After a set change, the lights went out, leaving a sparsely lit backdrop on stage. Soft music and a man's voice were played over the sound system and it felt like the moments after waking from a dream.

Once the band started playing, everyone in the audience awoke from their daze and Morissette took the stage.

Backed by an extremely talented bunch of musicians, Morissette was a strong presence. At times she would flail around like Jim Morrison when he was really stoned. Other times when she was singing, her hands acted like they had a mind of their own, creating a female Joe Cocker.

Despite the positive overall effect, the show didn't get off to a particularly strong start. The initial songs were mostly taken from her new album, and from the poor crowd reaction, it was obvious many audience members hadn't purchased it. Those first songs were also in a minor key and were very depressing.

Another disappointing aspect of the show was the inclusion of a large video screen behind the stage used during a few songs. Some of the prerecorded things shown on the screen were the back of Morissette's head and a snowboarding video game. Its inclusion only interfered with the show.

When Morissette and crew finally got around to playing songs from her debut album, Jagged Little Pill, they played them using different arrangements. Sometimes the only familiar thing was the melody.

"You Oughta Know" was especially pleasant. Over a loose arrangement of bass, bongos and guitar feedback, the lyrics took on an even harsher tone.

But the highlight of the evening was "Uninvited." With the backdrop providing the only source of light -- dim shades of blue and purple -- the pianist introduced the song with a brief, improvised flourish of notes. This segued into the song's haunting four-note riff that bounced off every wall in the building.

After the main show ended, she returned to sing one of her new singles, "Thank U." Like in the video, she sang the song naked. Just kidding.