JERRY CANTRELL
ROSELAND THEATER
PORTLAND, OR.
4/20/2001
Renegade rocker Jerry Cantrell has hit the road with a small string of dates in Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma late last month. I say renegade rocker because Jerry has chosen to do this tour solo, he has no record label, no publicist, and virtually no management. He does have a road manager, and probably a booking agent. Very exciting I think, as Neil Young would say, "We never listen to the record company man, he'll try and screw us and ruin our band." The madness has now began again, and on the most sacred of dates as members of the now defunct band Alice In Chains Sean Kinney (drums) and Jerry Cantrell (lead vocals/guitar) gathered in Portland on 4/20/2001. The crowd was all ages as old and young alike streamed through the doors with hopes to hear some Alice songs and a taste of days gone past. I knew that they would not be disappointed as earlier in the day I had heard faint rumblings of "Them Bones" during the sound check.
The Degradation Tour 2000 has now ripped through Alice In Chains' hometown of Seattle ("Ballard Beavers Rule"---Nick Running/Ballard Alumni Class of 1987) where all the degradation began and this tour bus is headed east. This concert will not be coming to California or Nevada, unless more shows are announced at a later date.
The show in Portland was a little rough around the edges but still out of sight. The show was opened by M.I.R.V. and Swarm, Swarm warmed the crowd up first with their electric frontman who was alive with a fever for music. The members of M.I.R.V. then lit to the stage with a strange brew of tunes that sounded like something unfamiliar. A couple of these guys had a real busy night as they also comprised members of Jerry Cantrell's band. Jerry is playing a lot of new material that is not yet released, but there is an EP out on compact disc that I believe is only available at the merchandising booth at the shows on this tour. I am posting a setlist of the show in Portland, I am sure it will evolve during the migration. The first nine songs are not found on any Alice In Chains albums or present on Jerry's first solo album release "Boggy Depot" from Columbia Records. I can only assume these are all new songs that will be recorded on Cantrell's next solo album.
The show went smoothly except during one of the songs in the middle of the set Jerry got this queried look on his face, the guitar wasn't sounding right. That was the best part of the show if you ask me, it really sets in, the "live" part if you know what I mean, when things don't go right. Jerry flipped the guitar backwards over his head and grabbed the microphone before the guitar hit the floor. In that brief flickering moment, the many years of raw and real stage presence shined. It caught me quite by surprise when he pivoted himself above the crowd seconds after slamming the guitar down as if it had never happened. The microphone his only friend as that hauntingly hypnotic and heavy but yet sweetly enchanting voice drove deep in to the heart and soul of me.
The bonus track of the show was a shredding version of Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" that shook the halls and rattled the walls. This was the first encore and it was followed by two Alice In Chains' classics "It Ain't Like That" and "Them Bones." Jerry is out there on the road to let loose musical vibrations that have been screaming to be shared with an audience and you can really feel this fervor. The show was not completely sold out, which incredibly surprised me considering the caliber of performer and the relatively small size of the venue. Although, it will never bother me if a show is not packed to the gills. The bigger the band the smaller the venue the lesser the people and you'll find me right in front of the stage. Thanks for reading and we'll see ya at the shows.
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