Live Review: Alter Bridge

A crowd largely comprised of polite head-nodders assemble to soak up of the majesty of Alter Bridge. The band aptly kick off proceedings with The Writing On The Wall, complete with opening drum demolition by Scott Phillips. Oh, Myles Kennedy, it certainly doesn't even take you a quarter of a song to warm up those impeccable pipes!

The dude behind us yells out "That was the worst sound check ever!" (From nowhere near the sweet spot). By song two, the punters are coaxed into an above-their-heads-clap-along that ushers in Kennedy's killer guitar solo. And these seasoned pros give the snappers golden photo opportunities when they pose together in a group in the centre of the stage before the photographers get kicked outta the pit.

Alter Bridge's triple-pronged riff attack vibrates through your vitals and they insist on crowd interaction. But the front section seems restless. Kennedy listens up to their gripes and then recommends stage monitors be turned around to face the crowd. "We wanna make you happy," Kennedy adds, sincerely.  

The flamenco-style guitar intro for Cry Of Achilles makes way for roaring riffs and Kennedy's unparalleled, bellowing vocals: "Don't close your EEEEEEEYES!" That bass breakdown and then wailing, beseeching guitar solo - Alter Bridge, we salute you. Kennedy switches to side-stage mics throughout the show to share the love around. His soaring choruses with unpredictable transitions (see: The Last Hero) would be virtually impossible to replicate even by the most skilled vocalists out there. Even Kennedy admits that, after writing songs, "you sometimes think, 'How am I supposed to play this thing?'"

Ever so politely, Kennedy encourages, "Ladies and gentlemen, make as much noise as you can - on the vocals - for Mark Tremonti!" before the lower tempo (but equally impressive) Waters Rising. This song is further heightened by Kennedy's harmonies and Tremonti looks super stoked with himself toward this song's end.

Kennedy checks in, "Is the sound a little better for ya?" Before announcing, "I'm gonna be a troubadour," and performing Watch Over You solo on acoustic. And the crowd completely takes over on vocals for a spell until it gets impossibly high and Kennedy reclaims the reins. These musicians are all so cool, calm and collected up there. There's a segment of Paul McCartney's Blackbird. By Open Our Eyes, the crowd belts the chorus back at Kennedy. "It's your big chance," he warns before the "woah-oh-oh" reprise and all enthusiastically supply these sounds.

Alter Bridge's encore features Tremonti/Kennedy duelling guitar solos (which we could never tire of) and sometimes their playing is so tender, perfectly offsetting the more rapid-fire riffage. And as Rise Today concludes, we wish we could do it all over again.