We were covering two shows in two different locations over the Labor day holiday. One was Motorhead in Atlantic City (review here), the other was Alice in Chains at the TLA on South Street in Philadelphia. You would be lucky to fit a normal wedding party in the TLA, let alone fans of one of the biggest Seattle bands. Tickets were scarce and difficult to come by. In fact, we had to blow a black dude who was scalping tickets. But Vic took that on the chin, face, chest, and fingers. Suffice it to say, we got into the show with only herpes as the price of admission.

Many were skeptical about Alice in Chains touring under that name this year.  It was suggested that they just form a new band with the three surviving members and a new front man.  Another suggestion was that they go on with Jerry Cantrell singing all vocals.  In the end, they decided to reform with front man William DuVall, who has toured as Cantrell's guitarist/backup singer in the past.

From the opening lick of Rain When I Die, you could feel the unbridled energy of a crowd that had unfortunately been robbed of this music way too early and robbed of their money from the high price of tickets. Cantrell initially emerged in the front, with DuVall staying a step back, but soon they were sharing the stage.  As they tore through a setlist that included many of their greatest hits and great new stuff, you could close your eyes and imagine what it would sound like if Layne Staley was alive today.  DuVall sounded very similar to Staley and Cantrell's harmonizing vocals helped to solidify the image. But it was still unique enough that it wasn't a tribute act.

What I loved was there was no pretension. No long opening soundtrack or intro, the band just walked out and picked up their instruments and started riffing Rain When I Die. Alice in Chains came to play and by god did they.

The band as a whole was solid.  Sean Kinney has gotten better in the last ten years, clearly not just sitting at home and eating fruit snacks.  Whether on purpose or not, he gave the drumbeats a more accentuated feel.  Mike Inez is still a ball of energy on stage.  Thank goodness he didn't join Metallica when Jason Newsted left five years ago.  William DuVall has proved himself to be a suitable replacement for one of the greatest and most tragic front men of the last 20 years.  DuVall also contributed on the guitar for several songs, as he has done for Cantrell on the road in the past.

As usual,Jerry Cantrell was a tremendous performer and is the true heart and soul of this band.  He is a very gifted guitar player and was able to sing almost every lyric that he had in the past.  His voice in combination with Layne's was one of the reasons that many considered them the most talented band of the grunge era, and it seems that it transfers over with DuVall.

The set consisted of a great career retrospective and a where we are going perspective. You had a lot of songs off Dirt (Rain When I Die, Dam That River, Would) some off Facelift (We Die Young, Love, Hate, Love) and some off Alice In Chains (Again, God AM). If you were a fan, I doubt you could have picked a better setlist. In fact, we challenge you to do so.

Setlist:

Rain When I Die
Again
Check My Brain
Them Bones
Dam That River
A Looking in View
We Die Young
Nutshell
Love Hate Love
God Am
Acid Bubble
Angry Chair
Man in the Box
Would?

Encore

Dirt
No Excuses
Rooster