NYS Music 20​17

Category: Rock

  • Red Hot Chili Peppers Play Key Bank Center

    I can’t believe I made it this far in life without ever seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers but I’m so glad I was able to drive in a snow storm from Syracuse to the Key Bank Center in Buffalo on February 10 to make this at the last possible minute.  I just feel bad for missing the openers. Going into this concert my first thought was “what on earth is this band going to be like without John Frusciante?!”  And honestly this band still holds its own as the kings of funk rock. Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is damn amazing at what he does, plays the parts justified, the solos slightly different, but nails the backing vocals.

    Overall, the band is as vital as it ever was, and show no signs of slowing down.  But their stage production was massive and unique.   Above the crowd and stage was the new kinetic light sculpture, designed by the production company called TAIT Towers.  This technique and stage design has  never been done before at other shows.  The band made an ambitious move to excite the crowd and add to their already insane musical experience.  It is really hard to explain how these lights work but check out this link to see a better explanation.

    The band opened with a cool little jam before frontman Anthony Kiedis stormed the stage before going into “Can’t Stop” and “Dani California.”  I also want to point out that Flea is still one of the most bad ass bassists ever to grace music and Chad Smith can pound the drums meaner than Animal the Muppet.  Eat your heart out Will Farrell.  Also in addition to all the crazy production, the band had additional musicians when they performed songs off their latest album The Getaway.  They had an additional guitarist, keyboardist, and percussionist to make the songs more massive.  It was also cool to see the band do jams, bass interludes, and guitar solos in between songs, as well as showing off their sense of humor.

    One of the highlights of the night was “Aeroplane” which was off their 1995 album One Hot Minute which featured Dave Navarro on guitar at the time….which was why it was such an unexpected treat to hear.  And my life was complete towards the end of the show when they played the iconic “Under The Bridge.”  Found it interesting when the band did a cover of Iggy and The Stooges’ “Search and Destroy” in which Kiedis took his shirt off.  Not sure if that was supposed to be a nod to Iggy himself.  The band closed off their set with “By The Way” before a kick ass two song encore of “Good Bye Angels” off The Getaway and the oh-so-fun and dirty song “Give It Away” which the crowd went bananas over.

    Overall it was an unforgettable night, I would expect RHCP will be back in NY very soon and will still sell out a massive arena…and it would be great to see what kind of ambitious production they would carry next.  Not to mention with so many albums out, there’s so many songs that still need to be incorporated into their set.

  • Melissa Etheridge Bringing True Self to Troy

    Academy Award and Grammy winning musician Melissa Etheridge is bringing everything she’s got to the Troy with the Hodges Brothers this April.

    On April 23. at 7:30 PM, Etheridge will be performing at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy on her M.E. tour. With two Grammys and an Academy Award win behind her, Etheridge has continued for over two decades to be one of America’s beloved female singer-songwriters.

    Known for hit singles such as, “I’m the Only One”, “Ain’t It Heavy” and “I Want To Come Over,” Etheridge is bringing her signature smoky, raspy vocals to Troy alongside new content for her tour.

    On Oct. 7, Etheridge released, Memphis Rock & Soul, her first album since 2014’s critically acclaimed, This Is M.E. Receiving praise from renowned publications such as Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, Etheridge will be sharing some of her newer works across the country for her M.E. tour.

    Etheridge is also known for inspiring people beyond her music. Beating her battle with breast cancer, Etheridge appeared at the 2005 Grammys to perform Janis Joplin’s, “Piece of My Heart,” bald from her chemotherapy. Doing so, Etheridge inspired women across the world with her powerful message.

    Tickets go on-sale for the M.E. tour this Friday, Feb. 17 at 10 AM.

  • Metallica 2017 North American Tour Announced, Includes Stops at MetLife Stadium and Uniondale

    After being disrespected at this years Grammys, the kings of thrash Metallica have officially announced their 2017 North American Tour in support of their new album Hardwired…To Self Destruct.  The first date kicks off in Baltimore, and concludes in Edmonton, AB, Canada.  But for the first time in over 6 years, Metallica will be stopping twice in the New York City surrounding area with a May 14 date at the glorious MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ and May 17 at the New Coliseum in Uniondale, NY (which is set to open their doors for the first time on April 5.)  Avenged Sevenfold and Volbeat are slated to be the openers on this tour. Gojira is set to open on the Canadian dates.

    This is likely to be one of the highest grossing tours of 2017, and tickets will be going fast as they go on sale to the public this Friday, February 17. Check out the tour dates below.

