Cosmic Tears

Alanis Morissette
Opening Band:Chris Whitley
Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC
October 22, 1998
8:00 pm

The 12pm bell rang for lunch as I quickly escaped school and drove to the train station which arrived at Penn Station around 3:20pm. Then I walked a couple blocks to the Manhattan Center (Hammerstein Ballroom). There were 3 police barriers with about 20 other fans in front of me. It was quite cold outside, and the only thing I could do was keep talking to my friend to keep warm. {I remember seeing that girl (Laura) to my left in line, who appeared on Mtv's Alanis Land and presented Alanis with a gift.} Finally the red-shirted security guards warned us not to bring in cameras, bottles, or recording devices by request of the artist. Too bad the tough guys forgot to check my bag thoroughly. I quickly walked inside the room after getting my tickets around 6pm and to my amazement there were still spaces for the front row, left side of the stage. I can't not even come close to describing the overwhelming happiness flowing through my body. So I stood and waited leaning over the black barrier listening to the music (probably a tape Alanis concocted) of Rage Against the Machine{vietnow}, Carole King, Lennon, Janis Joplin, Hendrix, Soundgarden{blackhole sun}, & Liz Phair.

"Hello. My name is Chris Whitley and I am opening for Miss Alanis Morissette." At 8pm the lights dimmed and Chris Whitley came on smoking a cigarette in a white tank and blue cargo pants. His bright blue eyes were spacey and hard electric guitar rhythms such as "Dead Boyfriend in Your Bed" were dedicated to Laura (his girlfriend). The set lasted about 35 minutes and the audience would chant "Alanis" during his performance.

It was 9pm and overhearing a conversation between a security guard and an important man (owner of the venue). The owner said that Alanis was not in her dressing room and told the security guard to go find her and tell her not to leave without telling anyone. Ten minutes later the lights dimmed once again and the five boys (Nick Lashley guitar, Chris Chaney bass, Gary Novak drums, Derron keyboard, and Joel Sherrer electric guitar. A screen behind the stage had these words upon it " We ask you to abide the following moral code upon the premiess. Please refrain from killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, taking intoxicants, playing music, singing, please dress respectfully." A recording of a male voice comes on and in a low tone repeats something which may be the phrase on the screen. Alanis emerges from the right side of the stage with glittering eyes, cheeks, and arms. She is wearing a black sheer tank top with purple and dark yellow crossing lines on the front. A red knee length skirt with gold dragons/flowers is over black shiny lounge pants. Her sneakers appear to be white running shoes with a yellow air bubble in the back. On her wrists are 2 colorful bracelets (most likely from India), and her hair is loosely pulled back into a braid with strands hanging from both sides. I was so close to the stage that I even noticed that her ponytail band was blue.

The setlist is as follows:
BABA very electric, great beat/rhythm, but can hardly hear alanis' lyrics
CAN'T NOT alanis played guitar, changed lyric "silence or rage" to "..or retailiation" & changes "To all the younger children.." to "…wisdom", beautiful voice
WOULD NOT COME
HAND IN MY POCKET-changed the drum beat almost to softer, acoustic
ARE YOU STILL MAD?-the best part is "Of course you are" with the electric guitar, very catchy tune
SYMPATHETIC CHARACTER-almost continuous, rap lyrics
YOUR HOUSE-with drums! Improved
ONE -superb chorus
ALL I REALLY WANT - one of my all time fav's, not much changed, cuts the lights after "here can you handle this?"
I WAS HOPING
UNINVITED -almost identical to the radio version
YOU OUGHTA KNOW -starts out quieter, changes to album version midway
THANK U -identical to radio version, ending "noo oh ohh no", dedicated to parents in the room
FORGIVEN - doesn't sing "Hallelua", begins just as the album

IRONIC- slower, softer version
RIGHT THROUGH YOU-adds a verse before "army" verse, jams at the end, slower chorus; before she sings this song she says,"At the end of this next song we're gonna jam and with the help of the ju-ju in the air…only if you'll be my supplier." Introduces band before RTU

YOUR CONGRATULATIONS-reminds me of "Your House", acoustic, chilling

Alanis dragged her feet numerous times throughout the performance, as she also flailed her left arm up and down, and did the cutest "peace sign" dance at the end of Right Through You. Ben Stiller was on the first level, and a crowd got his attention at the end of the show. Outside the room, there were 4 shirts and 1 bumpersticker for sale. The bumpersticker was white and had alanis running on it (kinda trippy looking with trails) and underneath it was printed SEXY CAPITALIST . One of the shirts was for Chris Whitley—black tee with blue photo of Chris on the front with his name. The other three were Alanis tour 98' tees: one was moss green with the phrase that appeared on the screen during the concert(I bought this one), the other two purple ones had the am logo on the back, and a small circular picture of Alanis on the front. The difference between these two shirts was that one was a girly shirt, and the other was a regular tee. As we left the Ballroom, people were handing out Alanis postcards (the one of her on the stairs) and blue fliers for SFIJ. The new backstage passes had half of hand holding her face on it with morrissette(?) in small print below. The photographers had blue and white stickers that said AM PHOTO.

