Alter Bridge and special guests, Sevendust, set the bar for a hard rock performance with effortless musical perfection on the tour’s opening night.
Piedmont Hall in Greensboro, NC welcomed Alter Bridge and their special guests, Sevendust, for the opening show of the second leg of the Pawns & Kings Tour. The sold-out audience filled the venue very early and well over half were wearing various Alter Bridge shirts from prior tours. The fans showed up in force tonight and the excitement could be felt in the room long before the music started.
Opening the evening was Hot For Crime, a five-piece rock band from California. Hot For Crime released their debut album a week prior on April 28, 2023, and was totally unfamiliar to the audience. Each song was a mixture of many different musical styles that pull from echoes of 80’s power rock ballads and classic hard rock. Hot For Crime won the lottery scoring the opening slot on this tour.
Sevendust has been a huge name in hard rock for almost thirty years and the energy ramped up considerably in the moments leading up to the lights dimming and the band taking the stage. Launching into “Face To Face” as their first song followed by “Denial,” Sevendust made it instantly clear they came to perform without restraint and were going to deliver a headliner-quality performance. Utilizing the entirety of the sound and light setup on stage, Sevendust commanded the room like the veterans they are.Half of the members of Sevendust are in their mid-50s of age, a fact difficult to prove due to the band members racing across the stage, jumping up and down off risers at the front of the stage and leaping into the air throughout their set. Drummer Morgan Rose was bigger than life, punishing his drum kit with massive swings of his arms. Vocalist Lajon Witherspoon is considered the traditional frontman of the band, but Morgan’s attention-grabbing persona extended the depth of the frontman zone to fill the entire stage, providing all five members room to earn frontman-level attention which they all successfully accomplished.
Part of Sevendust’s longevity and popularity is due to the band’s genuine and loving connection with their fans. Referring to this show as a family reunion, not a concert, Lajon spoke several times about his appreciation for the audience, the brotherly connection the band has with Alter Bridge, and was heartfelt when explaining the powerful emotions and vulnerability songs such as “Shine” contain.
New song “Fence” was performed for an audience for the first time and Lajon celebrated making it through the song successfully. Not forgetting to perform mega-hit “Black,” Sevendust could not have been a more perfect setup for Alter Bridge.
What must be acknowledged first about Alter Bridge’s performance is that drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall are one of the best rhythm sections in hard rock. These two tremendously talented musicians laid down a rock-solid foundation capable of supporting the ginormous talent of vocalists and guitarists Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti. The spotlight shone as brightly as it did on Myles and Mark in part due to the flawless sonic canvas they were provided to create music upon. Alter Bridge has no weak links and their performance as a band was inspiring and powerful.Alter Bridge is so insanely talented, they made everything look effortless all night long. Myles’ voice soared and hit notes inaccessible to most vocalists without breaking a sweat. Mark’s fretboard runs and complex chords flowed from his fingers without any awkwardness or hesitation. Compositions ranged from tender, acoustic ballads to fiery, smashing hard rock with equal effectiveness. Throughout their nearly two-hour set, Alter Bridge was unstoppable.
Touring for the band’s newly released album, Pawns & Kings, Alter Bridge performed “Sin After Sin,” “Silver Tongue,” “Pawns & Kings,” and “This Is War” from the album. Mainstay “Blackbird” was perfect and two beautiful ballads, “Watch Over You” and “In Loving Memory” provided a wonderful mid-set shift of gears. Myles Kennedy is one of the best vocalists in the business but when Mark Tremonti delivered a devastatingly intense rendition of “Burn In Down,” it became crystal clear why Alter Bridge is one of the most talented bands on Earth.
This leg of the tour remains in the southern part of the United States until jetting overseas for dates in Europe before returning to Buffalo, NY in August.ALTER BRIDGE
Website Facebook Twitter
SEVENDUST
Website Facebook Twitter
