Contributing photographer Joe Schaeffer joined forces with JoJo-Anthony to bring us coverage of the Alter Bridge – Pawns & Kings tour from the March 28 performance at the House of Blues in Anaheim, CA.
The evening kicked off with Pistols at Dawn, an Atlanta-based rock group, who recently dropped their full-length album entitled Ascension on August 19th of last year. Their set was a short, but powerful five songs. And, they made the most of their time with a raucous amount of energy.
They were followed by Mammoth WVH, who have been touring with Alter Bridge on this thirty-city tour. Performing material from their debut album released in 2021. Band leader Wolfgang Van Halen and his band of seasoned musicians performed a short 45-minute set consisting of material from the debut album. Opening with the song” Mammoth” followed by “Mr. ED.”
There were some fans in the crowd who were yelling out songs by Van Halen, but thankfully young Wolfgang decided to concentrate on his own material as opposed to his “daddy’s” music, and I highly respect that.Wolfgang Van Halen composed and performed all the material on his debut record. He not only is an accomplished musician, but he’s a great singer. This was exemplified on songs like “Distance,” “You’re to Blame,” and “Another Celebration,” which is the new single from their forthcoming album Mammoth II.
Mammoth WVH is a band with a bright future ahead of them. Wolfgang Van Halen is a talented singer/songwriter who wants to establish himself on his own merits, and not ride his fathers’ coattails. Like many, I will be looking forward to their next album.
Alter Bridge returned to Southern California for a great intimate performance at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California in support of their latest album Pawns and Kings released in 2022. The venue was sold out and the bands’ loyal fan base was there in full force as the band opened their set with “Silver Tongue” from the new album.
Lead vocalist Myles Kennedy greeted the crowd and the band followed up with “Addicted to Pain” from the “Fortress” album. Before I carry on, I must give a special shout out to the crew for Alter Bridge. The audio was fantastic, and I could clearly hear ever voice and instrument throughout the performance. Most of the material was comprised from the bands’ debut and current albums. Alter Bridge released their debut album in 2004 after the breakup of Creed. The remaining members joined together with vocalist Myles Kennedy and have released seven albums since then. The band is currently on a thirty-city tour of North America. Alter Bridge has strong material and Kennedy is one of the best vocalists on the circuit today. Mark Tremonti is a sold guitarist who coincidentally hasn’t aged a day since his time with Creed.
The band has a loyal fan base that sing along with most of the songs. Kennedy is not the average Rock front man who focuses on gymnastics. He lets his voice do the work. Other highlights included “This Is War,” “Sin After Sin” and “Cry of Achilles.”
I admire any band that slows down things with something more intimate. So, I certainly enjoyed the acoustic set which featured “Watch Over You” and “In Loving Memory,” which was followed by “Blackbird” the title track from their second album. The band closed out their set with the title track from the Pawns and Kings album and “Metalingus” from their debut record. Alter Bridge put on a fantastic performance. The band is solid and tight, as all the band members are seasoned musicians. Their songs are well crafted, and they certainly have gained the respect of their loyal fans. Tremonti is an established guitarist and the rhythm section comprised of bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips keep the material solid.
This performance from Alter Bridge, Mammoth WVH, and Pistols at Dawn at the House of Blues is the type of show that keeps Rock music breathing and stronger than ever. The venue was great and every seat in the house was perfect. Not to mention that the ticket prices were economically affordable and that’s the secret to keeping not only rock music, but all music alive.
Review by JoJo-Anthony and all photos by contributor Joe Schaeffer for The Pure Rock Shop. News posted on 4/1/2023.