    Metallica 2017 North American Tour Dates

    May 10 – Baltimore, MD – M&T Bank Stadium
    May 12 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
    May 14 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
    May 17 – Uniondale, NY – New Coliseum
    May 19 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium
    May 21 – Columbus, OH – Rock On The Range Festival
    June 4 – St. Louis, MO – Busch Stadium
    June 7 – Denver, CO – Sports Authority Field
    June 11 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium
    June 14 – San Antonio, TX – Alamodome
    June 16 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Stadium
    June 18 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
    July 5 – Orlando, FL – Camping World Stadium
    July 7 – Miami, FL – Hard Rock Stadium
    July 9 – Atlanta, GA – Suntrust Park
    July 12 – Detroit, MI – Comercia Park
    July 14 – Quebec City, QC – Festival D’Ete
    July 16 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre
    July 19 – Montreal, QB – Parc Jean-Drapeau
    July 29 – Los Angeles, CA – Rose Bowl
    August 4 – Phoenix, AZ – University of Phoenix Stadium
    August 6 – San Diego, CA – Petco Park
    August 9 – Seattle, WA – Centurylink Field
    August 14 – Vancouver, BC – BC Place
    August 16 – Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium

  • Disco Biscuits Drop Mid-Run Heater at the Fillmore

    All Disco Biscuits shows are not created equal.  Throughout their career, the band has gone through periods of inconsistency that can last for years at a time.  In fact, the only guarantee involved in attending a Biscuits run are the differing opinions that the massively diverse fan-base somehow accumulates over the course of the weekend.  The Disco Biscuits homecoming at the Fillmore Philadelphia last weekend drove this point home yet again, with nearly everyone’s preference all over the musical map.  Thursday, February 2 kicked the weekend off with a rarely played tune, “Biscuits Are Coming Home” which has only been performed 3 times previous, the last of which was in 2010.

    From the information gathered, it seems as though there was a 33/34/33 split as to who championed February 2, 3, and 4 as the best shows, respectively.  Friday happened to be my 50th Disco Biscuits show, so let’s hope there isn’t a slight bias in my agreeing with the slight majority.  Thursday’s setlist selections didn’t seem to stream, while Saturday was nearly completely frequent repeats (with several of the evening’s tracks having been performed multiple times during the last 3 runs)  from last year’s rotation.  Anyway, let’s put on our red shoes and dance.

    The 3rd began with familiar Philadelphia locals, Swift Technique.  Combining aspects of funk, rock and roll, and hip hop with a heavy rhythm section and the sparkling lead vocals of Chelsea ViaCava provided an excellent warm up to the ultimately horny theme of the evening.  A skintight rendition of Rage Against the Machine’s “Know Your Enemy” provided the horn section a platform on which to display their multifaceted choreography routine; playing while darting through the crowd to the delight of surprised early birds.

    The Biscuits hit the stage a few minutes before 10 PM, coming hot off the line with “Bernstein And Chasnoff.”  Guitarist Jon “Babs” Gutwillig took a few minutes to gain his sea legs, but by the time they rolled into “Voices Insane” his licks and hairstyle for the evening fulfilled the wacky technicality demanded by the composition.  The solo was noticeably brighter than the commonly minor and eerie jam that suits the song’s unsettling lyrical content. It appropriately continued the upbeat theme as bassist Marc “Brownie” Brownstein slapped it silly into the end of “Bernstein and Chasnoff,” bringing the first segment of the night to a promising end.

    Quite a tasty sandwich, and only the first course!  The opening bars of “The Very Moon” proved another slight challenge for the Barber, but he seemed to lock in and flash a smile at keyboardist Aron Magner just as the galloping acoustic piano lit up the whole room. With 2 crystal chandeliers flanking the stage on either side of the ceiling at the Fillmore, the light show was multiplied in a dazzling array of prisms.  Just as the tune was about to peak into its heavy riffing funk section, Swift Technique’s horn section rejoined the stage for a seamless transition into Rick James’ “Give it To Me Baby,” which the Disco Biscuits have played once before on Halloween of 2015, also accompanied by horns.  This version seemed more frequently rehearsed, having been at both performances.  The ST horns exited stage left as the funk cover transitioned into an ending of the old school “Morph Dusseldorf” to complete the final round of the first set.

