Live Review: Alice In Chains, Down, Walking Papers

It's a sold-out show tonight, which means Walking Papers are greeted by a growing sea of revellers flooding into the pit. The four-piece features ex-Gunner Duff McKagan on bass, who casually strolls about the stage with the air of someone who's seen and done it all before. Singer Jeff Angell cuts a striking figure, lean and angular with sunglasses adding to his rock star bravado. During some instrumentals, Angell departs the stage and wanders through the crowd, high-fiving bemused punters who appear to be counting down the seconds until Down arrive.

As Down harness a wall of feedback, the metal juggernaut that is Philip H Anselmo can be seen necking a beer backstage before greeting the audience like he's the second coming of Christ. Lysergic Funeral Procession has the desired effect with the pit erupting in a free-for-all. Lifer and Witchtripper maintain the high voltage and, by mid-set, Anselmo's trademark forehead scab has been ripped open from repeated microphone taps. The frontman momentarily dons a fan-made banner bearing the Bury Me In Smoke song title before draping it over an amp and concluding the business at hand.

During the break, road crew members busy themselves removing the previous band's gear and by the time Alice In Chains arrive bass and guitar cabinets impressively line the wall. The instant the doom-laden chug of Them Bones blasts from the PA, screams of, “Yes!” punctuate the air and the unadulterated joy continues with Dam That River. Vocalist William DuVall makes the most of the now-expansive stage, hopping about and flinging himself into his work. Band guru Jerry Cantrell seems more pensive, however, but his nonchalance in no way diminishes his guitar skills, which are bang on. An acoustic guitar brings with it the Anselmo-requested Nutshell, the Down frontman now lurking in the shadows, squeezing notes out of an air guitar as Cantrell does the same for real. We Die Young gets the crowd pumping again, as does the tortured A Looking In View and then the mellow strains of fan favourite Rooster close out the main set. Chants of “JE-RRY!” bring the band back on, with Cantrell's, “We love our job!” eliciting cheers. Got Me Wrong and the menacing Again keep the crowd thrashing and, as the rumbling bass of Would? heralds the predictable end of the gig, the band say their goodbyes, well primed for their Soundwave show tomorrow.