Alter Bridge Pawns and Kings Tour Rolls into Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, August 5, 2023, Grantville, PA
Written and Photographed by Sharon Sipple
Alter Bridge, Sevendust, and Mammoth WVH made a stop Saturday night, August 5th at the Penn Heroes Stage at the Hollywood Casino in Grantville PA. This final leg of the Pawns and Kings Tour began August 1st and will run through the end of the month. I have to admit that my musical taste does not run toward metal. So, I may not be the best person to write this review…..or, I may be the perfect person to write it. I came in, not really knowing what to expect, but was excited to see these bands and photograph them since I have never seen any of them before. Let me start by saying I was blown away by the musicianship that I say on the stage this evening! All 3 bands were tight and brought everything they had to the stage. The audience was engaged from the minute Mammoth stepped on stage until Alter Bridge ended the evening. The other thing that struck me was the respect that each band had for their touring mates. Each band took time to not only mention the other bands, but to say how they admired each other and were happy to be on the stage together.
First to hit the stage was Mammoth WVH, fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen (son of Eddie Van Halen). The day before, Friday, August 4th was a big day for the band. Their latest album Mammoth II dropped and they opened for Metallica at Metlife Stadium in Rutherford NJ. Wolfgang did not disappoint with strong vocals, and a mastery of the guitar. There is no need to compare him to his Dad…..his talent stands on its own. One of the moments that stood out was when the band played “Distance”, a tribute to his father. The audience was mesmerized, as was I. The Mammoth set consisted of 9 songs, 4 from the new album. The set ended with the crowd singing to “Don’t Back Down”.
Next up was Sevendust, who also released a new album titled “Truth Killer” on July 28th. This band brought major energy to the stage. Lead singer Lajon Witherspoon is one of the most charismatic, engaging lead singers I have ever seen. Morgan Rose back on drums with his red dreadlocks is a lot of fun to watch. The audience had a great time, singing along to their favorites. The set opened with “Face to Face”, one of the bands biggest hits. They played one song “Fence” from the new album, choosing to give the fans the opportunity to hear more of their favs. The set wrapped, appropriately with their hit “Thank You”. I say Thank You Sevendust for a great performance!
I was really excited to see Alter Bridge. Prior to the kickoff of this leg of the tour, I had the opportunity to talk with Myles Kennedy, lead singer about the tour. I asked him what he would tell someone about an Alter Bridge performance if they had never seen one. He shared that it is all about the music. No backing tracks, just LIVE music, where anything can happen and that each night is unique and the crowd will see a moment that will never be recreated again. Well, he told the truth! I was so impressed by the tightness and intricacy of the music.
You could feel the anticipation from the crowd as they waited for Alter Bridge to appear. They erupted as Alter Bridge kicked off their set with “Silver Tongue” from their latest album “Pawns and Kings”. Kennedy worked the crowd throughout the night, asking the crowd to sing along, which they certainly did! The band did an excellent job of mixing new music from the new album while making sure to cover their biggest fan favorites, including “Ghosts of Days Gone By”, “In Loving Memory”, “Broken Wings”, “Isolation”, “Open Your Eyes”, and “Blackbird”, which Kennedy views as the most important song to the bands history. Mark Tremonti on guitar was perfection all night. During our chat, Myles said that the band’s goal was to add “Fable of the Silent Son” to the set list. He talked about the complexity of the song and figuring out how to play and sing this one at the same time. They did in fact play it this night. It was only the 2nd time they played it live and the crowd went WILD when they realized they were getting to experience it. After this, it was time to slow down the pace and do a couple of acoustic songs. For me, this was probably my favorite part of the show. Myles took the stage alone, guitar in hand and performed “Watch Over You”. I had read about what an incredible voice Myles has. It was magic to hear the vocal range and dynamics in person. I loved this song because I was able to listen to the purity of his voice. Mark then joined him on stage for a very moving performance of “In Loving Memory”, which was written by Mark about his Mother. I can tell you it brought tears to my eyes, reminding me of my relationship with my own Mother. After that, the band cranked up the volume for the remainder of the show.
The fans at this show, regardless of which band was their favorite saw 3 incredible bands leaving it all on the stage! This non-metal music person definitely walked away with a great appreciation for each of these bands. If you get the opportunity to see these bands, go….you won’t be disappointed!
Remaining Tour Dates:
Aug 12 – MASHANTUCKET, CT – The Premier Theater (at Foxwoods Resort Casino)
Aug 13 – JOHNSTOWN, PA – 1st Summit Arena
Aug 16 – SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois State Fair
Aug 17 – FAYETTEVILLE, AR – JJ’s Live
Aug 19 – CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Concrete Street Amphitheater
Aug 20 – SAN ANTONIO, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
Aug 22 – MEMPHIS, TN – Orpheum Theatre
Aug 23 – CINCINNATI, OH – Andrew J Brady Music Center
Aug 25 – GRAND RAPIDS, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Aug 26 – MILWAUKEE, WI – The Eagles Ballroom
Aug 28 – FARGO, ND – Outdoors at Fargo Brewing
Aug 29 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Fillmore
Aug 31 – COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Harrah’s Stir Concert Cove
