Alice In Chains, Down, Walking Papers @ The Palace Theatre, Melbourne (27/02/2014)
As I walk up Bourke Street towards the Palace, a handful of middle aged men cling desperately to hand written signs on cardboard, desperate for a ticket for a much anticipated sold out Sidewave featuring 90's grunge luminarys Alice In Chains, adding to the excitement & anticipation of a monster night of live music.
Walking Papers kick off tonights proceedings, with an enjoyable half hour set of rolling bluesy rock to a steadily building crowd. Many seem unfamilar with their material, but entertained by the presence of Ex Guns & Roses bassist Duff McKagan, and smoothly dressed frontman Jeff Angel, who jumps out mid set to perform a song on the floor, much to the bewilderment of the punters standing around him.
By the time Down are due to hit the stage, the Palace is heaving, with plenty of Pantera & Down t-shirt clad fans chomping at the bit to see their metal messiah Phil Anselmo live in the flesh. As the band take their places on the stage, they are met with a thunderous reception, but the biggest roar is saved for Anselmo, who then wastes no time raising the crowd into a frenzy.
While white bearded guitarist Pepper Keenan & Bobby Landgraf wail their axes with sludgy heavy metal riffage, Anselmo entertains us all with his antics throughout the set. Early tributes to Dimebag, Jeff Hanneman & "Grass Smoking" go down well with the crowd, as well as the theatrics of the iconic metal figure himself.
Fists pumped, his forehead bleeding from hitting himself in the head with the microphone in the head numerous times, he prowls the stage like a madman, you just can't help but love the guy.
Toward the end of the set, Anselmo is thrown a white home made banner from fans up the front, which read "Bury Us in Smoke" He then procedes to drape it over himself as a garment, & the aforementioned title on the sign is their ending song which goes down a treat with their followers.
Then something special happens. To the sides of the stage are a smattering of musicians of other bands playing on the Soundwave bill. We are then treated to an all star jam to conclude Down's set, featuring Vernon Reid & Doug Wimbish of Living Colour, Duff McKagan back out on bass, and Walking Papers drummer Barrett Martin. High fives,smiles & good times abound on this heavy metal holiday!
Alice in Chains return to Austalia for their second tour with the Soundwave festival coincides with their recent album The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. They explode out of the blocks with the first two songs of their seminal (and best) album Dirt. Them Bones crunches into us like a truck into a kangaroo on a desert highway, Damn That River sounds colossal. Man in the Box really gives replacement frontman William DuVall a chance to display his impressive range; the song allowing his vocals to soar sky high. A real highlight of the night.
The band then slow the tempo, breaking out the accoustic guitars for Nutshell, which is dedicated to the late Layne Stanley. The angsty We Die Young from Facelift is a reminder that nothing is forever. Finishing the first set proper is their classic Rooster, the crowd in a co- cooing kareoke with DuVall, the song slowly climbs a stairway of emotional build up ,then a dynamic release of power at the peak, the frontman displaying sublime rock poses at the peak moment.
A three song encore is presented in the form of Got Me Wrong, Again, and the epic Would? close out the show. Huge applause, respect & admiration from the bottom of the floor to the very top of the Palace, while even further upstairs, you can bet Layne, Dimebag & co would also be approving.
B J O'Brien
Walking Papers kick off tonights proceedings, with an enjoyable half hour set of rolling bluesy rock to a steadily building crowd. Many seem unfamilar with their material, but entertained by the presence of Ex Guns & Roses bassist Duff McKagan, and smoothly dressed frontman Jeff Angel, who jumps out mid set to perform a song on the floor, much to the bewilderment of the punters standing around him.
By the time Down are due to hit the stage, the Palace is heaving, with plenty of Pantera & Down t-shirt clad fans chomping at the bit to see their metal messiah Phil Anselmo live in the flesh. As the band take their places on the stage, they are met with a thunderous reception, but the biggest roar is saved for Anselmo, who then wastes no time raising the crowd into a frenzy.
While white bearded guitarist Pepper Keenan & Bobby Landgraf wail their axes with sludgy heavy metal riffage, Anselmo entertains us all with his antics throughout the set. Early tributes to Dimebag, Jeff Hanneman & "Grass Smoking" go down well with the crowd, as well as the theatrics of the iconic metal figure himself.
Fists pumped, his forehead bleeding from hitting himself in the head with the microphone in the head numerous times, he prowls the stage like a madman, you just can't help but love the guy.
Toward the end of the set, Anselmo is thrown a white home made banner from fans up the front, which read "Bury Us in Smoke" He then procedes to drape it over himself as a garment, & the aforementioned title on the sign is their ending song which goes down a treat with their followers.
Then something special happens. To the sides of the stage are a smattering of musicians of other bands playing on the Soundwave bill. We are then treated to an all star jam to conclude Down's set, featuring Vernon Reid & Doug Wimbish of Living Colour, Duff McKagan back out on bass, and Walking Papers drummer Barrett Martin. High fives,smiles & good times abound on this heavy metal holiday!
Alice in Chains return to Austalia for their second tour with the Soundwave festival coincides with their recent album The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. They explode out of the blocks with the first two songs of their seminal (and best) album Dirt. Them Bones crunches into us like a truck into a kangaroo on a desert highway, Damn That River sounds colossal. Man in the Box really gives replacement frontman William DuVall a chance to display his impressive range; the song allowing his vocals to soar sky high. A real highlight of the night.
The band then slow the tempo, breaking out the accoustic guitars for Nutshell, which is dedicated to the late Layne Stanley. The angsty We Die Young from Facelift is a reminder that nothing is forever. Finishing the first set proper is their classic Rooster, the crowd in a co- cooing kareoke with DuVall, the song slowly climbs a stairway of emotional build up ,then a dynamic release of power at the peak, the frontman displaying sublime rock poses at the peak moment.
A three song encore is presented in the form of Got Me Wrong, Again, and the epic Would? close out the show. Huge applause, respect & admiration from the bottom of the floor to the very top of the Palace, while even further upstairs, you can bet Layne, Dimebag & co would also be approving.
B J O'Brien