Alice In Chains: Live Review

By guest writer Julia Neuman

February 13th 2010, Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood CA: When I found out that one of my favorite bands of all time, Alice in Chains, were going to hit the Hollywood Palladium on the second leg of their U.S. tour, I was ecstatic. As I've come to realize from attending several of their shows myself and watching countless videos, you're hard-pressed to find a disappointing live show from AIC. When February 13th rolled around, there was a line completely around the block by the time the doors opened at 8 PM. This was pretty impressive considering Alice was not to take the stage until 10 PM.

Being the rail rat that I am, I got inside and quickly weaseled my way up to the front. There was some buzz among fans in the venue about a Belgian opening act, but no one had much dirt on them. Minute by minute, the thousands of people who had been outside piled their way into the Palladium. Pretty soon the entire place, including the upper VIP areas, was shoulder-to-shoulder, packed to capacity.

The Belgian opening band, Creature with the Atom Brain, took the stage at around 9 PM and played a short set to an anxious LA crowd. By the time they were finished, everyone was more anxious and impatient than before. It's not that they were bad, per say. The problem is that playing to (and impressing) thousands of Alice in Chains fans is an incredibly daunting task. After all, one of the reasons Alice in Chains is so revered by many is that no other band comes close to evoking the particular moods and feelings that are embedded in their music. Now I understand why AIC chose to forego an opening act on the last leg of their U.S. tour; I only wish they would have done the same for this leg. Nonetheless, Creature with the Atom Brain's set was short enough, and soon a large white curtain dropped and covered the stage to shroud preparations for the main act.

About 30 minutes later, the lights dimmed and the crowd roared. A giant projection of the Black Gives Way to Blue heart appeared on the white curtain and pulsed with the thud of a steady heartbeat. With the curtain still in place, AIC took the stage and began playing 'All Secrets Known', a very fitting opener. The shadows of Cantrell, DuVall and Inez appeared on the white canvas, causing an uproar of anticipation from the packed Palladium. Just before the chorus, the curtain dropped to reveal the familiar faces of the band members. A thousand outstretched arms in the pit and a confident and composed Alice in Chains made for a sight to behold. After having gone to two of the band's shows on the last leg of the tour, I could tell right away that AIC had evolved even since then. It was as if they were saying, 'Here we are again, assured and confident, take it or leave it,' and the crowd's constant roaring was a seal of approval.

The band launched into 'It Ain't Like That', an awesome choice for the second song. It is always great to hear anything from Facelift played live; the oldest AIC blending with the newest just reinforces the incredible accomplishments of the band. Next up was 'Again', which is one of the most fun songs of the any AIC set and never fails to have the crowd jumping in unison to the rolling guitar licks and drums. After a couple more songs, the band launched into 'Dam That River.' These days, Jerry Cantrell is very selective about when he headbangs in a live show, and during this song he always does. After having watched Cantrell live a few times now, I've realized that he has almost every single one of his headbanging moments planned out. While I would love to see him loosen up a little bit on stage and rock out like he did fifteen years ago, I'll cut him some slack. He's Jerry Cantrell,he can do whatever the fuck he wants onstage!

Up next was the highlight of the evening, hands down: 'Last of My Kind.' This MUST become a live staple. The heaviness of it completely engulfed the venue and it seemed like the crowd knew most of the lyrics. It also gave William a much-needed time to shine and Cantrell a much-needed break from all the attention on stage. The band did a complete 180 and whipped out 'Nutshell' next, which had many of us in the front row a little bit teary-eyed. It's hard to not think about the band's past when you hear this song, and while AIC did not formally dedicate it to Mr. Layne Staley this evening, everyone still knew it was Layne's song, and Layne's moment.

By this time, although I was enjoying myself, I could not help but take note of the extremely mediocre sound quality on the rail of the Palladium. The last songs before the encore, 'Angry Chair' and 'Man in the Box', sounded incredibly diffuse and muddied. Normally there is a certain tightness and crunchiness in sound that is characteristic of AIC live, and it just wasn't showcased at this venue. It's definitely not the fault of the band, and if anything it highlights their ability to put on a great show even when the sound quality is sub-par.

After a short encore break, the guys took the stage again and launched into 'Love, Hate, Love.' Again, this was a shining point for William DuVall. Not only is this one of AIC's most difficult songs vocally, but it is also the song that originally scored DuVall the position of new lead singer in 2006. DuVall took this time to connect with specific audience members, taking their hands and singing directly to them with passion. This epic song and stellar performance outshined even the classics 'Would?' and 'Rooster, which were the last two songs of the night.

While an Alice in Chains show is now more of a classy affair than a grungy and grimy Seattle rock show, the band still delivers an incredible performance. Cantrell, DuVall, Inez and Kinney maintain the true spirit of Alice in Chains' music and legacy while still paying homage to the unforgettable legend, Layne Staley. I am excited to see the direction that this band takes in the next few years now that they have truly hit their stride both in the studio and in their live performances.

Secrets
It Ain't Like That
Again
Check my Brain
Them Bones
River
Rain
Decision
Got me wrong
We die young
Last of my kind
Nutshell
Sickman
Lesson learned
Acid bubble
No excuses
Angry Chair
Man in the box
Encore:
Love hate love
Would?
Rooster

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