Jerry Cantrell
McGrath Amphitheater, Cedar Rapids, Iowa • August 6, 2024
by Jeremy Glazier
Fans have been waiting three years since the release of Jerry Cantrell’s 2021 album, Brighten, for new music, and it’s finally on the way. As a lead-up to the album’s release in October, Jerry and his band are currently out on tour with Bush. This particular August 6th show includes performances by Montana native Tim Montana and the Seattle, Washington, powerhouse Candlebox, making for an incredible evening of music.
A super-energetic set by Tim Montana seamlessly segued into a classic ’90s rock and roll show, bringing back memories of growing up with the legendary and always on-point Candlebox. They blazed through a number of new tracks as well as classic hits that the fans all sang along with. Were it not for the stacked lineup, you could easily call it a night after their stunning performance.
My assignment for the evening was to cover Jerry Cantrell, and while I unfortunately never had the opportunity to see him live before tonight, his performance and energy more than made up for all that lost time. Taking the stage with his band, his signature guitar sound kicked off with “Psychotic Break” from the album Degradation Trip. Tracks like “Them Bones,” “Atone,” and the new single “Vilified” had the audience headbanging throughout the set and giving back as much energy as flowed out from the stage.
They performed another Alice in Chains fan favorite, “Man In The Box,” followed by “Siren Song,” “Cut You In” from the 1998 album Boggy Depot, and the title track from the 2021 album Brighten. Before leaving the stage, they gifted us with a pair of foundational songs from the 1992 album Dirt with “Would?” and “Rooster.” Legends like Jerry Cantrell are increasingly rare, and being able to experience both his classic and newer music was a true treat for these Iowa fans.
Jerry’s tour with Bush will run through mid-September, with all current tour dates listed and updated on his website. The new album will be available on October 18th, and I’ll be keeping an eye on his website for additional tour dates after the release. After a live show like this it’s easy to see how pivotal his contributions to music have been, and I look forward to many more years and musical releases from Jerry Cantrell.
