Seattle grunge came to Orlando’s Hard Rock Live Saturday night 10-27-2018. The 3,000-capacity venue was sold out and filled to the rafters with fans wanting to see internationally acclaimed artist, “Alice in Chains”. MNPR Magazine dispatched MarkHoran.Pictures to report and photograph the show.

I arrived at The Hard Rock Live which is in CityWalk at Universal Studios Orlando, Florida. This show was general admission and the line to get in was longer than any I had ever encountered. I remember thinking, “This is going to be a special night.” I have been a fan of “Alice In Chains” since the 1990’s but had never seen them live, and thought after 2002, I never would. After reforming in 2006 with new lead localist and rhythm guitarist, William DuVall the band resurrected and moved forward recording three new albums, making the discology a total of six.

· Facelift (1990)

· Dirt (1992)

· Alice in Chains (1995)

· Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

· The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013)

· Rainier Fog (2018)

Opening the show was “The Pink Slips” another band from the west coast. Not Seattle grunge, but they define themselves as fusion of ‘synth-pop, punk, dance, and vintage rock n’ roll. The band is fronted by “Duff” McKagan of Guns N Roses, oldest daughter Grace McKagan. Grace, or Grave as she uses as her stage name, has all the moves and gyrations of a seasoned Rock n Roll lead singer at only 21 years of age. The energy of the stage show is entrancing and fun. Keep a look out for this young band as they get more opportunities to grace or grave the stages around the world.

The Pink Slips

GRAVE (Grace McKagan) - Lead Vocals
Trent Peltz - Keys/ Backup Vocals
Keenan Bevans - Drums
Desi Scaglione - Guitar
Charlie Anastasis – Bass

“Alice In Chains” hit the stage just after 9pm with the crowd on their feet and their hands in the air, delivering a near deafening roar. The band that they had been waiting hours for was finally here. It didn’t matter that they had been crammed to capacity like sardines in tight confines. Nothing mattered as the stage lit up in a wall of bright lights and the band was before them.

“AIC” opened with “Check Your Brain” from the 2009 release “Black Gives Way to Blue”. The show consisted of 21 songs, and included old and new. No one in attendance was disappointed as they sang to the greatest hits as “AIC” performed the songs, “Again”, “Down in A Hole”, “Angry Chair”, “Man In The Box”, and finishing the show with “Rooster”. The show proved that “Alice In Chains” is still intact and not going anywhere.

The last line in “Rooster” hold true, “You know he ain't gonna die, No, no, no ya know he ain't gonna die”. Yes “Alice In Chains” is alive and well.

Alice in Chains

Jerry Cantrell - Guitar, Vocals
Sean Kinney - Drums
Mike Inez - Bass
William DuVall - Guitar, Vocals