10/02/2004 - Milwaukee, WI - The Rave

[Steve]

Went to this show? Post your review...

[Steve]

Taken From: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (http://www.jsonline.com/onwisconsin/music/oct04/263802.asp)

Freed from Creed, Bridge men rock
Band mates seem more comfortable in new ensemble

By NATHAN LICHTMAN
Special to the Journal Sentinel

By the time Alter Bridge took the stage at the Rave Saturday night, it was clear that the group's former life as Creed was long forgotten.

Creed's remnants - guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips - played tighter and stronger as Alter Bridge than they ever did in the earlier band.

From the opening notes of "One Day Remains," the melodically efficient title track from the group's debut album, Alter Bridge looked like a band that had just woken from a coma to realize it had won the lottery.

The real star Saturday night, though, was lead singer Myles Kennedy, who with a giant grin and Chris Cornell-like vocals proved he's ready for the big time.

After asking the crowd to make some noise, Kennedy, formerly with Mayfield Four, was overwhelmed by the loud response. "That just consoled all our inner childs," he joked.

Kennedy's vocals on the anthemic rock of "Burn It Down," "The End Is Here" and the set closer, "Open Your Eyes," echoed through the Rave like it was a 20,000-seat arena. Throughout the set, Kennedy was magnetic and much more entertaining than former Creed singer Scott Stapp.

Dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, Tremonti bounced between frenetic solos and arena-size power chords while Phillips hit the skins harder and faster than he has in the past.

Tracks like the somber "Broken Wings," and the larger-than-life rock of "Find the Real" resonated well with the large crowd, which ran the gamut of ages and backgrounds.

Tremonti also invited two of his heroes - ambidextrous guitarist Michael Angelo Batio and virtuoso Troy Stetina - to play for the crowd and later join the band for a rousing four-guitar cover of Deep Purple's "Highway Star." The peculiar move turned out to be a success and the crowd cheered both guest guitarists.

Judging by the smiles on their faces and roar of the crowd, the guys in Alter Bridge don't have to worry about reuniting Creed down the road.

Openers Crossfade, best known for a moderate hit with "Cold," sounded discombobulated and inconsistent. Bouncing between funky kegger rock and banal metal, the group couldn't lock onto a sound it could call its own. Earlier in the evening, Submersed opened the show to a warm reception with its gregarious stage show and mid-tempo rock.

[Steve]

Here's my review:

Well I got to the venue around 5:30pm or so. They had this "pre-show" party at The Rave Bar, a bar just inside the venue with a small stage. This is actually the place where Creed first performed in Milwaukee back in 1997. I jumped in line and met a few AB fans from ABB.net forums. A little after 7:00 pm they opened the doors to where AB was going to play - The Rave. I was in the "second row" so I had a great view of the stage.

Just before 8:00pm - Submersed. They are very good. They worked the audience well and their songs sound amazing live. They played 5 or 6 songs (I don't remember exactly) and then left the stage.

Around 9:00pm Crossfade took the stage. I personally didn't like them. They didn't fit in with the rest of the show IMO. A few of their songs were ok, but the DJ/keyboardist guy didn't seem to fit. I was disappointed because I do really like their radio single, and their album is decent.

After Crossfade I was really thirsty so I left my spot in the front and stood in the back for Alter Bridge. I was in the front for the whole show the night before in Chicago so I didn't mind going to the back for tonight's show. And actually they sounded much better further back from the stage.

Well when Alter Bridge took the stage you could feel the energy in the room. Everyone was excited and as the first note was struck you could tell it was going to be a good night. Throughout the set Myles seemed to be having so much fun. At one point in the set Myles picked up a sign from someone in the front row (from the ABB.net peeps) and read it - AlterBridgeBand.net. That was pretty cool of him to do that!

3/4ths of the way through the set Myles introduces Michael Angelo and Troy Stetina. First Mr. Angelo comes out with his double V guitar and shreds away on both. Wow he was amazing to watch. Then out comes Stetina who also shreds away for a few minutes. Then the rest of Alter Bridge comes out and they all jam Deep Purple's Highway Star. FOUR GUITARS! FOUR FRIGGEN GUITARISTS!!!!! Awsome!

A funny moment happened at the end during Open Your Eyes. Mark and Myles were moving around the stage and at the very end of the song when Mark is supposed to sing his lines, he was on the other side of the stage with no mic. After he realized he was supposed to be singing he moved over to his mic, passing Myles with a big grin on his face! He ended up singing his second line but missed the first. It was ok though as the crowd covered Mark heh - everyone else sang it for him.

Setlist was:

One Day Remains
Watch Your Words
Broken Wings
Burn It Down
Metalingus
The End Is Here
Shed My Skin
Highway Star
In Loving Memory
Open Your Eyes

After the show, thanks to Michael, I was able to stay and meet the band at the "After Show" party. It was very cool to yet again talk with Michael in person (he's such a great guy) and then speak with Mark, Brian, and Flip. Myles didn't come out because his throat was scrathy and bothering him due to singing three nights in a row. I guess he went straight to the bus after the show. Hope he's feeling better!

Thanks to Michael for everything, including getting me my VIP pass when the venue box office told me three times they didn't have it (and told me to go to the wrong place to get it too!). Next time let me know that the VIP pass lets me go backstage :D

[Dogstar]

Wicked awesome, Steve, and congrats on meeting the guys! I'm going tonight in Allentown, Pa., and I can't wait...Hey, what time did you show up to the venue? I have a little over an hour's drive, and I just got up, hehehe. I'm just wondering how early we need to show up to get near the front. This is the first of three shows for me, so if I don't get up front tonight, I'm pretty sure I'll get their Saturday, with njcreedite and TeriB19 :D

[Steve]

Go early. It depends on how many big fans are in your area. I got there around 5:30. The doors opened to the "pre-show" events at 5:00. I was probably the 20th person there in the line area. When I went to Chicago I got there around 4:30pm for a 8:00pm show start and there was also about 20 people there.

[Dogstar]

Great! Thanks for the info. I'm on track to get their around 3-ish, so I should be OK :D...I'll report back later on the show!