Jerry Cantrell live at 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire 7/08/2022

Words: Kahmel Farahani

Photos: Stuart Garneys/Blue Edge Compass

With a superb third solo album under his belt and a very successful European tour almost at its end, Jerry Cantrell has had a good year and tonight he has made his way to London’s 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire to play one of the most hotly anticipated solo shows this summer.

With house lights dimmed and anticipation at fever pitch, the band stroll on stage before Jerry Cantrell himself walks on and strikes up the ferocious riff Them Bones. Cantrell’s own brooding number Psychotic Break keeps the crowd bubbling before they boil over and start moshing to the AIC classic We Die Young.

The band that Cantrell has assembled for this tour is nothing short of superb. From guitarist and composer extraordinaire Tyler Bates to former Dillinger Escape Plan frontman Greg Puciato on vocals, this band can tackle everything in Cantrell’s songbook with style and strength. Puciato in particular is a revelation, with a voice that sounds like it was made to sing Alice In Chains songs combined with an explosive stage presence and energy that sees him catapulting himself into the crowd on several occasions to sing along with the crowd surfers as they fly by.

New songs like the gorgeous Siren Song sit perfectly next to AIC classics like Man In The Box in the setlist and tonight its an almost 50/50 split between old and new. Lesson Learned from Alice In Chains superb Black Gives Way To Blue album is another welcome surprise in the set.

One of many highlights on the new Brighten record, Prism Of Doubt sounds like a sublime cross between some upbeat southern rock ballad and old school Alice In Chains at their most mellow. The super distorted, single note riff of It Ain’t Like That gets the crowd surging forward again and its followed by the emotional sing along of Down In A Hole. The main set ends with the AIC classic Would? and vocalist Greg Puciato catapulting himself into the front rows while Cantrell tears off the searing guitar solo.

After a brief break Cantrell and co return to the stage and thank the entire crowd for coming out and supporting the tour. “It’s not over yet, but I think we’re going to do some extra songs” says a smiling Cantrell as the crowd roars its approval. An extra long encore begins with the incredible Got Me Wrong before the tittle track of the new solo album. The apocalyptic Vietnam war anthem that is Rooster brings the proverbial house down before Cantrell takes another well earned bow, takes off his guitar and sings the final song, the hauntingly beautiful Elton John ballad Goodbye. It’s the perfect ending to a perfect gig.

Cantrell’s latest tour and album prove yet again he should be mentioned amongst the finest songwriters, not to mention guitarists, of his generation and, whether it be as a solo artist or within Alice In Chains, he has never ceased to deliver the very best.