    After a quick half hour plus set break, the boys from Philly came out swingin’ harder than Rocky with a pummeling “King of the World,” with the horns of Swift Technique once again in their corner.  Drummer Allen Aucoin kept pace as immaculately as usual, slowing things down for a debut cover of David Bowie’s 1983 smash hit “Let’s Dance.”  The white lasers playing off the disco ball like a crown brought the energy of the crowd straight back to the 80’s dance vibe that we all hate to love.  Disco Biscuit cover tunes are usually not, in any way, my bag; but something about Gutwillig’s low crooning register actually worked with the classic.  It was roughly 10 to 15 times more together than last year’s covers of “Touch Me” and some other unmemorable tripe at the February Fillmore run, which were also performed with Swift Technique horns. And the Doors are completely unbearable as it is.

    The resulting improvisation was quite danceable, flirting with a few familiar melodies before taking flight with an inverted “Humuhumunukunukuapua’a.”  “Astronaut” continued the segment with a surprising drop in and quite the dreamy bridge, conjuring an image and feeling of zero gravity.  There were many contradictory opinions as to where the next jam was leading, and the Biscuits turned up the heat big time with the lead in to the chorus of “Down to the Bottom,” playing a fully dyslexic version instead of their typical last-first inversion arrangement.  Combining that classic with the end of “Confrontation” to bring the evening to a close left many fans with their favorite high energy segment of the weekend.  For the encore the boys selected “On Time,” which was a bit strange considering they played it in the encore slot on the second night of last year’s Fillmore run as well.

    With two down and one to go, the internet was ablaze with vastly differing commentary.  We rushed to our Ubers and off to typical Philly after parties in cramped lofts to continue having our brains jangled by DJs, Space Bacon, and other sixth tier jam squads…and to continue the beautiful and elusive flight of the Flugel.

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  • Mountain Jam Lineup Finalized, SCI Joins Petty, Miller as Headliner

    The field for the 13th edition of Mountain Jam is set. The annual Catskills festival, held at Hunter Mountain, announced its lineup and headliners, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and the Steve Miller Band back in November. Friday, the full line up was announced, including additional headliner String Cheese Incident.

    Also added to the June 16-18 bill are indie folk artists the Head and the Heart, reggae rapper Matisyahu, Brooklyn-based sax buskers Moon Hooch, Sudanese pop, krautrock, free jazz artist Sinkane, country legend Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives and “hometown” girl Amy Helm and the Handsome Strangers.

    Helm is the daughter of the late Band drummer Levon Helm, whose studio, affectionately known as “the Barn,” is located in nearby Woodstock.

    Matisyahu, Moon Hooch and Sinkane will participate in the Late Night Jam. The full lineup is available here.

    Noticeably absent from this year’s bill are festival hosts Govt Mule and Mountain Jam regular Grace Potter. However, festival mainstays Michael Franti and Spearhead and Gary Clark, Jr. will appear. Also appearing is Peter Frampton, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Holly Bowling, TAUK, White Denim and the Big Takeover.

    Mountain Jam prides itself on its family inclusive environment and the kids can expect to see sets from the Paul Green Rock Academy and Ratboy Jr. along with kid friendly activities in the Kozy Kids area.

    Three-day general admission tickets, camping and parking passes as well as several VIP packages are available at the festival’s website.

  • moe. Knocks Out Two Back-to-Back Sold Out Shows at Higher Ground and Calvin Theatre

    Friday Feb 3, moe. brought some explosive energy to the Higher Ground in Burlington, VT for the first of two sold out shows.   As a popular and intimate venue, the crowd packed the venue like sardines in a can and quickly connected with the band making for a heater of a night.   It can’t go without mentioning that Burlington has one of the best selection of breweries in the northeast and Higher Ground serves a lot of them on tap.

    As attendees gulped down the micro-brews, the band warmed up with a solid “Captain America” featuring a tight solo from Chuck.  As they jammed a bit, Vinnie shifted drum rhythms to a slightly quicker speed, allowing a smooth transition into the funky “Akimbo.”  While tuning up their instruments, Chuck took to the microphone to comically introduce themselves saying, “Hello Everybody, we are moe. and we are not from Vermont.   But, we like Vermont.  We are Vermont-curious.” before counting off their own gloomy “Brittle End.”

