It is no exaggeration to say that Alanis Morissette embodies the zeitgeist of the mid to late 90s. Listening to her perform her music live transported me back to the summer of '95 and is likely the closest I will ever come to actual time travelling.
For context, when the JLP album came out, I had just finished high school. Most of the people in the audience at the show on July 14, 2024 were about my same age, and most were women. When she belted out "You Oughta Know", everyone was on their feet, singing and dancing along with a mixture of joy and sadness that moved me. The women in particular evoked a catharsis, which seemed to be animated by memories of decades of being mistreated by men and having overcome and survived it. It was therapeutic ecstasy. Later, Alanis belted out "Mary Jane"with such tenderness and vulnerability that you could see some women in the audience literally crying. Her music resonates with her audience right down to their core.
Her physicality and showmanship also blew me away. Whether it was her long, low, strides (both forward and backwards), her whirling and hair whipping, or her harmonica solos with drum accompaniment, she moved like that indie girl from the 90s that we all remember.
I have been to hundreds of rock concerts, mostly mainstream classic rock and this was decidedly something different. To be clear, I was overjoyed by the performance and would recommend this show to anyone who grew up in the 90s or enjoys Alanis' music. It was incredible and I will definitely see her again anytime she plays in Toronto. "Thank you"Alanis.