Alter Bridge at the PlayStation Theater

Mark Tremonti & Myles Kennedy

After 10 successful years, the band Creed became inactive in 2003. In 2004, Creed's lead guitarist Mark Tremonti and bassist Brian Marshall teamed with original Creed drummer Scott Phillips and recruited the Mayfield Four's vocalist, Myles Kennedy, in Orlando, Florida. They named the new band Alter Bridge after a bridge near Tremonti's home on Alter Road in Detroit, Michigan. Alter Bridge was an immediate success; the 2004 debut album sold 750,000 copies worldwide and achieved gold status in the United States. Alter Bridge paused in 2009 when Creed reunited for an album and tour and Kennedy began singing with Slash's new band, a back and forth pattern that has repeated itself. Alter Bridge's sixth studio album, Walk the Sky, will be released on October 18, 2019.

Alter Bridge's Victorious Sky tour was scheduled to hit Terminal 5 tonight, but the venue suffered a small fire in a storage room and the concert was moved to the PlayStation Theater. After strong sets by Dirty Honey and Skillet, Alter Bridge performed a 70-minute set that showcased 10 older songs and three new songs. Behind the band, a line of LED panels showed swirling colors and shapes; other than that, Alter Bridge's staging was kept simple, with no fog, flames, lasers, confetti, or other gimmicks. The performance was strictly about fast and furious hard rock, powered by Kennedy's bluesy vocals and Tremonti's frequently raging guitar leads. "Ghost of Days Gone By" and similar ballads showcased the band's lighter side, but melodies were prominent in the chunkier rockers as well. Tremonti proved to be a solid singer as well on his one lead vocal turn, "Water's Rising." The newer songs fit neatly into the band's signature post-grunge style. While many of the popular bands from the beginning of the century have exhausted their creativity, Alter Bridge gave evidence that the alt-rock era is still alive and well.

Setlist:

1. Wouldn't You Rather
2. Isolation
3. Buried Alive
4. Pay No Mind
5. Rise Today
6. Ghost of Days Gone By
7. Waters Rising
8. In the Deep
9. Addicted to Pain
10. Cry of Achilles
11. Blackbird
12. Metalingus
13. Open Your Eyes