From Sound on Sound: Alanis Morissette Remains Iconic

Alanis Morissette has long since learned how to put on a perfect show. From the flawless setlist and well-produced background visuals to the precise steps she took on stage to give every audience member a good view of the show, it was clear that the generation-defining Canadian-American singer-songwriter had already put on more than her fair share of live performances before the Sound on Sound stage. Morissette even proved this before singing a single note by showing a three-minute introductory montage that featured clips from her early rise to stardom, television cameos, various depictions of her in popular media, and other evidence of the cultural penetration of the artist’s work throughout her storied career.

Morissette finally entered the stage to a triumphant drumbeat, starting to sing her opener “All I Really Want” as the last remnants of her career montage were still fading away on screen behind her. With a pristine voice and boundless energy, it’s almost as if Morissette were saying: “I’m still just as relevant as I was in the ’90s, and here’s proof.” This sentiment only grew as she began to sing her famous “Hand in My Pocket,” punctuated by the shrieks of an approving crowd.

In an impressive display of stamina, Morissette took quick strides across the stage throughout her entire hour-long set, doubling her pace during the more upbeat numbers. Even in her slower ballads like “Uninvited” and “You Learn,” the artist rocked back and forth with contagiously soulful energy, throwing her head back to perfectly catch the pale glow of the stage lights overhead.

During fan favorite “Ironic,” Morissette gave the audience exactly what they wanted. Every few lines, she held out the microphone with a grin, as lyrics echoed back at her from all across Seaside Park. Throughout the song, Morissette looked overjoyed to be on stage, surveying her crowd with a wide smile and a bouncing step. Her vocals were particularly impressive, with some intentional vocal cracking that brought a new touch of vulnerability and uniqueness to the live rendition of the popular song.

The emotional peak of the performance came from Morissette’s powerful rendition of “I Remain.” The singer spun on stage for over 30 seconds, the flashing strobe lights and her long hair completely obscuring her face from the crowd. After continuously picking up speed, eventually she collapsed on the ground, finishing her final verse in a heap on the stage floor, with a softened voice repeating the lines “I remain” until eventually fading to complete silence. This piece again evidenced Morissette’s everlasting resonance, bringing many audience members to tears and sending a hush over the crowd that was eventually broken by raucous applause.

After an energized rendition of “You Oughta Know” that surpassed expectations, Morissette ended her set with the pensive “Thank U,” a song expressing heartfelt appreciation for the artist’s life, challenges and all. Throughout the piece, the background screen showed messages from countless fans expressing their own gratitude, for friends and family, for new life, for cancer recovery, for Morissette herself. As the artist sang this tribute to her own struggles and triumphs and to those of her fans, she made clear the importance of her well-established career to so many people. Morissette has established an impactful life of music-making, and clearly has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

—Staff writer Stella A. Gilbert can be reached at stella.gilbert@thecrimson.com.