Reviving the Grunge with Jerry Cantrell at Irving Plaza

Jerry Cantrell was among the pioneers of the grunge movement in the late 1980s, a sound that nearly revolutionized the hard rock culture of the 1990s. As the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of Alice in Chains, he quickly rose to rock stardom, with Alice in Chains selling more than 30 million records. In the 1990s, Alice in Chains’ first three albums sold at multi-platinum levels.

In the 21^st century, however, Alice in Chains was unable to match its earlier success. The three albums released in the 2000s came nowhere near the band’s previous highs. The band’s sophomore album in 1992 sold more than 5 million units; the band’s fifth album in 2013 sold about 20,000 units. This steep drop demonstrates a significant reduction in the band’s popularity and presence.

With Alice in Chains activity diminishing to sporadic albums and tours, Cantrell launched a solo career in 1998. Cantrell’s current tour promotes his fourth solo album, I Want Blood, which he released on October 18, 2024. For this tour, he enlisted co-lead vocalist Greg Puciato of Better Lovers (and formerly of Dillinger Escape Plan), co-lead guitarist Zach Throne, bassist Eliot Lorango of the band Dorothy, and drummer Roy Mayorga, who has played in Soulfly, Hellyeah, Stone Sour and Ministry.

The setlist on the I Want Blood tour emphasizes Cantrell’s solo work. At the Irving Plaza performance, 12 of the 17 songs were culled from Cantrell’s four solo albums. Cantrell and his band performed five of the nine songs from the I Want Blood album, including the singles "Vilified" and "Afterglow." Interspersed throughout the program, Cantrell gave the fans what they really wanted, which was Alice in Chains. The AIC songs featured four fan favorites from the early 1990s, “Them Bones”, “Would?”, “Man in a Box” and the closer, “Rooster.” The selections also included a curious deep cut, “Hate to Feel,” which nether Cantrell nor Alice in Chains have performed live in over three decades, since 1993, when AIC’s late vocalist Layne Staley was still alive.

Cantrell took his audience to the 1990s. Newer songs dominated the concert, yet Cantrell did not break new ground. Even with the concentration on songs from the solo albums, Cantrell capitalized on a nostalgia for a rock sound that was new and fresh some 30 years ago. The solo songs aligned and meshed with the old AIC footprint. For most of the set, Cantrell harmonized a familiar droning vocal delivery with his most recent collaborator, Greg Puciato, much as he did in AIC, first with Layne Staley and then with Staley’s replacement, William DuVall. Switching guitars throughout the program, Cantrell blazed hard rock riffs and soared on extended instrumental leads. The band supported him well, both instrumentally and with gang vocals.

Whereas this style of music broke into the mainstream for a decade or so in the 1990s, AIC’s unique sound now appeals to a more limited and niche audience. Kudos to Cantrell for continuing to write new songs in this vein and not relying solely on back catalog. Cantrell’s concert performance proved that he remains a vital flagbearer for thousands of music fans eager to revive the grunge era.

Setlist

1. Psychotic Break
2. Them Bones (Alice in Chains song)
3. Vilified
4. Afterglow
5. Atone
6. Off the Rails
7. Cut You In
8. My Song
9. I Want Blood
10. Had to Know
11. Man in the Box (Alice in Chains song)
12. Siren Song
13. Hate to Feel (Alice in Chains song)
14. Would? (Alice in Chains song)

Encore

1. Held Your Tongue
2. Brighten
3. Rooster (Alice in Chains song)

 

Related Article

Jerry Cantrell at Irving Plaza (2022)

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The Manhattan Beat reports on New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.

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