She informed us that she was considering moving to New York because it was sweet, crazy , and Fucked Up (in a strange voice). Some immature fan up on the 2nd level had one of those red lasers and put it on Alanis a few times during the show.

Roseland Ballroom
Sunday, October 25, 1998
8 PM

2000 florescent pink wristbands were given out, while 500 radio winners were given neon yellow fliers to get into the free Alanis show. I received my wristband around 1pm and waited until about 6:30 pm to be let inside Roseland. For a couple hours there was an obnoxious lady protesting to elect Granpa on the Musters show (Al Lews). Although I was about the 30th in line, the z100 radio winners were aloud to cut in front of the wristband crowd for no good reason. As I finally entered the doors, I looked to my left and saw John Norris from Mtv. Roseland is a nice venue with a standing room and a couch that wraps around the outskirts of this room. Then on the right one level up are tables for the radio winners. On the left side, famous fans such as Ben Stiller, Madonna, Puff Daddy, and a Wu-Tang member(?) watched the show. I was able to get 7th row, left side of the stage.

Around 8:30pm Alanis came on following her band members. She had on a black elbow lenth sheer black shirt with the black tank with sparkled lines (the one she wore at Hammerstein)underneath. This time her hair elastic band was red and she had on the same red skirt and black lounge pants. She opened with Baba and did the same setlist as all of the previous shows, except this time she redid Baba before Ironic because she messed it up. The only reason she redid this was because it would air on MTV the following week. Later in her set, a woman brought her a pie and Alanis announced,"Yesterday was my speaker assistant's birthday and today he told me that he's leaving" The man came out and Alanis presented him with the pie and said "Don't be afraid..Here you go" Then she smeared it on his bald head. Someone gave her a towel to wipe off with, and she told the audience "Now I have to get the microphone stand myself because of what I just did"

At one point during the show she flicked one of her light green guitar picks toward the audience. Before RTU she said the jam would depend on "your vibe". Alanis said" How are you all doing down there" & "Anyone from NY..everyone from the US.. any Canadians?"

Alanis Morissette
Opening Band Chris Whitley
Electric Factory, Philadelphia
10/26/98 8pm

Gumby was playing at the screen to the right as I walked inside the Electric Factory around 8pm. I had been waiting outside since 3:15pm, and I was fortunate to get 2nd row, directly middle. Chris Whitley appeared around 9:15 pm, and his set had the basic characteristics of the Hammerstein ShowThis time I believe he sang an extra cover and put on a hat for the song.

The lights dimmed for the last time: Alanis glittered onto the stage with her flourescent orange running pumas, light orange nails, black running pants, a black girly tee with a sliver design, and a gold and white floral/dragon design skirt. Her hair was once again in a loose braid with a red hair tie. Security was tight here, and they confiscated a numerous amount of cameras. However I was lucky enough to tape record the show and snap one quick picture. Many fans threw roses at her and huge white ballons were being thrown from the upper level. A few fans dressed as they were going to the prom. Too bad the drunk people next to me puked on the one guy's tuxedo!

She began with Baba and played a similar setlist to the norm. However she did play FRONT ROW and I believe another new one ??? throughout her performance which she didn't play at Hammerstein or Roseland. I think it may have been substituted for the one song that has the lyrics "sir and wife". During the introduction time, Alanis said, "And you are Philadelphia" in a really fucked up voice. The show ended around 10 to 12pm and outside were vendors selling a new white tee with Alanis pictures on the front and back and the venues listed on the back. (Philadelphia, New York City, New Jersey)

TORONTO 10-31-98

I just got back from the Toronto Concert and it was AWESOME!!! Oh my GOD!!! I think it was better than the '96 concert I went to. First of all, during the opening act Alanis and some other people came on the stage and wrapped the guy that was singing in toilet paper. And then when Alanis came on, she kept on joking with the audience and talking to us. When she just came out she told the light guys to change the light because she could not see us. And because it was Halloween, her band was dressed up as women and Alanis gave them all female nicknames. It was so funny. And then later in the show she got dressed up. She had this huge white wig and this weird dress. She looked so cute! And the music, it was soooo good!!! I love this new album! The music made so many people cry tonight (me included). I looked around and everyone around me was crying. The energy and emotion was great.
Anyway, I had the BEST time tonight and I am really sad that I do not have tickets for the Intimate and Interactive with MuchMusic tomorrow. BTW I went to MuchMusic tonight to see if they have any tickets that they'll give out before the show tomorrow (like they usually do) and they have NONE. And I saw the stage, too. It's all set and it looks so beautiful. It's going to be a great and spiritual show tomorrow...
Liv