Nestled within the historic Chastain Park neighborhood in northern Atlanta, Georgia, the Cadence Bank Amphitheatre welcomed Grammy Award-nominated, multi-Platinum recording artist Bush to town on Sunday night. Out on the road celebrating their 30th anniversary as the “Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour,” Bush was supported by special guests Jerry Cantrell, Candlebox, and Bones UK. 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.”
The night began at 6:00pm with Bones UK, an industrial/electronic rock three-piece band that featured guitarist/vocalist Rosie Bones, guitarist Carmen Vandenberg and drummer Heavy, taking the early tour slot. I will admit I knew nothing about Bones UK prior to researching them for the show, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that not only did they collaborate with the legendary and late Jeff Beck on his Loud Hailer (2016) album, but their self-titled debut album in 2019 earned them a Grammy nomination (Best Rock Performance) for their song, “Pretty Waste.”
Musically, Bones UK was as unique as you can get, with dueling guitars and Rosie’s larger than life vocals and stage presence. It is unusual to come across a three-piece without a bass player, but I really didn’t even notice given the way Heavy thumped away on the drum kit. I particularly enjoyed the tune “Beautiful Is Boring,” and I look forward to exploring more from Bones UK when their sophomore album SOFT is released on September 13th through Sumerian Records.
Bones UK:
Rosie Bones – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Carmen Vandenberg – Lead guitar
Heavy – Drums
Following a fairly quick stage turn, multi-platinum selling Seattle rock band Candlebox appeared at 6:45pm. Donning a Bones UK sleeveless t-shirt, Candlebox founder and lead singer Kevin Martin kicked their night off with “Arrow,” a track pulled from the band’s 1993 self-titled debut album. Barely a year removed from their last visit to Atlanta (previously in support of 3 Doors Down at the same venue), Martin continued to be surrounded by the same stellar cast of musicians in Adam Kury (bass), Brian Quinn (guitar), Island Styles (guitar), and BJ Kerwin (drums).
Candlebox had previously announced that following the release of their final studio album, The Long Goodbye (2023), that they intended to break up after their farewell tour. Jokingly, Kewrin’s drum head now had a piece of masking tape that read “2nd annual” above “fairwell tour” on Sunday night. While their set was a few songs shorter then last summer, it was no less enjoyable. Martin’s distinctive vocals continued to deliver, never more evident then when the band powered through a trifecta of their biggest recordings in “Cover Me,” “Far Behind,” and “You” to close out their night. Hopefully Martin continues to have fun on the road and we will see Candlebox again next summer for their 3rd annual farewell visit.
Candlebox:
Kevin Martin – Lead vocals, additional guitar
Adam Kury – Bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar
Brian Quinn – Lead guitar, backing vocals
Island Styles – Rhythm guitar, backing vocals
BJ Kerwin – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Arrow
2.) Stand
3.) Elegante
4.) Don’t You
5.) Change
6.) Blossom
7.) Cover Me
8.) Far Behind
9.) You
With the sun finally dipping below the horizon and the clock sneaking in on the 8:00pm hour, Jerry Cantrell and his touring band strolled out to thunderous screams of appreciation. For those of you in your late 40s or early 50s like myself, Cantrell (as founding member of Alice in Chains) represents that pivotal era in music history that was forcibly transitioned out of the decadence of the ’80s glam metal scene and into the more raw and gritty sound of the 1990s.
Cantrell launched into “Psychotic Break” from Degradation Trip (2002) to start off his nearly hour-long set, which was slightly different than when he was last in Atlanta a year and a half ago (March 2023) on his headlining jaunt (“Atone” was played first then, but still performed on Sunday night). While legacy Alice in Chains songs are always core to Cantrell’s live performances, the Atlanta audience was also treated to “Vilified,” a new single from his forthcoming album I Want Blood, which is due out on October 18th via Double J Music. That tune was signature Cantrell, from his distinctive guitar tones to his iconic vocal intonations.
