Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Concert review:

Alanis Morissette’s T-Mobile concert boils down to: ‘Everything is just fine, fine, fine’

Alanis Morisette at T-Mobile, 10/2

Yasmina Chavez

Alanis Morissette performs at T-Mobile arena Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. YASMINA CHAVEZ

Alanis Morissette at T-Mobile, 10/2

Alanis Morissette performs at T-Mobile arena Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. YASMINA CHAVEZ Launch slideshow »

A lot has changed in the 25 years since Alanis Morissette released her multiplatinum-selling album, “Jagged Little Pill.”

For one, the Canadian-born singer is now a mother of three children. The grunge wardrobe of the mid-1990s was replaced at her concert Saturday by black leather pants and a T-shirt (albeit a vintage black-sequined variety of the 1990s rock band Electric Angels). And her once wavy, long dark hair was full-on blond for her concert before an admiring crowd at T-Mobile Arena.

What wasn’t different: Her hit songs and that unmistakable voice.

Morissette captivated throughout a setlist that paid homage to “Jagged Little Pill” — the first five songs she sang — including the megahits “Hand in My Pocket” and “You Learn” — were from the album. The night, however, also included songs throughout her portfolio. Among them were “Ablaze,” released in 2020 with lyrics that honor her children; “Reasons I Drink” and the touching “Thank U,” from “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie,” the followup album to “Jagged Little Pill.”

Of course, most everyone was in the house for her “JLP” standards. Unprompted singalongs rang through the arena, especially toward the end of the concert on “Ironic.”

“It’s like rain on your wedding day.

“It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid.

“It’s the good advice that you just didn’t take.

“And who would’ve thought? It figures.”

I don’t know whether it was ironic or not, but the audience belting out the song could have been a delayed extension of a hilarious concert-opening video that included outtakes from “Saturday Night Live” skits employing the song, YouTube videos, and television scenes of a variety of guest appearances by Morissette, including from Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Conan,” “The Tonight Show,” and “Oprah.”

Morissette didn’t do a whole lot of talking to the audience; instead she let her songs speak for her. But the night included plenty of messages about empowerment and strength.

The opening acts that preceded Morissette were empowering themselves. Cat Power and Garbage — led by the always-impressive Shirley Manson — served as effective warmups.

Garbage rolled through an 11-song playlist topped by “I’m Only Happy When It Rains,” and “I Would Die for You.”

Manson, commenting on the dark nature of many of the songs she performed, reminded the audience why Garbage took that path. “There are plenty of (women) out there singing songs to keep you happy …”

For a change, I wasn’t expecting that.

Alanis Morissette setlist

“All I Really Want”

“Hand in My Pocket”

“Right Through You”

“You Learn”

“Forgiven”

“Mary Jane”

“Reasons I Drink”

“Head Over Feet”

“Ablaze”

“Perfect”

“Wake Up”

“Not the Doctor”

“Ironic”

“Smiling”

“You Oughta Know”

Encore

“Your House”

“Uninvited”

“Thank U”