Björk Gudmundsdottir,  gave this city more than what we expected…. Three wonderful hours of a visual and melodious extravaganza…. I am still in shock! It was awesome… her voice… her gestures… her accent…  It just had to happen, Thank you; I will see you next time… Frank Wanna contribute? Copyright © 1995-2001 by Björk Overseas Ltd. All rights reserved. See our privacy and copyright statement for more information.