When Alice in Chains announced in 2006 that they were returning with a new lead singer, many rock fans and critics expressed doubt that William DuVall would be able to fill the shoes of the late-Layne Staley. As I walked towards the Jones Beach Amphitheater, I was convinced that an Alice in Chains CD must be playing over the sound system, because the voice I heard was an exact match to the Alice in Chains that I grew up listening to.

As I entered the Amphitheater I was stunned to see Alice in Chains playing, with William DuVall, who looks nothing like Staley, singing along in perfect grunge style. Not only was it Layne Staley perfect, but guitarist Jerry Cantrell and bassist Mike Inez played as tight as ever. Watching them play made it seem as if their 1996 hiatus never happened. It felt like stepping into a time machine back to the Seattle grunge years of the 90s. Alice in Chains are back with a modern vibe, yet their roots are still strong.

Velvet Revolver came onto the stage with NWA’s 'Straight Outta Compton' blearing in the background, but they didn’t seem fazed by the extremely unfitting choice of music, as they started their set. As they played the song ‘Superhuman', videos of people using drugs ran in the background. I couldn’t tell if it was a promotion of drugs, or a warning, but neither would have surprised me.

Scott Weiland sang through a bullhorn on a few songs, which was shocking to see, but sounded amazing. Towards the middle of the set, the band lost the crowd by playing a few slow songs but quickly grabbed their attention again by playing a cover of Stone Temple Pilots' 'Creep'. Even though Scott stumbled over a few of the lyrics, it got the whole crowd singing along and back into the show.

The best performance of the night came on 'Fall to Pieces', arguably their best song. It is impossible to imagine any other singer than Weiland to sing this song. His powerful voice with raspy undertones adds a great dynamic to this killer rock jam. Velvet Revolver and Alice in Chains make a perfect touring pair. They are bands that you must see live.

LINKS:
Velvet Revolver Website
Alice in Chains Website