March 24, 2023

Rock quartet Alter Bridge made a stop at The Union Event Center Tuesday night on the second leg of their Pawns and Kings Tour.  Joining them on stage this night were direct support group Mammoth WVH and guests Pistols at Dawn.   

Pistols at Dawn opened the show and quickly got the fans ready for the night.  The band is still relatively young in their journey only having formed in 2015 and acquiring their new front man, Cris Hodges, last year.  Despite that the band looked well-polished and their sound had the fans rocking out to them. 

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Up next were Mammoth WVH who have been tearing up the music industry lately.  Wolfgang Van Halen has garnered multiple accolades since launching Mammoth WVH, including a Grammy Nomination, multiple #1 debuts on charts and sold out shows across the country.  When you see him perform live with his band it’s easy to see why.  Wolfgang is a master on the guitar which is just what rock fans love to see.  Throughout the night we were treated to guitar solos that had the fans screaming for more.  The highlight for me of their set was the performance of his hit single “Distance.” I have been lucky enough to see him perform this song a few times and it always feels special.  The crowd sang along to every word of it also acknowledging how special the song is.   Closing out the set they played two of their heavy hitting songs “You’re to Blame” and “Don’t Back Down.”  The reaction at the end of the set was a roaring ovation which I’m sure Mammoth WVH will be seeing again for the remainder of their tour and later for what I’m sure will be a headlining tour for their upcoming sophomore album MAMMOTH II.

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At 9:00 PM the moment arrived that everyone had been waiting for as Alter Bridge hit the stage.  For the next 90 minutes fans were treated to one of the best shows to grace The Union Event Center.  There aren’t many groups that have been together for just shy of 20 years with all of the original members still in it.  This band has been together for just shy of that number at almost 19 years, and the chemistry they have built up is reflected in their playing.  Front man Myles Kennedy is one of the best vocalists out there in the rock genre and also a truly underrated guitarist.  Although it’s hard to make a name for yourself as a guitarist when you’re playing alongside Mark Tremonti, and on side projects with Slash.  Speaking of Mark Tremonti, it’s always a pleasure to see one of the best riffing on the guitar live and in person.  A rock show is all about guitar riffs and solos and Tremonti gave fans exactly that which had us all hollering through the whole set. 

In true Alter Bridge fashion, the middle of the show had the acoustic portion where Kennedy’s vocals brough the crowd to a silence as we listened to him deliver a master performance of “Watch Over You” before having the audience join in mid song.  Then we got to see the acoustic portion carry on when Tremonti joined in for “In Loving Memory.”  The rest of the night was a good old-fashioned rock concert. 

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After it was over the chants of Alter Bridge still rang in the air as the band took a bow and walked off stage to the roar of the crowd.  It’s always a good sign when the fans stay and chant your name even after the show and it’s even better for the fans when the band sounds just as good or better live which seems to always happen at an Alter Bridge Show.

Alter Bridge continues their tour with back to back nights on Saturday and Sunday in Airway Heights, WA with a few more shows after before ending the tour on April 1st in Highland, CA.  You can find date info here.