Nestled within the historic Chastain Park in northern Atlanta, the Cadence Bank Amphitheatre played host to the latest stop on Away From The Sun Anniversary Tour on Saturday night. Headlined by multi-platinum recording artist 3 Doors Down, this extensive 45-city tour celebrating the belated 20th anniversary of their 2002 sophomore release also featured special guest Candlebox. With a posted capacity of nearly 7,000, this summer-months-only outdoor facility was opened back in 1944 and has since been decreed as “Atlanta’s Oldest Outdoor Music Venue.”
With dusk slowly descending upon the city, multi-platinum selling Seattle rock band Candlebox took to the stage at 8pm. Anchored by founding lead singer Kevin Martin, the band kicked off their set with “Don’t You,” the opening track from their self-titled 1993 debut album. Flanked by Adam Kury (bass), Brian Quinn (guitar), Island Styles (guitar), and BJ Kerwin (drums), the 54-year-old Martin lead the band through what was essentially a celebration of that debut, performing the entire album (although not in order) other than the tune “Rain.” While Candlebox’s lineup has been a bit in flux over the years, this current iteration is as musically tight as ever, complimenting Martin’s distinctive vocals as the band powered through three of their biggest hits in “Cover Me,” “Far Behind,” and “You” to close out their hour-long set.
For those not keeping up with the latest music news, as part of this 30th anniversary celebration and announced farewell tour, Candlebox will also be releasing their final studio album, The Long Goodbye, next Friday, August 25th. The band is in the midst of capping off their long and impactful musical career, so do yourself a favor and either catch them in direct support of 3 Doors Down, or see them at one of their various headlining shows mixed into this tour before it is too late.
Candlebox
Kevin Martin – lead vocals, additional guitar
Adam Kury – bass guitar, backing vocals, acoustic guitar
Brian Quinn – guitar, backing vocals
Island Styles – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
BJ Kerwin – drums
Setlist:
1.) Don’t You
2.) Change
3.) Blossom
4.) No Sense
5.) What Do You Need
6.) Arrow
7.) Mothers Dream
8.) He Calls Home
9.) Cover me
10.) Far Behind
11.) You
As the clock crossed the 9:30pm hour, 3 Doors Down drummer Greg Upchurch climbed the stairs and took his spot behind the kit. Without much fanfare, the rest of the band, which included Chris Henderson (guitar), Chet Roberts (guitar) and Justin Biltonen (bass), started their set off with “Pop Song” as founding member and lead vocalist Brad Arnold joined them at the center of the stage. Out on the road in celebration of their sophomore album, Away From the Sun (2002), Arnold informed the sold-out crowd that they intended to play most of that release, along with their hits, throughout the night.
Arnold remains a passionate singer, with a memorable voice that continues to sustain after all these decades. True to his word, he lead the band through 10 tracks pulled from Away From the Sun, including emotional sing-along performances of hits like “When I’m Gone” and “Here Without You.” Every member of the band spent time throughout the night engaging with the audience, but my golden ticket belongs to Roberts, who would kneel down on the edge of the stage and play his guitar just feet away from the faces of those in the front row.
Leveraging an opportunity to reward their long-time fans, three of the band’s final six songs performed during their main set were pulled from their debut album, The Better Life (2000), and included tunes “Be Like That,” “Duck and Run,” and “Loser.” 3 Doors Down then closed out their pre-encore set with “Sarah Yellin'” from Away From the Sun.
Following a brief break, Arnold and team returned to deliver the more slow-paced ballad “Landing in London” from their 2005 release, Seventeen Days. Joking with the capacity crowd that “they should know this one,” Arnold and 3 Doors Down then launched into their biggest hit, “Kryptonite,” to which the venue was immediately lit up by cellphones in the air capturing the moment. The 44-year-old Arnold wrapped up the night by “thanking everyone for 25 years. I hope to see you for another 25 years, because if Steven Tyler can do it, I think I can, too.” That brought immediate applause and thundering adulation from the crowd as the band exited the stage with the house lights slowly coming on shortly before 11pm.
The Away From The Sun Tour continues on through Saturday, September 23rd, where it will wrap up at the Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, Texas. However, following the tour, Candlebox will rejoin 3 Doors Down for their 18th annual “The Better Life Foundation Concert” taking place at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina, on Saturday, October 21st.
3 Doors Down
Brad Arnold – lead vocals
Chris Henderson – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals
Greg Upchurch – drums
Chet Roberts – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Justin Biltonen – bass
Setlist:
1.) Pop Song
2.) When I’m Gone
3.) Away From the Sun
4.) The Road I’m On
5.) Ticket to Heaven
6.) Let Me Go
7.) Running Out of Days
8.) Here Without You
9.) I Feel You
10.) It’s Not My Time
11.) Be Like That
12.) Duck and Run
13.) Dangerous Game
14.) Changes
15.) Loser
16.) Sarah Yellin’
Encore
17.) Landing in London
18.) Kryptonite
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Elliott is a music photographer covering shows in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding area. The highlight of his photography career was back in the early ’90s, when he sold Neil Diamond the rights to his negatives from a show and then purchased a set of tires for his 1979 280ZX during college with the money.
