Ladies Night Redefined with Jagged Little Band
When Jagged Little Band is playing, every night is Ladies Night
It was pretty common in years past to hear bars and nightclubs promoting “Ladies Night” as some kind of event in which women would get a discount for how short their skirt was, or some other sexist barrier to entry. I’m sure you wouldn’t have to look around too hard to find some places that still operate that way, and to each their own.
This is not that kind of Ladies Night.
I recently caught Jagged Little Band, a Wichita Falls tribute to Alanis Morissette at Legends Roadhouse, and they were on their second song when I said, out loud, to nobody in particular ”Holy s&*t, am I glad I came to this show.”
If I’m not mistaken, it was during the very first song from Alanis’ Jagged Little Pill album, All I Really Want, that bassist Jacob Seigler caught my attention. I don’t know if Jacob was playing the bassline as recorded on the album or if he was adding a little something of his own, but to borrow an expression I learned from JLB guitarist Clint Vines, Jacob was straight-up gettin’ it.
One of the highlights of the performance came early in the set with Jagged Little Band’s rendition of the Alanis classic “You Oughta Know,” and I literally got bumps on my arms and the back of my neck listening to Lelani Lei bust that thing in full voice, arms outstretched to the crowd. If I can’t see Alanis sing it, Lelani and her band are the next best thing.
Jagged Little Band is a literal Who’s Who of local Wichita Falls talent, with Lelani and Seigler on vocals and bass respectively, Robert Williams (also of Better Strangers) on drums, Jaymes Jager (Dirt) on lead guitar, Clint Vines on rhythm guitar, and Melissa Williams (Escape Goats) on keys and vocals.
With the talent in the band, I’ll admit I was a bit surprised to see Lelani and Melissa stand out so strongly as performers. The two of them put on a woman-led rock show like I have not yet seen in the Texoma region. Williams augmented Lelani’s lead vocals with beautiful harmonies and provided ample support on the keys.
If you go see Jagged Little Band, wherever they are, Lelani Lei and Melissa Williams are gonna make sure you get a healthy dose of Ladies Night whether you like it or not, friend, so get ready.
Lelani reminded the crowd that their other band, Escape Goats, materialized out of Jagged Little Band which actually existed first, and I have plans to catch an Escape Goats show first chance I get.
I could go on about Jagged Little Band, but it’s really a show you need to see. If you were around in 1995 when Alanis Morissette released her landmark album Jagged Little Pill, you’re gonna enjoy it more than I can articulate.
When Jagged Little Band is playing, every night is Ladies Night.
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