So pure, such an expression...

Photo: alanis-morissette.com

Rocking a tight pair of leather pants and a sparkly black top while spinning and jumping around on stage, Alanis Morissette was confident and unapologetic during her performance last night at GM Place. (By the way, her hair has never looked better!) My dad and I had fantastic seats for the show. The last time that we saw Alanis live she did a solo acoustic performance at The Orpheum, so to see her fronting a tight band in an arena once again was awesome! She seemed happy and it was clear that the band was having a blast together. In fact, I actually found myself getting quite emotional at certain points of the show.

There are a handful of artists whose work I have connected very deeply with over the years and Alanis is most definitely among them. The impact that her music had on me at a very vulnerable and impressionable age was huge. Alanis was one of my first real creative influences- I looked up to her ability to express herself in words and through music. She is an absolutely brilliant writer and creative force. Jagged Little Pill has spun in my stereo millions of times over the years. I look at the CD now; the case is scratched, the inside booklet tattered, it's obvious that it has been well played. Still, she's played regularly on my ipod, as I often belt her songs out in my car while I'm driving. As I watched her perform so many of the songs from that record that was such a soundtrack to my teen years, I couldn't help but be flooded with all the memories of those times. I connected to those songs in a very real way, at a time in my life when I was feeling really confused and questioning a lot of things.
Last night, her voice was as strong and powerful, as ever. She peppered new songs from her upcoming album with older ones, playing a phenomenal set of up and coming hits mixed with nostalgia. She also did My Humps, Alanis’ deconstructed version of the Black Eyed Peas’ hit. Morissette donned a pink feather boa and directed “a little lovin’ to Fergie” by way of introducing the song she made into a YouTube hit last year. To me, Alanis personifes strong, talented and articulate.

Miss Morissette shared the bill with Matchbox Twenty (plus opening band MuteMath, who were super fun). I must say, I have never been a huge fan of Matchbox Twenty, but they were high energy and came out with an absolutely stellar performance. I might even be crushing on front man Rob Thomas a little, but don't tell anyone.