Alice in Chains + Brioche = Very Good Day in Seattle
I interrupt this edible pontification for a little audible information. This one’s for all of The Wine Offensive’s line cookie friends and readers.
Alice In Chains have reunited of late to do some charity gigs, but last night’s free not-so-secret show in Seattle was a practice run for a mini tour kicking off today, as well as a quite homage to dearly departed Layne Staley, one of rock’s most wicked voices, ever. (Wanna fight?)
I didn’t know how to feel about the show. I love this band. I think it was the best thing to come out of Seattle in the early nineties. Alice In Chains was more than grunge at the time–they appealed to the industrial/goth set, the rock set, and the heavy metal set. They were dark and their guitar licks made people like Billy Corgan sweat envy. One must not forget the artistry that is Jerry Cantrell. And the band’s sound was different enough to escape feeling dated today.
But how can someone else sing those lyrics? My broham and I told ourselves to get over it, finished our cans o’ beer, and headed for where the pit would be. We noticed all ages, the body-modified, the mulleted, the greek letter bedecked. We rocked out behind some old white trash that nearly lost their shit when Duff joined the band on stage.
Kinney, Inez, and Cantrell sounded amazing–loud, powerful, and in top form. At the risk of sounding too “when I was your age…” These guys put any current so-called rockers in a headlock and bash their brains out on the sidewalk. They were joined by new singer (can we call him that now?) William Duvall, frontman of local band Comes With The Fall, who backs up his stellar voice with guitar skills. It’s a fine line between making those songs your own and sounding like someone doing karaoke. DuVall nailed it. He has a little gravelly soulness to his voice, and he won the audience almost immediately. He got me with Love, Hate, Love. If you can sing that song, man, I think you can be in the band.
I’m not going to review the show because empirically, Alice In Chains rock. If they’re headed your way, go.
And screw you Professor Larry Grossberg.
You don’t know shit.
Oh and Happy Birthday to He Who Also Rocks and is the Hotness.
On a lighter, buttery note…
If you live in Seattle, checkout my review of Belle Epicurean in the Seattle Weekly.
Look at those big, sweet buns glistening. Pear buns and chocolate buns and pecan buns…
Easier still: subscribe to my SW RSS feed.
May 17th, 2006 at 10:29 am
Too bad the bouncer made me delete my videos. Funny how camera phones are okay, but cameras are not. Maybe it is time to upgrade my phone.
May 17th, 2006 at 10:33 am
This line cookie also sweats envy cuz he couldn’t get tickets to the Roxy. You rock too. For an older lady.
May 17th, 2006 at 11:59 am
I bet you were one of those bartenders that fed the kitchen drinks. Thank you for this great news. Facelift is a staple in the BOH.
May 17th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
A girl who knows food and has rad taste in music. Your right about Alice In Chains, they blew all the other Seattle bands away. I remember the first time I saw them in a small club. You just knew they were something special. I’ll take your word on the new guy. But I still am a skeptic.
May 17th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
every few posts I fill in one more blank about who the hell this hilarious spitfire really is. Trent Reznor, ALice in Chains, this explains a lot. But who the hell is Larry Grussberg?
May 17th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
Lucky!!!! Those buns look hot. But not cross. Yummmmmmmy….
May 17th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
Matt - you got greedy! Rule #1 Never argue with a bouncer–you can’t win.
BZC - Who you callin’ old, jerky?
Feemo - I was. You’re welcome. Agreed.
Rick - I had a boulder on my shoulder going in, trust me, the kid’s got pipes.
J Walz - Larry Grossberg is a famous sociologist known for saying “rock is dead.” Another piece of the puzzle for you: I’ve been to Dollywood 9 times. Chew on that.
Dee Dee - no, they are most agreeable.
May 18th, 2006 at 11:20 am
Oh no, are you trying to go legit on us? You’re not going to sell out and stop blogging are you? Say it ain’t so. Good article though.
And ever heard of a band called Nirvana?
May 18th, 2006 at 11:27 am
#1: Dude! I write for free. This is not a sustainable business model. Rest assured, I will NEVER sell out. But seriously, what are you, like 15? Why does alt or indie have to mean poor?
#2: Yeah, so?
May 21st, 2006 at 7:03 am
“Alice In Chains have reunited of late to do some charity gigs, but last night’s free not-so-secret show in Seattle was a practice run for a mini tour kicking off today, as well as a quite homage to dearly departed Layne Staley, one of rock’s most wicked voices, ever. (Wanna fight?)”
No completely agree !Layne staley rocks !
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:59 am
How’d the hell you get tickets??? Who else played. More scoop please.
May 22nd, 2006 at 11:07 am
Connections, Richie. Let’s see…I mentioned Duff, one of the Queensryche guys (yawn), Kim Thayil (very nice, very cool guy, as all Seattle waiters know)… and Ann Wilson (I’m not saying she was drunk, but she did butcher the shit out of The Rooster.) Chickens don’t even sound like that before the slaughter. Shitty, seeing as how Layne’s dads were there. (The Rooster is a very sweet man.)
July 5th, 2006 at 12:11 pm
[…] 3.) alice in chains review - I refuse to have one more debate on whether it is or isn’t OK. Here was my non-review of the Seattle show. […]