That aside, while this may have been Bush’s summer headlining tour, by comparison, the audience was the loudest I had heard them all night when Cantrell and vocalist Greg Puciato broke into the Grammy-nominated Alice in Chains single “Man in the Box” from that band’s debut release, Facelift (1990). The harmonies between these two men simply brought to life the radio memories of the early 1990s, which also included a highlighted celebration of Dirt (1992) sprinkled throughout the set. Cantrell performed three fan favorites off that release, including tunes “Them Bones” and “Would?,” while finishing off his powerful evening with the grungy anthem “Rooster.” Depending on your musical allegiances, Cantrell arguably was going to be a hard act to follow.
Jerry Cantrell Band:
Jerry Cantrell – Vocals, guitar
Zach Throne – Guitar
Greg Puciato – Backing vocals
Roy Mayorga – Drums
Eliot Lorango – Bass
Lola Colette – Keyboards
Setlist:
1.) Psychotic Break
2.) Them Bones (Alice in Chains song)
3.) Atone
4.) Vilified
5.) Had to Know
6.) Man in the Box (Alice in Chains song)
7.) Siren Song
8.) Cut You In
9.) Would? (Alice in Chains song)
10.) Brighten
11.) Rooster (Alice in Chains song)
With the backline turned and the time striking 9:15pm on the dial, Bush drummer Nik Hughes began to thump the skins among flashing LED lights in front of the capacity crowd, signifying the beginning of their evening. Within moments, founding member and lead vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale was lead out by Chris Traynor (guitar) and Corey Britz (bass) as the band exploded into back-to-back hits off Bush’s debut album, Sixteen Stone (1994), in “Everything Zen” and “Machinehead.”
While his gravely voice seemed to have aged down a little bit deeper these days, the 58-year-old Rossdale was still the consummate rockstar frontman. Abundant with energy and emotion, Rossdale lead Bush through a 90 minute set that generally bridged their 30 year catalog, including “Swallowed” off the chart-topping album Razorblade Suitcase (1996) and “The Chemicals Between Us” from 1999’s release, The Science of Things. The more recently-released song “Flowers on a Grave” (2020) received special treatment as Rossdale came down from the stage and circumnavigated the entire amphitheatre, singing with fans and slapping hands all the way up to the rear lawn seats.
Returning to Sixteen Stone, Bush closed out their main set with “Little Things” before kicking off their encore with “More Than Machines,” the lead single from their most recent and ninth studio album, The Art of Survival (2022). The encore then featured an enjoyable cover performance of The Beatles “Come Together,” followed by two Bush classics in “Glycerine” and “Comedown.”
Both of those Bush songs took on lives of their own, as Rossdale stood alone center stage, guitar in hand, with just a few spotlights on as he belted out “Glycerine,” while the familiar bass beat introduction of “Comedown” right after drew cellphones immediately up into the air. I assumed it was planned, but Cantrell came out from backstage to join in on the finale as well. If seeing them perform together wasn’t reminiscent of ’90s musical nostalgia, I am not sure what is.
Bush’s “Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour” carries on for a few more weeks, before wrapping up at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, September 15th.
Bush:
Gavin Rossdale – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Chris Traynor – Lead guitar, backing vocals
Corey Britz – Bass, backing vocals
Nik Hughes – Drums
Setlist:
1.) Everything Zen
2.) Machinehead
3.) Bullet Holes
4.) The Chemicals Between Us
5.) Blood River
6.) The Sound of Winter
7.) Identity
8.) All Things Must Change
9.) Swallowed
10.) Heavy Is the Ocean
11.) Flowers on a Grave
12.) Little Things
Encore
13.) More Than Machines
14.) Come Together (The Beatles cover)
15.) Glycerine
16.) Comedown
Follow Bones UK Online
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Follow Jerry Cantrell Online
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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.
