Grammy Award-winning alternative and rock music performer, Alanis Morissette, made her Ravinia Theater debut on Friday, August 25th, 2017. Orignally from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Morissette first appeared in the spotlight as a cast member of the early 80s youth sketch comedy show You Can’t Do That On Television. A brilliant and talented songwriter, she released award-winning albums such as her debut album at age seventeen, Alanis, Now Is the Time, well-known Jagged Little Pill, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, MTV Unplugged and Under Rug Swept. Jagged Little Pill. These earned her multiplatinum status and the top spot on numerous charts, as well as four Grammy Awards for the disc and its lead single, including Album of the Year honors back in 1995. Her most recent album, Havoc and Bright Lights (2012), addressed new personal themes of spirituality, marriage and parenthood.
I was thrilled to finally see her in person, since she is one of my favorite and most admired artists, especially on the Ravinia stage, Chicago’s wonderful outdoor music pavilion in the suburb of Highland Park. It was simply amazing to be so up close and personal to her, as well as witnessing nostalgic songs from her beloved album, Jagged Little Pill. Along with a new, platinum blonde hairdo, she donned a shiny, flowery pantsuit, and the audience sang along with her to popular songs such as You Oughta Know, Hand in My Pocket, All I Really Want, You Learn, Ironic, Head Over Feet, and the film City of Angel’s haunting and beautiful epic hit, Uninvited.
I have always loved and admired Morissette because she always writes from the heart; her lyrics are always raw and real. All of her albums have drawn inspiration and experience from personal emotional highs and lows throughout her life. She is never afraid to write about plain, old life and to add memorable music to go along with her powerful lyrics.
When she sang onstage at Ravinia, she sang to the audience with a candid, emotive delivery, which is what she is so well known for as a performer. It was remarkable to see her looking so at home onstage. She has always loved her fans and audiences, and always gives an amazing concert wherever she tours. When she sings, she seems to move and dance along with the music, as if a woman possessed by the beats: her whole performance felt very organic. It was also amazing to be part of such a lucky audience that evening. My friend and I, along with everybody else, were standing and dancing, moving to the music as she sang. After each song, and her encores, the audiences’ cheers and claps could be heard for miles.
Alanis Morissette was well received and nailed her Ravinia Theater debut. She was everything as a live performer that I thought she would be. She was a hit, and I hope she returns again in the future to perform here!
Photos: Russell Jenkins/Ravinia
Paviolion Tickets: $115 / $100
Lawn: $38**
**Lawn price increased $5 on the day of the performance
- For more information on Alanis Morrisette, visit her website. For information on Ravinia, visit the theater’s website.
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