    The Instrumental “CalifornIA” came next with a playful boost of energy as Al took his turn with a ripe solo that unfolded to an unforgettably extended “Bring You Down.”  Taking a brief moment, the band then invited Jamie Masefield to the stage to sit-in on mandolin for the remainder of the first set.   Vinnie began the traditional “stick-count” and intro for “Happy Hour Hero.”   When the bridge arrived, Chuck graciously gave Jamie the reins of the solo giving the song an earthly bluegrass feel.  Not too long into the jam, Jamie persuaded Chuck to share finger-picking licks with him while the rest of the band kept a steady pace, gradually picking up momentum.   When the groove was satisfied, they collectively segued into a steamy “Silver Sun” to end the set.  Before taking a break, Al whimsically gave praise to Masefield with “One of Vermont’s natural resources!”

    Returning to the stage, Garvey heckled Rob a little bit to get “ready to rock” by hilariously improvising a brief song with the remaining members. They quickly jumped into a pumped up “Puebla” featuring some technical fretwork by Chuck, who seemed to be the shining bright that evening.  Without a huddle, they thumped into “Crab Eyes” with a fantastic solo by Al.  Next came a massive “Yodelittle > Down Boy > Yodelittle” sandwich featuring some stellar bass grooves by Derhak.  Jim and Vinnie percussively attacked “Y.O.Y.” with a vengeance as they transitioned into a fiery “Water” to end the set.  With minutes left of the show, moe. rocked out Pink Floyd’s “In The Flesh” while Loughlin stepped up to the mic and belted out the lyrics.   The ensemble then propelled the brimming Higher Ground with the sing-a-long favorite “Plane Crash,” to conclude the show.

    Following onto the next night, moe. topped-off the first part of their winter tour with one more sold-out performance at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, Massachusetts.  Oddly, the Marquee sign on the front of the building was only half lit, highlighting the word “Vin,” which must have been some sort of foreshadowing of the performance that was about to unfold.  The theatre quickly filled as fans were anticipating a fun-filled, top-notch performance.  Shortly after their initial start time, members of the group embraced the stage and warmed up with “Defrost > Waiting for the Punchline.”  Next came the new Rob-sung “Prestige Worldwide” which included a knarly performance by Jim.  moe. then brought the mood down a couple levels with the fan-favoirte “Four” before segueing into the booty-shaker “Seat of My Pants.”  During Al’s quaking solo, the crowd went ballistic as he played his guitar against the top of a fan’s head, using it as a slide.   Moe. then churned up a mega “McBain” to round up the first set.

    There’s really only one thing to say about the second set, Non-stop Party!  Simple as that.  moe. played a monstrous triple-decker “The Pit” bundled with a conga-filled jam in”Deep This Time” and a 25 minute “Recreational Chemistry.”  But, it didn’t stop there.  The segues were endless as every member was firing on all cylinders and Garvey’s fierce guitar work on “Bullet” was dangerously captivating.   Jim displayed a colorful vibraphone solo that led into a percussively dominant “Brent Black” and featured an intense drum jam with Vinnie joining Jim on his congas and timbales!  At this point, the audience was sucked into the energy of the duo’s performance, cheering and hollering with excitement as some recorded it with their phones for future reminiscing.  As Vinnie jumped back on his drum set, Rob emerged from stage-side and entertained the audience with a beefy bass solo.

    Before the band continued with the encore, Al traditionally took a few minutes to interact with the fans with some announcements.  Giving fans a heartfelt “Letter Home” and “New York City” was a great way to bring the tour to a close before they pick back up in a few weeks.  Before everyone began filtering out, Rob took to the mic one last time to request a quick photo.   In doing so, he convinced half of the venue to give their photographer, Paul Citone, the middle finger from behind the band.  Once again, proving this band to be one of the best in the business!

    Higher Ground – 2.3.17

    Set I: Captain America > Akimbo, Brittle End, CalifornIA > Bring You Down, Happy Hour Hero* > Silver Sun*

    Set II: Puebla, Crab Eyes, Yodelittle > Down Boy > Yodelittle, Y.O.Y. > Water

    Encore: In The Flesh, Plane Crash

    *w/ Jamie Masefield

    Calvin Theatre – 2.4.17

    Set I:  Defrost > Waiting for the Punchline, Prestige Worldwide, Four > Seat of My Pants > McBain

    Set II: Tubing the River Styx > The Pit > Deep This Time > The Pit > Rec. Chem. > The Pit > Bullet > Brent Black

    Encore: Letter Home, NYC

  • Gaelic Storm Hits The Paramount with Irish Cheer

    A mainstay of the Celtic touring bands, Gaelic Storm returned to the Hudson Valley in January with a delightfully entertaining night of music to wrap up one segment of touring before heading back out on the road for a number of shows in Florida.

