Live Review: Alter Bridge - Resorts World Arena, Birmingham
11th December 2022
Support: Halestorm, Mammoth WVH
Words & Photos: Tim Finch
One of the most anticipated winter tours this year is the absolutely huge line up of Alter Bridge, Halestorm and Mammoth WVH, who together have been hitting up arenas up and down the UK and Ireland this week. With just a couple of dates remaining on their trek, The Razor’s Edge team head into Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena (that’s the NEC for those of us of a certain age) for the penultimate show.
Opening up the evening are Mammoth WVH, for those of you unaware this is the band fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen, son of Eddie and of course Mammoth was the original name of Van Halen back in the day.
Young Wolfgang learnt his trade with Van Halen, joining them in his mid teens, now at 31 he is touring off the back of his solo album ‘Mammoth’ on which he wrote all performed all the music himself. Translating to the live arena he has a band accompanying him and as we reach the end of this European tour they demonstrate just how well they have gelled together.
Whilst only having thirty minutes they utilise every second of it, ‘Mammoth’ and ‘Mr. Ed’ opening their rock assault and Planet Rock regular ‘Don’t Back Down’ closing it out. The band will have been unfamiliar to many prior to this evening, they leave the stage with a growing fan base, safe in the knowledge it will grow further in 2023 when they return to Europe in support of Metallica.
Unlike Mammoth WVH, Halestorm will be familiar to many, if not all in attendance. Indeed there is an argument that says they should be headlining arena shows now, such is their popularity.
From the depths of the darkened stage Ms Hale appears to rapturous applause, there is much anticipation around this evenings performance. The band open with ‘The Steeple’ taken from their latest album ‘Back From The Dead’ and the fan reaction cements the popularity of the bands latest work.
Despite a short set time of just forty five minutes, the band make the most of their appearance on stage with all the big hits rolling out interspersed between the new numbers. ‘Wicked Ways’ leads into ‘Love Bits (So Do I)’ and ‘Bombshell’ into ‘Mine’. The old melding with the new perfectly.
Amongst it all, the powerful voice of Lzzy Hale – one of the best in the business – drives this band like no other can. Joe’s solos are exquisite works of art on the fret board, breaking up the songs and highlighting the musical talent on show. Whilst the whirlwind that is Arejay on the drum kit gets his moment in the sun during the mid-set drum solo.
Their short, yet emphatic performance is closed with a run of ‘Back From The Dead’, ‘I Get off’ and ‘I Miss the Misery’. A band that did not need to accept a support slot on a tour they could have headlined themselves, but in doing so have created the perfect package and left us with a memory that will last longer than the Christmas festivities.
It’s over to Alter Bridge to follow that performance and as the video screen lights up behind the band they launch into ‘Silver Tongue’ and ‘Addicted to Pain’. It’s been a while since we saw the band in the UK, but Myles Kennedy solo tour this time last year demonstrated the versatility of the mans voice, this evening that is on show again. An instrument in its own right, Kennedy’s vocal range astounds as the band play through ‘Ghosts of Days Gone By’ and ‘Shed My Skin’.
It's not all about one man though, Tremonti is a wizard on guitar, the lifeblood of the live performance, grin from ear to ear as he casts his magic. ‘Burn It Down’ sees Tremonti take over on vocal duties proving he is every bit as talented as his bandmate. If you were wowed by that check out his Tremonti Sings Sinatra record, which he will perform live in London in a matter of days.
As the band play through an encore of ‘Rise Today’ and ‘Open Your Eye’s they prove just why they are headliners in this huge arena. They’ll be back soon enough, we hope, but in the mean time they and their touring partners have left an indelible mark on the hearts of all in attendance.
Photo credits: Tim Finch Photography
