I remember getting the word that Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell was embarking on a new solo tour in support of his 2024 album I Want Blood.
Cantrell first rolled through town on this tour back in March at Mesa’s Nile Theatre. Unfortunately, I was on another assignment and missed it. Luckily, East Valley fans clearly demanded more, so another date was added on Tue. August 19 earlier this summer.
Only this time, he played Tempe’s Marquee Theatre. I’d say roughly 900 or so turned out, and seemingly weren’t disappointed in the least.
I was impressed with Cantrell’s band from the get-go, which includes co-lead guitarist/ vocalist Zach Throne, bassist Eliot Lorango and drummer Roy Mayorga. Not to mention the overall sound was top notch as well. Kudos to the sound crew for a job well done on that front.
Dare I say, it was perhaps the best-sounding concert I’ve heard at the Marquee in… years. Good for them!
Kicking off the paltry 95-minute, 18-song set with two tunes from I Want Blood (Echoes Of Laughter and Villified, respectively), Cantrell and Co. performed a fair mix of solo material and Alice In Chains tunes. But make no mistake: Cantrell’s solo music can be judged on its own merits. Which is a good thing.
I imagine some in the Gen-X heavy crowd were surprised to hear Dickeye (from Cantrell’s 1998 solo debut album Boggy Depot). The simple yet dark lighting used onstage was pretty effective in creating a certain mood, if you will, throughout the night.
By the way, there were no guitar and drum solos during the set. That’s the greatest thing about many rock artists of the 90s. They never forgot the importance of the song. Individual prowess on one’s instrument didn’t matter. Yet, the musicianship was still exceptional. Cantrell is an ideal example of that.
I forgot to mention something that I chuckled at once the lights went down at 9:15 sharp. Crowd chants of Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! reminded me of another “Jerry”… Springer. As in The Jerry Springer Show… for those who aren’t Gen Xers.
Back onstage, earlier songs like Atone and Psychotic Break received a fairly strong response. But of course, when the band broke into a killer version of the Alice In Chains classic Them Bones, it brought the house down. Without fail.
I’ll concede that I was a little disappointed that Down In A Hole wasn’t played. Having said that, it was cool that they pulled out Rain When I Die. Which, to be fair, was a nice surprise I should say.
It’s been a long time since I heard Cut You In, Cantrell’s first solo hit, again, from 1998’s Boggy Depot. I forgot about that song’s “quirky” bent, if you will.
I Want Blood was the final new solo song played. From there, it was back to 1990 for AIC’s Man In The Box. Fun fact: the album it comes from, Facelift, just turned 35. Needless to say, it still holds up to this day.
I suppose Would? is a great pick to end the main set. I must admit that song took a few years to grow on me. Looking back, I think its inclusion on the 1992 Singles soundtrack turned me off at the time. But I digress.
Returning to the stage for three more songs, we got It Ain’t Like That, Brighten, and of course Rooster. As I stated earlier about the harmony vocals, those guys nailed it on the latter. Something tells me that the late, great Layne Staley was grinning from ear-to-ear.
The final verdict? Four out of five stars. Personally, I wish they would’ve played 20 songs— but I’ll extend the courtesy anyway. Go see this show when it hits your area. I think you’ll walk away satisfied.
Jerry Cantrell Set List:
Echoes Of Laughter
Vilified
Dickeye
Afterglow
Atone
Psychotic Break
Them Bones
Rain When I Die
Cut You In
My Song
I Want Blood
Man In The Box
Angel Eyes
Had To Know
Would?
Encore:
It Ain’t Like That
Brighten
Rooster