    Hitting the stage with a swift start, Gaelic Storm quickly warmed the room up with “Pina Colada in a Pint Glass.” The mood for the night was set early with some quick jokes from the stage about football including an affectionate jab at the Jets. Before the set was through, the band had a little dance contest fun for both the ale-tipped adults and the few kids in the crowd, to the tune of “Darcy’s Donkey.”

    With over 3,000 shows under their belt in their 21 years, it’s no surprise that the band was so natural and comfortable with being on stage. With plenty of humor and wit, singer Patrick Murphy was cracking jokes and sharing plenty of stories between songs which, most of the time, were as entertaining as the music itself.

    After a break, Gaelic Storm came back for a looser, rowdier second set with a set of jigs and their version of the classic “Whiskey in the Jar,” getting a few more dancers in the isles. The second set also brought the entertaining far-fetched, but possibly true, story behind “The Night I Punched Russell Crowe” and audience favorite “Scallywag” to close the set.

    The band returned for a two song encore starting with a cover of “Stand By Me” and their own “One More Day Above the Roses.” Before the last song, Murphy took a moment to praise the Paramount – “small towns have the nicest theaters” – a remark made with regard to the many venues the band has played.

    Set 1: Pina Colada In A Pint Glass, Jigs, Never Drink ‘Em Dry, Cape Cod Girls, Rustling Goat Gang, Girls’ Night In Galway, Girls of Dublin Town, Darcy’s Donkey, Black And Tan
    Set 2: Jigs, Whiskey in the Jar, The Night I Punched Russel Crowe, Rubber Arm, Drink the Night Away, Green Eyes/Red Hair, Scalliwag

    Encore: Stand By Me, One More Day Above The Roses

  • moe. Speaks at Penn’s Peak

    Nestled in the hills of eastern Pennsylvania sits a popular music venue that welcomes all genres of artists and is accompanied with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.  Penn’s Peak has hosted a vast array of talent from country stars to rock legends of sorts.  On Thursday, Feb 2 they welcomed the beloved moe. for the first time in their career.

    There was an abundance of energy as the venue staff and fans were excited to see them at the peak.   Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the inside of the building appeared as if you were walking around the inside of Noah’s ARC, constructed with large wooden beams and beautifully polished wooden floors.  These features were significantly enhanced with beautiful lighting by Pulse Lighting’s own lighting designer, Justin Casey.

    moe. took to the stage with some pep in their step and busted out of the gate with an energetic “Spine Of A Dog” that seamlessly segued into “Spaz Medicine.” After Al finished a ripping solo, the mood was reduced enough to flow into Tori Amos’ “Cornflake Girl.”   The remainder of the first set was a monstrous segue that started with “Timmy Tucker” and featured the fairly new instrumental, “Montego.”  Highlights of the second set include a long awaited “Stranger Than Fiction” followed by a juicy “Rebubula” sandwich that included “Jazz Wank” and “Buster.”  As the guys took a short encore break, they re-emerged after the Al.nouncements and capped off the night with “Downward Facing Dog” and David Bowie’s “Fame.”

    Set 1:  Spine of a Dog > Spaz Medicine > Cornflake girl, Timmy Tucker > Hector’s Pillow > Montego > Mar Dema > Okay Alright

    Set 2: Do or Die, ZOZ > Moth, Stranger than Fiction, Rebubula > Jazz Wank > Buster > Rebubula

    Encore: Downward Facing Dog, Fame

  • Hearing Aide: Wild Adriatic ‘Feel’

    Saratoga Springs’ Wild Adriatic has logged a good deal of miles on their way to many well deserved accolades as a live act. On their latest LP, Feel,  they looked to their touring experience both for inspiration and style. In a recording session in Austin, with Grammy-nominated producer Frenchie Smith, they kept it simple. They avoided production bells and whistles, opting for a more organic and in-the-moment sound. The songs themselves were born on the road as well, in various writing retreats around the country, from Wisconsin to Virginia to Texas.

    But this journey begins in Appleton, Wisconsin, site of some of the band’s most memorable shows. The opening track, “Appleton,” starts things off with an unexpectedly funky nod to Sly and the Family Stone. They ease into their more muscular moments with the slinky and soulful “Runnin’ Thru” and the infectious and poppy “Come Back Baby,” where guitarist Travis Gray works a gorgeous falsetto backed by the West End Horns.

