LIVE PICS AND REVIEW: ALICE IN CHAINS

Legendary Seattle natives Alice in Chains took to the stage in front of a sold-out House of Blues crowd in Boston. Located directly across the street from Fenway Park, the House of Blues offers a great venue for just over 2,000 concert goers to take in a show. With multiple levels for viewing, you’re bound to get a good spot, and with bars littered throughout, a drink isn’t far away. A couple of things on the not so positive side is the single line to enter the venue, which can make for some long wait time, and the parking options are terrible especially when there is a baseball game (as there was on that evening). Be sure to get there early to secure parking, and be prepared for your wallet to take a hit with places charging an outrageous $45 for parking. But, make the most of it; get there early and hit some of the local watering holes prior to the show. There are some great bars scattered about with a lot of activity, makes for a great night out.

After a few beverages and dinner at the Lansdowne Pub, we made our way in for the Alice in Chains show. It wasn’t long before William DuVall (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mike Inez (bass), along with original members Sean Kinney (drums), and Jerry Cantrell (lead guitar and vocals) took to the stage. Now everyone knows the history behind one of grunge’s greats; they skyrocketed to fame in the 90’s and then came to a screeching halt with the death of lead singer Layne Staley in 2002, much to the dismay of millions of fans. After four years of hibernation, Alice in Chains was resurrected with the addition of DuVall on vocals. What made this transition easier than most replacement lead vocalist is Cantrell’s major contribution to vocals and AIC’s signature sound. And with DuVall’s similar sound to Staley, it was a perfect fit. In 2006, Alice in Chains was awakened and back on track. With two new albums, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, and Black Gives Way to Blue, they are not riding on their legacy they are adding to it. If you are one of the few who haven’t giving the new iteration of AIC a chance, now’s the time as you’ve been missing out. Now back to the show.

They would open with a track from their latest effort, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, “Hollow.” Absolutely killer song, fresh with the signature AIC sound. The night would continue with “Them Bones” off of their highly successful sophomore album Dirt. Throughout the evening we would get a great balance of the old and the new including “Man in the Box” off of their debut album Facelift, “Again” from their self-title third and final full length album including Layne Staley, and “Check My Brain” from DuVall’s debut Black Gives Way to Blue. With over three decades on the music scene, the veterans bring it. With a high energy performance and great visual backdrop, it’s a show worth every penny. I’ve seen this version of AIC about a half a dozen times and have never walked away disappointed. You know that song you want to hear live, Alice in Chains will give it to you along with some deep cuts throughout an 18-song set. If they are coming to a venue near you, get your tickets early as it’s sure to be sold-out. And if I was a betting man, I would expect to see something new from them in 2017. Glad to see the legacy continued for this fantastic band.

Setlist: