Nineties rock icon Alanis Morissette made history on the Austin City Limits stage bringing the nostalgic air of MTV Unplugged episodes and an obsession with alternative rock to a packed Moody Theater crowd. The show-stopping performance brought 1995’s landmark Jagged Little Pill album back to capture the hearts of 90’s rockers in combination with tracks from her classic albums including Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, So-Called Chaos, Under Rug Swept, and Such Pretty Forks in the Road. Morissette’s magic, which comes from her unrivaled soul and authenticity in the presence of 90’s rock, continued to make waves. A musical trailblazer, Morissette’s Season 49 performance reflected a legacy that once compelled fans to cry, yell, and dance over the cords connected to their Sony CD players that continues to fuel audiences with a lust for life. More than an icon you oughta know, Morissette is the powerfully raw and introspective rock legend you oughta be.
The singer’s performance kicked off with a high energy entrance, as she ran onto stage to the familiar intro of the classic “All I Really Want,” signature harmonica in hand. Capturing the crowd in excitement, Morisette walked and leaped back and forth across the stage singing powerfully. Morissette’s free-spirited stage presence, combined with an “in your face” authenticity, transports concert-goers back to 1995. The performance continued into the uplifting “Hand in My Pocket,” a testament to the comforting relatability of the singer’s intimate lyricism that captured the heart of the audience. The enraptured crowd swayed back and forth before the beginning of “Head Over Feet,” the popular ballad for the hopeless romantics dedicated to finally surrendering to the consuming purity of healthy love. Around the theater, a group of patrons stood linked arm to arm, belting out “I couldn’t help it, it’s all your fault,” as couples exchanged long glances while listening to the heartwarming gem.
“Losing the Plot” from Morissette’s 2020 album Such Pretty Forks in the Road brings her familiar uplifting but confessional lyricism to the forefront as the singer explores the emotional exhaustion brought from the pursuit of relentless perseverance. Towards the end of the song Morissette bared all with a brightly, bedazzled electric guitar while singing “I am losing the plot, I am grieving the end of superwoman-ing.” The Canadian singer brought her performance to an end, bringing an already musically enamored crowd to jump on their feet to the angsty, tell-all, breakup anthem, “You Oughta Know.” A packed Moody Theater crowd passionately belted “And I am here to remind you of the mess you left when you went away” as fans headbanged and stretched their hands out in the signature rock and roll “horns” gesture while the band began “Uninvited.” The final anthem “Thank You” saw Morisette spinning in circles creating a passionately explosive end to a history-making performance. A trailblazer for female-fronted rock, Morissette’s originality continues to keep audiences head over feet.
Setlist:
All I Really Want – Jagged Little Pill
Hand in My Pocket – Jagged Little Pill
Right Through You – Jagged Little Pill
You Learn – Jagged Little Pill
Segue 1 (Hands Clean) – Under Rug Swept
Forgiven – Jagged Little Pill
Segue 2 (Everything) – So-Called Chaos
Mary Jane – Jagged Little Pill
Segue 3 (Diagnosis) – Such Pretty Forks in the Road
Reasons I Drink – Such Pretty Forks in the Road
Head Over Feet – Jagged Little Pill
Segue 4 (So Unsexy) – Under Rug Swept
Ablaze – Such Pretty Forks in the Road
Segue 4 ½ (Nemesis) – Such Pretty Forks in the Road
Perfect – Jagged Little Pill
Segue 5 Mike (Losing the Plot) – Such Pretty Forks in the Road
Wake Up (acoustic) – Jagged Little Pill
Not the Doctor – Jagged Little Pill
Ironic – Jagged Little Pill
Segue 6 (Sympathetic Character) – Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
Smiling – Such Pretty Forks in the Road
Segue 7 (I Remain) – Havoc and Bright Lights
You Oughta Know – Jagged Little Pill
Encore:
Uninvited – City of Angels soundtrack
Thank U – Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
Musicians:
Alanis Morissette – vocals, harmonica, guitar
Michael Farrell – keyboards
Jason Orme – guitar
Cedric Lemoyne – bass
Julian Coryell – guitar
Victor Indrizzo – drums