Photo Credit: Cuffe & Taylor/Depot Live
Words: Abi Jones
Canadian superstar and vocal powerhouse Alanis Morissette treated a loving Cardiff crowd to a striking performance on Wednesday. Fresh from playing a stunning set at the famous pyramid stage in Glastonbury, Morissette brought her globally celebrated music to Blackweir Fields in the heart of Cardiff. As the first woman to headline this brand new venue, there’s no doubt that she’s raised the bar for the next artists to perform here. While the switch from the castle to the fields has been somewhat controversial, the open air space was perfect for giving concert-goers a festival feel with sunglasses and drinks. However, there was lots of walking and queuing involved.
Joining Morissette this evening were a trio of impressive acts featuring Megan Wyn and Gwenno, who are both local to Wales and excellent openers for the show. Wyn, from small town Anglesey was first on the stage with her bright indie pop sound. Despite having a small discography so far, there’s a great deal of potential for this new face in the scene. At only 20, she already has 3 years experience from playing live at local festivals and songwriting to a professional standard. Gwenno has been in the industry for longer, with albums written in Welsh and Cornish. Her first English language album will be released later this month on July 11 which will allow her songwriting and voice to be heard by a much wider audience.
Continuing the all female line-up, American rock singer-songwriter Liz Phair joined us from across the Atlantic and brought even more energy with her guitar heavy tunes and 90s sound similar to Alanis herself. The humidity and sunshine felt as if she brought the Chicago weather over with her! Her set featured hit songs “Polyester Bride” and “Fuck and Run” which are classics by now. “Why Can’t I?” was the closing song that really got the crowd ready and moving for the night. This single gave her global success as it was featured in the soundtrack of 2000s romcom “13 Going on 30”. This all female line-up was a fantastic choice as it really let everyone celebrate women’s musical talent across multiple genres and decades.
As the sun began to set, a montage of Morissette’s career lit up the big screen — news headlines, home videos, and iconic moments being a powerful reminder of just how far she’s come. Opening with the ever-relatable “Hand in My Pocket”, she immediately captured the audience with her iconic harmonica solo between verses drawing cheers. She danced across the stage with vibrant energy, then strapped on a glittery gold guitar for a deeply emotional rendition of “Head Over Feet”. Both songs, taken from her double Grammy award winning album, “Jagged Little Pill”, are clearly loved by devoted fans, every voice in the crowd seemed to carry its own story.
Morissette’s set was more than just a nostalgia trip. It was a true representation of what live music is supposed to be – raw emotion, impeccable vocals, and magnetic stage presence. Songs like “Rest” and “Mary Jane” brought moments of intimacy and vulnerability that made some of the audience teary-eyed. These quieter ballads really allowed her to showcase her vocal talent in a way that was both powerful and tender.
The sky had completely darkened when the time arrived for her most praised song, “Ironic”. This part of the show was one of the most special as Morissette brought out a fan to sing the first verse and chorus on stage with her. As you’d expect, the gig was dominated by an older demographic as her most successful albums were released in the 90s, and there were plenty of people on shoulders, belting out this classic without stumbling over any words. “You Oughta Know”, another song from “Jagged Little Pill”, was played after. This certainly kept up the energy and eventually led some of the crowd to lose their voice, as these two songs back-to-back were a lethal combo for fans of Alanis.
A short break was taken before she and her band returned to play the final song, “Thank U”, which Morissette dedicated to the crowd. This was the perfect way to end the gig with tweets from fans sharing what they’re thankful for being displayed on the screen. The connection between the artist audience was at its peak here, with Alanis thanking her fans and vice versa. After the swaying of the crowd and some tears being shed, Alanis ran off the stage the same way she did in the home videos at the beginning – not sure if this was intentional but it was undoubtedly a full circle moment for her!
From “Hand in My Pocket”, to the very end of “Thank U”, not once did Alanis fail to deliver an equally energetic and emotional performance for the people of Cardiff.
Taped Magazine 