As Alice in Chains tore into a deafening, raging rendition of "Man In A Box" on Sunday night, Kansas City's sweaty crowd jumped, screamed and writhed with joy (and, in the case of the kid in front of me, vomited into a beer cup). Judging from the grungy, beaming faces radiating toward the stage, it's clear that Alice in Chains' current world tour isn't just peddling nostalgia--it promises, if only for a few hours, the resurrection of an era.
For yours truly, '90s grunge rock band Alice In
Chains isn't the sound of heroin and tequila--it's the background of my
childhood. Hell, Nirvana's Nevermind baby is (nearly) my peer; Eddie Vedder was the rock star of choice of my childhood
heroes (Clarissa Explains It All, thank you very much). So, as much as AIC is
ingrained in my past, I took with me a true fan to provide the expansive
insight that only a dedicated listener of 19 years can provide.
Since 1987,
Alice in Chains' original line-up - Layne Staley on vocals, Jerry Cantrell on guitar, Mike Inez on bass and Sean Kinney on drums - had been churning out
aggressive hard rock songs with firey guitar solos and resentment-ridden
vocals; that is, until the death of their lead singer in 2002. Following Staley's tragic drug overdose, it seemed
as though Alice in Chains had truly been laid to rest, finally debunking the
'90s Seattle grunge movement. But lo and behold: in 2006, the band re-formed as
a regular touring act, with Comes With The Fall's William DuVall stepping in to
cover Staley's angst-ridden wails.
Heaving acid washes of
industrial sludge over angsty rock tunes, Alice In Chains recently
released Black Gives Way to Blue,
featuring DuVall's eerie channeling of Staley's vocals and the
droning, heroin-soaked sound of the band's original line-up. Fusing metal
elements with radio-friendly rock, AIC's signature sound was comprised of brooding melodies and forceful harmonies--and it was Cantrell's
sizzling guitar solos that provided the essential element to AIC's show on
Sunday night.
The Midland hummed with anticipation as AIC took the stage, masked behind a white curtain as they launched into their first song of the night, Black Gives Way to Blue's "All Secrets Known." Flowing curtains cascaded down to the floor to reveal AIC's revered lineup, bathing the band members in a putrid yellow light. DuVall's vocals were less raspy and heated
than Staley's were, but AIC's invocations of pestilence and filth (who else
names an album Dirt?) were
gleefully intact. Newer tunes like "Your Decision" blended
seamlessly with AIC's time-worn favorites like "Rain When I Die" and "Them Bones,"
though numbers off of Black Gives Way to Blue tended to drag (one of them incited a blanket remark
by my companion: "That was lame").
The crowd--who didn't seem to have changed clothes since 1995--didn't mind DuVall, though the replacement singers' fro and American Apparel v-neck looked completely out of place as he hopped about with unbridled joy. The band's crisp rendering of AIC's
heavy grunge sound was cleaner than expected, concentrating on heavy riffs and Cantrell's soloing rather than DuVall's vocals, who was obviously present to provide the necessary filler to AIC's signature drone. "He didn't fuck it up, he didn't make it better--he was just there," said my die-hard AIC fan friend. "That's a tall order. You have to fill in for one of the best vocalists of all time. That's a giant plus in my book. I give it a B++. Maybe an A-. Actually, yeah, I give it an A-."
Rounding out the night with a snarling rendition of "Rooster," floodlights flashed on the
Midland's packed house with disorienting frequency--primarily at crucial moments
when the crowd was meant to shout along to Cantrell's growling choruses. Blinding the crowd with white light, AIC's members reached out towards the crowd in an effort that wasn't crowd interaction as
much as crowd dependence, in a communal effort to conjure the past. Cantrell asked the
crowd once, twice, three times: "How do you feel?" Transported back in time?
Alice in Chains hoped so.
All Secrets Known
It Ain't Like That
Again
Check My Brain
Them Bones
Dam that River
Rain When I Die
Your Decision
Got Me Wrong
Put You Down
A Looking In View
Down In A Hole
Sickman
Lesson Learned
Acid Bubble
No Excuses
Angry Chair
Sludge Factory
Man In The Box
ENCORE:
Would?
Rooster
Showing 1-8 of 8
I was VERY skeptical about supporting them without Layne. However, I am surprised how much Duvall fits the bill - I can't imagine anyone else being such a great fit. He also brough a much-needed lightness to the band - they seemed happy.
I thought it was all great - especially the new songs - ALL SECRETS KNOWN was ideal to open with, YOUR DECISION, LOOKING VIEW and CHECK YOUR BRAIN were amazing live.
I'm loving this version of AIC - it just seems lighter. I'll definitely be catching their shows whenever I can - rock on AIC!!!!
I saw them last year at Rock on the Range in Columbus, and I will see them this year. AIC's discography is higher quality music than 95% of what has been released in the last 15 years, regardless of genre.
classic burnout bands? uh no..they r the best thing out rite now...u hav not idea...and layne staley's voice...hes a rocker...so its meant to be rought if u kno wut i mean...no one wants to sound like wut u ecactly wut u hear on the cd...thats just too boring.hes the best singer of all time.and best band too..
I saw AIC at Sandstone clash of the titans
show and also at Lallapalooza in New Orleans
and at Omaha for Dirt. This show was incredible. Layne was a powerful singer but
his vocals at times were very rough
at New Orleans. AIC did studio work for the way his voice sounded on tape. The stuff I saw at the Midland was incredible. William
did good and it was awesome not to have 9 million radio hits pushed down my throat.
I karaoke to "Rain When i Die" so hearing
this song for the first time since Omaha
was awesome. Great Show.
Welcome to the next version of classic rock burn-out bands. They are an example of the next version of .38 Specials, Styxs and Skynyrds of the world. They will end up playing the casino and state fair circuit.
I've always thought of AiC as more metal than grunge. I know they've been labeled the latter, but that was because they were a band from Seattle in the '90s. They toured with Megadeth and Slayer, and were supposed to come to Sandstone with Suicidal Tendencies and Metallica in 1994. Staley had to go to rehab. They were replaced by CANDLEBOX. WTF.
Side note - Mike Starr can currently be seen on Celebrity Rehab, and he is carrying some serious demons re: the death of Layne Staley.
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