Alter Bridge with Mammoth WVH and Red are on tour together in 2023. Last Wednesday they played The Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa at The Hard Rock Event Center, a 1,500 seat venue which has seen the likes of Sting, The Jacksons and just last week, 80’s rockers Tesla. This was a night of modern aggressive music filled with heroic guitar solos and muscular rock.
Red started the evening and nearly blew out my earbuds; I’m glad I brought them. The loud, primal scream group was good, but nothing too original. It had that Daltrey sound from “American Idol,” and not vocally, either. Musically, Red has a sound that came out of the late-90’s, a sound that permeates most post-grunge music.
Mammoth WVH, featuring Wolfgang Van Halen is the real deal with an old-school rock star pedigree from his dad, guitar god Eddie Van Halen and his famous mom, Valerie Bertinelli. He has really strong, gut-wrenching vocals, great guitar chops, and uplifting harmonies all while flirting with the post-grunge sound. It’s the soul of his music that separates it from the rest. The fact that he’s EVH’s son maybe makes me want to like him. Because I do. He’s humble and he’s having fun up there. Or maybe it's also because he’s all sorts of talented (must be in his genes).
Headliner Alter Bridge features Myles Kennedy who looks slightly like a cross between Jared Leto and Kevin Bacon. His voice is the deal, and at times hits the territory once owned by Steve Perry in the 70’s. Whether you like Journey or not is a moot point. At other times during the night, I’m reminded of Jeff Buckley and even Chris Cornell.
Alter Bridge’s sound is aggressive, beautiful, hypnotic, spiritual and moving. It makes cell phone lights fill the air.
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