Photos by: Julius Richardson
https://jriiprod.wixsite.com/jrproductions
Words by: Shadow Editor
Over 15 years ago short after the demise of Creed, the evolution of Alter Bridge came to be. Hard to be believe it’s been that long now since their eponymous debut of “One Day Remains” saw the light of day, and launched a new re brand of a very profitable and popular Rock band in Creed.
Not many people had heard of Myles Kennedy then, but give or take a couple albums later and most fans of AB had accepted he was the right man for this new band that at one point was labeled ” just recycled” members of Creed. The truth of the matter was that Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips we’re a crucial backbone in creating a new vision that had nothing to do with Creed. And adding Kennedy cemented that vision as it brought their own sound, and an evolution that we have witnessed now into 6 studio albums.
Their legacy cemented in the Rock world fueled by impeccable live performances, addictive hooks and great energies. Embarking on a global tour in support of “Walk The Sky”, the guys have already trekked all over the world and in the states, but we could never have enough AB. This night would be perfection.
Before we get to the main act, we have a promising young outfit from Michigan, Deepfall!!! The guys took the stage promptly and dove right in with tunes like “Wasted” and “Cancer” being highlights. Now as is the case with many young bands, some polishing of their sound is probably due, but front man Rich Hopkins is a solid singer and I really enjoyed the keyboards of Tim King. I would recommend you check them out on all the streaming services and give them a listen, very solid indeed.
Next up was Sevendust lead axeman Clint Lowery, forget the label there as any connotations with his main band are not to be confused with his very good solo record that debuted recently. Clint has managed to create his own niche, and with very capable musicians on display, you have a great live act to boot. I have to say I was really digging all the humility by the first two bands, to Alter Bridge and AB back to those guys; you can sense a great comradery with all of them on the tour and their performances speak for themselves each night.
Clint was great with his set, songs like “God Bless The Renegades” and “Alive” and “Silver Linings” all hit the right spot. His band mates we’re terrific as well as they delivered a very rock solid performance. Due look out for his solo record and check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Finally we get to Alter Bridge time and the crowd gathers together on a very packed night, I can’t confirm that the whole venue was sold out, but it was very close to a sellout. The lighting for this show was insane, and possibly some of the best I have seen for a while, you add that on top of the acoustics at Mars Music Hall and you have a powerful potion.
Myles Kennedy looks like a sharp dressed man as he tears into “Wouldn’t You Rather” and “Isolation” with precision and rigor attention to detail. Tremonti the shredder himself is on point tonight as he makes things look easy live on stage. When we get to “Native Sons” you feel the vibe of that tune resonating through the band, and Tremonti just slays on this tune.
The rest of the band are tight as usual, with Scott Phillips on the kit and Brian Marshall the very cool customer with his laid back approach always in control. Of course “Rise Today” and “Blackbird” are top notch numbers anytime you hear them live, but also enjoyed the sensibility of “In Loving Memory”, a nice change of pace. You blink your eyes and you may have missed the whole show, usually signs of great performances when you don’t even know what time it is because every song hits the right chords and you get sucked into the night.
Just a great live night of Rock and Metal from a band that has cemented themselves firmly into the fiber of modern Rock and with a full steam ahead for many years to come, I can only imagine what the guys will come up with when they start working on another record. Final words here from a very positive evening where Huntsville came together on a Tuesday night with a great turn out at a brand new venue that is sure to deliver even more great Rock and Metal acts this summer: Mind Blown. If you have never seen AB live, do yourself a favor and check them out as soon as possible!!!
https://alterbridge.com/
https://www.clintlowery.net/
https://www.deepfallband.com/
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