    There’s no looking back from there. Fueled up, the trio –  Gray, Rich Derbyshire on bass and Mateo Vosganian on drums – step on the gas, letting loose on their energetic and soulful rock engine. When all three cylinders are firing, Wild Adriatic commands attention.

    “Same As It Ever Was” establishes their ability to elevate a simple blues into a grooving and fist-pumping rocker – a formula they find more success with on “Hurricane Woman” and “Some Nerve.” Thumping bass, rollicking drums, ripping guitar riffs are all tied together with Gray’s unmistakable voice.

    “Blaze of Love” blends their knack for funky grooves, powerful beats and soaring leads perfectly. The album closes with “Busman’s Holiday,” a deep rocking blues number that calls to mind Led Zeppelin and the Black Keys. Gray repeatedly sings, “I’m going back on the road.” This excellent collection of songs is ready to go with them there. Back where they all began.

    Key tracks: Blaze of Love, Same As It Ever Was, Come Back Baby

  • Alter Bridge Rocks Rapids Theatre In Niagara Falls

    Even though they were part of rock’s biggest tours last year with Disturbed and Breaking Benjamin, that is no way to enjoy an Alter Bridge show.  During that run, which did travel through various cities across New York State, Alter Bridge only played a small handful of songs during their opening slot.  If you really want a display of heaviness and fun and REALLY get your money’s worth of Alter Bridge, then seeing them headline is the best route to go. Those who were lucky enough to catch them on The Last Hero Tour with Nonpoint and Weapons Of Anew at Niagara Falls’ Rapids Theatre were blessed with a kick ass night of music.

    Unfortunately for me, I was unable to catch Weapons Of Anew due to the travel conditions, but I came in just as Nonpoint was performing “What A Day,”one of their trademark songs.  Nonpoint must have been a part of the tour because Mark Tremonti is a fan, and I believe they were an appropriate choice.  The urban flavor they bring to metal and hard rock makes them a standout, not to mention that this is their 20th anniversary tour (which is hard to believe at this point).  They had a very loud and energetic set; the crowd was really into it.  Some of the stand outs were their new songs such as “Divide and Conquer” as well as their cover of Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight.” They ended their set with their anthem, “Bullet With a Name.”  It’s great to see that the band is twenty years strong and still bring a lot of energy into a show.

    Alter Bridge graced the stage by opening with “Writing On The Wall” which is off their newest album The Last Hero.  Alter Bridge is a very rare and unique talent.  Not since Judas Priest has a band had two lead guitarists/soloists that share the stage, alternate solos and really feed off each other.  Vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy and guitarist/vocalist Mark Tremonti are the perfect complement to each other and are a powerhouse force on stage with the most wicked one-two punch that most metal and hard rock bands are lacking.  Alter Bridge made a wise decision by playing not only a hefty amount of songs off of The Last Hero, but also from their previous album Fortress which came out in 2013.  But they didn’t really tour behind it much because Myles was busy with Slash’s band and Mark had his hands full with his band Tremonti.  So it was awesome to hear songs like “Cry Of Achilles” and “Addicted To Pain,” but the real stand out was “Water Rising,” which gave Mark Tremonti to display his lead vocal.

    If there is any complaint about the show, you could say the bass was too loud.  Now that isn’t a fault of bassist Brian Marshall, it’s on the venue’s sound crew.  It just sounded muffled.  But luckily, Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti’s guitar playing is so clean and they shred so much that the muffled bass sound coming off the venue’s sound didn’t interfere with the guitars or drums for that matter.

    The best part of the show was hearing the bands best song, “Blackbird.”  It’s their masterpiece.  It’s their “Free Bird” (no pun intended) and afterwards they closed their set by finally playing material off their debut album One Day Remains with “Metalingus” and “Open Your Eyes.”  I was surprised they didn’t play much from that album, however, material from the last two albums had to be heard, not to mention that with five albums in, you only can play so many songs.  Those who stayed for the encore were in for a treat as they came out and played “Show Me A Leader” which was the lead single off The Last Hero.  Afterwards, the crowd was treated to a guitar battle between Kennedy and Tremonti, which was a great way to really see their talents on display and was fun to see.  This is something I wish bands did more.  Finally, the band left the crowd wanting more in closing with Blackbird’s “Rise Today” which is band’s trademark closing song.  Overall, it was a great set from Alter Bridge who definitely deserve more recognition in the music industry and need to headline more shows. I would recommend this band to almost anyone.  And I will definitely catch more shows at Rapids Theatre.

     

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