Words and All Photos: Scott Lukes
Candlebox was everything I had hoped for and even more at their Lexington Kentucky show. Seeing bands on their farewell tours or well after their prime can be disappointing at times. You know like, all those songs one remembers hearing from the past just sound off, not quite right, or just bad. Energy levels are low and seem as though they can’t wait to get off the stage and be done. Well, not at all with Candlebox. They were full of energy, their songs sounded exactly as I remembered them to be, and I felt that the band hated to leave the stage on this night.
This was the second show on the band’s “The Long Goodbye Tour” celebrating 30 years of Candlebox music. Opening for Candlebox at the Manchester Music Hall was Mona a Nashville-based high-energy alt-rock band founded and led by Nick Brown with Jordan Young on guitar, and Justin Wilson on drums. For me, this was a great band to open the show. Mona’s hard-hitting gritty music style and stage presence defiantly got the fully packed house going and ready for the main event.
When Candlebox hit the stage the party went into high gear. Kevin Martin (the only original member and frontman from the 1990 Candlebox origin) put it all out there for the fans with great crowd interactions like having the audience sing out the words to some of their best songs, throwing out handfuls of picks, a few drumsticks, and jumping down off the stage and into the crowd to sing one of the last songs of the night.
While Kevin rocked out his stuff the rest of the band (Adam Kury, Brian Quinn, Island Styles, and BJ Kerwin) crushed it on their instruments and carried the weight of all Candlebox’s killer tunes. As I mentioned earlier, I felt like I was hearing the original songs from their many albums being played. This was a stellar performance from everyone.
Candlebox started “The Long Goodbye Tour” on June 10th in Evansville Illinois and it will run through September. Additionally, the band will be playing several supporting shows with 3 Doors Down on that band’s “Away From The Sun Anniversary Tour”.
Candlebox has 7 studio, 1 compilation, and 3 live albums to date, but on August 25th they will be releasing their final album ‘The Long Goodbye’ via Round Hill Records. For more info visit them at www.candleboxrocks.com
CANDLEBOX TOUR DATES
Saturday, June 10 – Evansville, IN @ Victory Theatre ^
Sunday, June 11 – Lexington, KY @ Manchester Music Hall ^
Tuesday, June 13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theater ^
Wednesday, June 14 – Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Pavilion +
Friday, June 16 – Indianapolis, IN @ TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park +
Saturday, June 17 – Chicago, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre +
Sunday, June 18 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Sweetwater Outdoors ^
Wednesday, June 21 – Detroit, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill +
Thursday, June 22 – Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe ^
Friday, June 23 – Dubuque, IA @ Q Casino (Outdoors) +
Saturday, June 24 – Prior Lake, MN @ Mystic Lake Casino Hotel +
Sunday, June 25 – Clear Lake, IA @ Surf Ballroom and Museum ^
Wednesday, June 28 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center +
Thursday, June 29 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount ^
Friday, June 30 – Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion +
Saturday, July 1 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater +
Wednesday, July 5 – Traverse City, MI @ National Cherry Festival 2023 +
Thursday, July 6 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s ^
Friday, July 7 – Huber Heights, OH @ Rose Music Center at The Heights +
Saturday, July 8 – Grantville, PA @ Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course +
Sunday, July 9 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues ^
Thursday, July 13 – Wheatland, CA @ Hard Rock Live Sacramento +
Friday, July 14 – West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour ^
Saturday, July 15 – Costa Mesa, CA @ Pacific Amphitheatre +
Sunday, July 16 – Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Resort Casino +
Tuesday, July 18 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre +
Thursday, July 20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre +
Friday, July 21 – Fort Hall, ID @ Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel +
Sunday, July 23 – Great Falls, MT @ Voyagers Stadium +
Tuesday, July 25 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium +
Thursday, July 27 – Spokane, WA @ BECU Live at Northern Quest +
Friday, July 28 – Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater +
Wednesday, August 2 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom ^
Thursday, August 3 – Ashland, KY @ Paramount Arts Center ^
Friday, August 4 – Corbin, KY @ The Corbin Arena +
Saturday, August 5 – Tuscaloosa, AL @ Tuscaloosa Amphitheater +
Sunday, August 6 – Roanoke, VA @ Dr. Pepper Park at the Bridgers ^
Wednesday, August 9 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP +
Friday, August 11 – Southaven, MS @ BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove +
Saturday, August 12 – Sedalia, MO @ Missouri State Fairgrounds Grandstand +
Sunday, August 13 – St. Louis, MO @ Del Mar Hall ^
Wednesday, August 16 – Orange Beach, AL @ The Wharf Amphitheater +
Friday, August 18 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater +
Saturday, August 19 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park +
Wednesday, August 23 – New Orleans, LA @ Champions Square +
Friday, August 25 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater +
Saturday, August 26 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater +
Tuesday, August 29 – Richmond, VA @ The National ^
Wednesday, August 30 – Simpsonville, SC @ CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park +
Friday, September 1 – Charleston, SC @ Credit One Stadium +
Saturday, September 2 – Charlotte, NC @ Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre +
Wednesday, September 6 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre +
Thursday, September 7 – Tulsa, OK @ River Spirit Casino Resort ^
Friday, September 8 – Little Rock, AR @ Simmons Bank Arena +
Saturday, September 9 – Brandon, MS @ Brandon Amphitheater +
Wednesday, September 13 – Jacksonville, FL @ Daily’s Place Amphitheater +
Friday, September 15 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre +
Saturday, September 16 – Boca Raton, FL @ Mizner Park Amphitheater +
Wednesday, September 20 – Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater +
Friday, September 22 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory +
Saturday, September 23 – Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land +
Saturday, October 21 – Cherokee, NC @ Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort +
^ indicates headlining show
+ indicates dates with 3 Doors Down
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