[Live Review] ALTER BRIDGE + LIVING COLOUR

Hi-Fi Bar, Sydney
Tuesday February 25, 2014 :

Living Colour stepped out onto the stage and the crowd went nuts. With a real bluesy groovy rock sound they had everyone mesmerised. Throughout the performance the band members interacted with each other constantly and they were clearly having fun. During ‘Desperate People’, there were sparkles in the eyes of those in the front row as lead vocalist Corey Glover jumped off the stage and sat on the barrier with them and watched the band play. He even humored an audience member by participating in a selfie mid-performance.

With a diverse vocal range and great stage presence, Glover put on such a great show, he is unmistakably a seasoned performer as a front man. During ‘Type’, he surprised me with rougher singing and even throwing in some scream vocals. The guitar and bass riffs of ‘Love Rears its Ugly Head’ were awesome and so groovy. The drummer really picked up speed during ‘Go Away’ and it looked insane. Their whole set was a real show to be watched, not just a performance.

When Alter Bridge took to the stage the atmosphere was in an electrified state. ‘Addicted to Pain’ was a worthy and strong start with the whole crowd instantly enraptured and singing every lyric back at the four members.

The entire crowd was so receptive to everything being offered to them and during ‘Come to Life’ there was a clear reaction on each of the band member’s faces that they were sincerely humbled by the response they were getting. Everything about their music is authentic and there is something special entwined within the levels of the composition of each song. The chemistry that flows between each member contributes significantly to the magic unfolding. The harmonies throughout many of the tracks of Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti were tight and well used.

Kennedy has a voice that melts the heart, and Tremonti knows how to unleash the voice of his guitar with precision techniques and I just couldn’t look away. Both Scott Phillips on drums and Brian Marshall on bass looked like they were having such a great time and that reflected in the music being exposed before us.

There is something special about a band that has done the hard yards, deserve to find themselves successful, and yet remain sincere and incredibly modest. When Kennedy thanked Living Colour, generating a loud response from the crowd, he described playing with them as a “dream come true”; it was clear to us how genuinely he was and what a special moment he had, that we the audience had the opportunity to share in.

One of the most powerful elements of Alter Bridge’s music are how easily relatable the lyrics are, and how people identify to them. With such significant meaning and depth they have the power to strike a nerve within the audience, resonating directly to circumstances within their own lives giving the performance not only a personal but also an emotional connection between the band and the crowd. ‘Ghosts of Days Gone By’ cuts to the core of mortality, regrets and living through them. I had goose bumps watching them play it, it is one of many songs that can be adapted and interpreted in whatever way the listener needs it to be for them.

The chanting of the crowd screaming “Alter Bridge” filled the room with anticipation as we awaited their return for encore and we were rewarded with quite a treat. The “guitar masturbation” (duel) between Kennedy and Tremonti was absolutely jaw dropping as they executed it with absolute precision.

We were treated to two spectacular performances from both Living Colour and Alter Bridge and I am confident that every member of the audience left with nothing but satisfaction.

Reviewer and Photographer: Courtney Laura

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