Alice In Chains performed in Anaheim last night at the intimate House of Blues, a treat for fans used to seeing the band in larger venues on their frequent amphitheater and stadium tours. A highlight of the show was Alice performing the Layne Staley era classic “Sludge Factory” off of the 1995 self-titled Alice In Chains album. AIC rarely play the song live, so it was a welcome curveball for die hard fans.
Frontman William DuVall did the song justice with a powerful performance, and as the years go on, he is becoming even more embraced by the Alice fanbase. Fans in the crowd before the show could be heard talking about what a great job DuVall has done in his 17 years with AIC.
Jerry Cantrell was in top form, sharing a laugh with his bandmates and fans when he had to switch out his guitar a few times, offering DuVall a chance to have some fun talking to the audience. Another highlight was “Nutshell.” Despite never being a single with a video on MTV in the 90’s, it has become one of Alice In Chains’ most popular live songs, with fans lighting up their phones in honor of Mike Starr and Layne Staley.
Cantrell is perfect at interacting with the audience, knowing the perfect moments to share a few words, and when to rock multiple songs uninterrupted. Sean Kinney and Mike Inez were also in top form at the show, with Inez’s enthusiastic smile and demeanor being contagious.
Alice In Chains definitely showed they are still one of the top live alternative rock acts of their generation live in Anaheim, and built even more anticipation for a new album, as fans have waited for 5 years. You should definitely check them out on tour this year. DuVall era songs like “Never Fade” fit seamlessly into the setlist, and it’ll be a treat when fans have even more new songs live.
