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Live Review
by SashaS
4-10-2002
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| Jerry Cantrell: Alice In Chains honoured |
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Live: Jerry Cantrell
Mean Fiddler, London
Thursday, October 3, 2002
Jerry Cantrell’s first solo visit rocks triumphantly
Lights go down, the four-piece band takes on to the stage, the atmo goes shady and remains on the side of the soul that’s usually bypassed during this period when the world prefers to be rocked superficially, comically and vacantly… Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters complained (to moi) recently that there was no more “darkly romantic rock” but he’s wrong and strangely, he’s overlooked a guitarist-cum-singer whom he’s known from the Seattle’s grunge scene.
The man in question is one Jerry Cantrell, guitarist/founder of Alice In Chains, who’s finally made it to Europe to promote his second solo album, ‘Degradation Trip’. (His debut ‘Bogey Depot’ came out in 1998.) The new album, originally conceived as a double-disc, has had only half the songs released and the second part will follow early next year.
Mean Fiddler is small but teeming with bodies that are dying for the sounds missed-for-so-long. We’ve had AiC inspired bands and rip-artists but there is nothing like the genuine article. Cantrell is the man who takes us on the trip to the gloomiest recesses of existence via songs such as the opening ‘Psychotic Break’, ‘Bargain Basement Howard Hughes’, ‘Anger Rising’, ‘It Ain’t Like That’… It is low – you can’t believe the sound of the bass at times! – it recalls the grunge-era but it is not stuck there, it all sounds like a more contemporary rock band without going into any nu-s**t.
The show is musically superb and Jerry is happy to be back in London, he tells us eagerly during those rare moments of repartee. He is a decent singer but his onstage persona is a bit too aloof, vague, he is a reluctant frontman whose softly spoken announcements are meet with ‘Speak Up! Can’t hear ya!’ shouts. Of course practice will make it second-skin but right now he’s not truly there yet. The crowd at one moment chanted his name that visibly made him uncomfortable, although glad, that he knew not what to do and ended up bowing.
But, six months from AiC singer Layne Staley’s death, Cantrell has no problem playing Alice’s songs that added to the deeply spiritual experience of the evening. ‘No Excuses’, ‘Would?’, ‘Down In A Hole’, ‘Angry Chair’ and ‘Man In The Box’ got performed and it was all over far too soon.
Jerry Cantrell has not only picked up where AiC left off but has confirmed that he still is the train-driver of the bandwagon.
SashaS
4-10-2002
Jerry Cantrell’s album ‘Degradation Trip’ is out now on Roadrunner
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