Released by: EMI Music Services
Release Date: Marh 16th, 2012
Genre: Hard Rock
Links: http://www.alterbridge.com/default.aspx
Line Up:
Myles Kennedy- Lead Vocals/ Guitar
Mark Tremonti – Lead Guitar/ Backing Vocals
Brian Marshall – Bass
Scott Phillips – Drums
Tracklist:
The DVD and Blu Ray includes the following songs:
1. Slip To The Void
2. Find The Real
3. Ghosts Of Days Gone By
4. Before Tomorrow Comes
5. Come To Life
6. All Hope Is Gone
7. White Knuckles
8. Brand New Start
9. Metalingus
10. Broken Wings
11. I Know It Hurts
12. One Day Remains
13. Coeur D’ Alene
14. Buried Alive
15. Blackbird
16. Wonderful Life
17. Watch Over You
18. Ties That Bind
19. Isolation
20. Open Your Eyes
21. Rise Today
The live CD includes the following songs:
1. Slip To The Void
2. Find The Real
3. Ghosts Of Days Gone By
4. Come To Life
5. All Hope Is Gone
6. Metalingus
7. I Know It Hurts
8. Coeur D’ Alene
9. Blackbird
10. Wonderful Life
11. Watch Over You
12. Ties That Bind
13. Isolation
14. Rise Today
Here’s a feeling that doesn’t usually arise too often for me when it comes to liking certain mainstream rock bands……….a change of heart. Let me explain, first and foremost I think anybody that has read my articles through the years here at Myglobalmind will know that I don’t necessarily have a soft spot for mainstream music in the USA. I don’t care for it and I have begrudgingly tried to ignore it for some time. I have been living in the proverbial bubble where I love to give bands that don’t often get any to none exposure a shot if the music holds enough water, but it comes a time when even myself is taken by a band; but this effect didn’t happen over night, in fact when it came to Alter Bridge the modern Hard Rockers compiled of former members of another mainstream rock band Creed, this took me some time to come to that conclusion. I discovered that these guys and their sound was not an acquire taste, but rather a wrinkle in the rock timeline where most bands that strive to hit it big commercially could take a lesson or two from.
I guess when I really listen to their debut album “One Day Remains” I wasn’t at all convinced that years later I would accept them as of the most talented and savvy bands out there in the mainstream rock. That all changed when I started listening to their singer Myles Kennedy on their second record “Blackbird” which I enjoyed quite a bit. I didn’t make any bull about the fact that AB plays radio rock and whether you want to quantify their sound as modern alternative metal or whatever, the fact remains that their infectious hooks, melodies and overall sound is rather hard to classify completely, therefore making the band appealing in that regard.
I always thought that guitar player Mark Tremonti was sheltered in Creed, and I’m so glad that he decided to start AB because he has simply shown the world that he can wail on the guitar, and alike the other 2 members drummer Scott Phillips and Bassist Brian Marshall have added to that the solid rhythm and bass section that is the core of the band, and what was most unquestioningly missing from the watered down Creed days.
I was never a Creed fan and I honestly I couldn’t stand lead singer Scott Stapp and his over the top irritating vocals, so when Myles Kennedy joined Alter, I was excited about his vocal range which provided that thick, heavy undertone angst similar to that of Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, and closely resembling grunge bands from that frame of time. I thought with Myles on board they add it a piece to the puzzle that most bands struggle to find; a legitimate lead singer, and one in which fit the style of the band very well. Of course this was just one step, the rest came later with the writing process, the harder edgier rock sound and the dedication to building their own fan base and separating themselves from the Creed circle completely.
Needless to say the guys started from scratch and have build quite a fan base by now, of course it took a while but now after their third album “ABIII” released in 2010, the outfit assume the road warriors mentality once again and kept on building up the fan base all over the world. Yes I know it helps they get plenty of radio and TV play worldwide and exposure from a big label, but If you can tap into the current scene musically and have much needed talent, why not? Alter Bridge have done exactly that and they have probably reached their pinnacle of live shows judging from this incredible live set filmed at the prized Wembley Arena in London during their European tour last year.
This night was special because it was the biggest stage the band has ever been on, a crowd over 10,000 people was there on this night, and so was the camera crew with over 16 state of the art high definition cameras that capture some of the highest ever picture of any live concert I have seen, and I have seen quite a few. The guys have stated that it was a nervous time as with any set when you play the first few songs, but after they shook off the cobwebs, they cruised with precision and intensity playing numbers from all their 3 albums and giving the fans a worthy bio trip from their inception to the NOW.
The whole show is a big highlight in itself and it’s even more cataclysmic then their last DVD concert “Live from Amsterdam” in 2010. The boys start things off heavy and tight with the title track from ABIII “Slip into the Void” where you can easily convince yourself that Tremonti is not just a regular novice when it comes to handling the strings, his monster riffs are enough to set a house on fire and here he gets unleashed and on the loose. “Come to Life” is another explosive number with Myles cruising through this effective crisp kick ass track, Tremonti once again hits the pedals with fury and reckless disturbance as he delivers a blazing solo.
Another great vocal song is the rangy style of “All Hope is Gone” where Myles shines with redemption, and live this song sounds even better then the studio version. Is no wonder Slash wanted to work with Myles for his solo projects, and if you haven’t heard the Live from Stokes concert from last year with Myles on vocals on the road with Slash playing all the classics Guns N Roses cuts, as well as Slash’s solo stuff; you should because he does a fantastic job. Another favorite cut of mine from the live set is the hard pomp rocker “Buried Alive” with it’s groovy chorus lines and melodic power bass lines to lead the way. The set ends with a soaring Myles taking over viciously one of the bands most memorable tunes “Rise Today”, killer song killer set and unforgettable night.
The production on this live set is second to none, the HD cameras used here are terrific, the camera angels used during the set are noteworthy, especially the mid level fan camera angle, it gives the visual display of being there in the crowd from a fans perspective looking at the stage, excellent stuff. A nice little factoid that I found out, it turns out Pearl Jam holds the single concert record for most fans at Wembley with over 12,000 fans back in 2007, with Alter Bridge’s undieably grunge influences in their music, I thought it was worth a mention. The bottom line is that all four band members do a great job in the limelight, they play each back catalog song with dynamic and cohesion as if they had played their whole lives. I have come around and had a change of heart, I’m officially on the Alter Bridge bandwagon and I don’t care if it goes against everything I believe in when it comes to the modern rock scene in the USA. I enjoy Alter Bridge, they play to their strong points creating melodies and rhythms that the mainstream fans and media like, and at the end of the line they are a hell of lot more then I ever expected to witness and you will find that out on this terrific live CD/DVD set Live At Wembley which comes out April 26th through EMI.
Written by Denys
Ratings Denys 9/10
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