Alice In Chains // Live at the HVM Forum // 17.11.09
It’s been nearly 10 years since my brother enlightened my ears with the unique, heavy riffing that created my fixation with the band Alice In Chains. That riff was ‘Man in the Box’, and at the HMV Forum on that fateful Tuesday, that riff, sounded just as superior and commanding as it did all those years ago.
The tragic death of front man Layne Staley in 2002; a man that could haunt and vigour your emotions with his words and matchless vocal style, and the band’s hiatus in the late 90’s, meant that the decision to reunite with a new front man would be no easy task. Then again selling out 2 London shows at the HMV Forum and adding another at Brixton for December, as well as selling out an intimate show at the London Scala in August, is just as hard especially in this climate…and yet this is exactly what Alice In Chains have managed to accomplish, proving just how sorely missed this influential band has been.
William Duvall’s presence not only cemented his worth as vocalist but as a musician. His talents can be heard on the record ‘Black Gives Way to Blue’, but it was his delivery of the opening song ‘Them Bones’ that carried such confidence and seamless accompaniment to Jerry Cantrell and the bands crushing sound that proves he really has come into his own in this band, and deservedly so.
The night continued with Alice pounding through hits and rare tracks. The evocative ‘Rain when I Die’ & ‘Sickman’ tore the crowd into a moshing, jumping frenzy. The official live debut of the new of ‘Last of My Kind’ did just as good a job in securing a reaction from the hungry fans.
The acoustic set halfway though calmed things down, with stellar performances of ‘Heaven Beside You’, ‘Got Me Wrong’ and the touching and emotionally-driven ‘Black Gives Way to Blue’ (a tribute to Layne Staley) There were a couple of technical hinges throughout but nothing that encumbered their performance.
If you’re a fan of the band then you’ll agree in saying welcome back, if not, give them a listen as Alice In Chains are capable of delivering raw power, sensitivity and madness all in one, -just listen to ‘DIRT.
Alice In Chains are:
Jerry Cantrell: Vox & Guitar
William Duvall: Vox & Guitar
Sea Kinney: Drums
Mike Inez: Bass
By Gavin Garcia
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