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Live Review: Alice In Chains — Avalon, Hollywood

Is it 1993 or is it just me?

Two of the year's best records have come from early '90s legends—Alice In Chains' Black Gives Way to Blue and Pearl Jam's Backspacer.

It's quite the time grow your hair out again and bust out the flannel…Perhaps more importantly, both bands manage to remain inimitable and immortal live presences too.

On last Wednesday night at the Avalon in Hollywood, Alice in Chains performed a set of classics and original material that was nothing short of rapturous. From the first woozy note of Jerry Cantrell's "Rain When I Die" wah-pedal intro to the final dizzying and dying strains of "Would?", Alice In Chains proved completely and utterly transcendent. Cantrell's guitar playing could wake the dead on "Acid Bubble" and "God Am," but it didn't have to. The sold out crowd was practically frothing at the mouth for as much as Alice as possible, singing along to every word of hit new single "Check My Brain" and "Love, Hate, Love" alike.

Drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez's rhythm section stood completely impenetrable during "Sludge Factory." Amidst the swirling guitar solos and hazy, hypnotic riffs, co-vocalist William Duvall's voice sailed to heights of rock n' roll royalty. "We Die Young" felt as haunted as ever, while acoustic classics "Nutshell" and "No Excuses" have never been more heartfelt. Duvall has emerged as the perfect modern complement to Jerry and a worthy addition to the Alice In Chains' legacy.

Pearl Jam would do the same thing over the course of two nights at the Gibson Amphitheater last night, and it's almost as if the spirit of early '90s rock n' roll is burning brighter and singing louder than ever.

It's funny to think of Alice In Chains or Pearl Jam as "back." They never really went anywhere. Their classic songs have been affecting fans since the moment they were released into the collective consciousness. However, everything's gotten better with age in both cases.

It doesn't need to be 1993, 2009 is pretty awesome…

—Rick Florino
10.05.09