Alter Bridge returned to Brazil last Wednesday night, the 8th, for a single show in the country. The performance took place at Espaço Unimed in São Paulo, and the audience didn't stop singing for a single second. The long-awaited return of Alter Bridge to Brazilian soil happened after six years without the band visiting the country. During their last tour in Brazil, they performed at the Rock In Rio and São Paulo Trip festivals, as well as a show in Curitiba. This time, the quintet came for only one national performance, totaling three on their South American tour, which will also include Buenos Aires and Santiago in the coming days.
The longing that Alter Bridge fans had for the band was evident, as they didn't stop singing a single song, even if at different intensities. The affection of Brazilian fans for their favorite bands is one of the best qualities and is widely praised by international artists who come to the country. When Myles Kennedy threw the vocals to the audience, the crowd didn't disappoint. The group's performance in São Paulo was marked by the good rapport between the members, who were clearly comfortable and happy with the audience's affection. Before the show started, the audience shouted the band's name and, whenever possible, did so again, always being thanked by the vocalist.
Myles Kennedy, Mark Tremonti , Scott Philips , and Brian Marshall are wrapping up the tour promoting their latest work, Pawns & Kings , released in 2022, the successor to Walk The Sky . As Tremonti himself said, the new Alter Bridge record features a series of heavy riffs, which take on even greater proportions when played live. The show began with "Silver Tongue," which was very well received by the audience, who sang the chorus in unison, something that was repeated in almost every song.
Next came “Addicted To Pain,” which drove the crowd wild right from the start, with Mark Tremonti’s solo receiving enthusiastic applause. “Ghost Of Days Gone By” from AB III brought a lighter mood after two intense songs, and at the end, Myles Kennedy gave the first speech of the night, praising the audience and saying that all the trips “were worth it.”
“Sin After Sin” came next, at a slower but powerful pace, preceding “Broken Wings,” which was met with enthusiastic applause when Kennedy announced it. A trademark of Alter Bridge's visit to Brazil was the applause, sometimes prompted by the band and other times sparked by the audience itself. Here, the vocalist stripped down his guitar, which gave him greater mobility, and he roamed the entire stage, thrilling those on the side he was on.
Guitarist Mark Tremonti took over vocals on "Burn It Down" with a good performance, and the audience was somewhat more reserved, but still present. On the sixth song of the setlist, it was Kennedy's turn to do the guitar solo.
“Cry Of Achilles” began with Myles Kennedy’s somewhat bluesy solo, but quickly transitioned into the music, which was met with applause and shouts. The song, which features a striking drum beat and powerful bass riffs expertly executed by Brian Marshall, also made use of lighting effects to help create an atmosphere for the music.
To break the fast pace of the show, the acoustic versions of "Watch Over You" and "In Loving Memory" followed. "Watch Over You," one of Alter Bridge's greatest classics, featured a moving performance by Kennedy on vocals and guitar alone, accompanied by the audience. For "In Loving Memory," two chairs were added to the stage, and Mark Tremonti joined the vocalist on guitar. The lights, previously frenetic, were now focused on the musicians, creating a more intimate atmosphere that matched the emotionally charged music, which brought many fans to tears.
The rest of the band returned to the stage to play “Blackbird,” which begins calmly and builds to an exciting crescendo, leading everyone to sing along with Kennedy, who showcased the full power of his voice. The guitar duo played the solo together, with Myles initiating, followed by Tremonti, in a smooth transition. “Come To Life,” also from the 2007 album Blackbird , came next, proving to be even better live than in the studio.
Before continuing with the setlist, Myles Kennedy responded to a fan's pleas and started playing "Lover," saying he would do his best and that he hadn't played the song in a long time. For those who didn't remember the song very well, the band played a large part of it. To the fans of the 2013 album Fortress , thank the fan who made Alter Bridge play "Lover" after so long.
The album's final track, which shares the album's name, "Pawns & Kings," was introduced as "a song we really know." The track hadn't been played previously on Alter Bridge's tour, but it was well-received by the audience.
As the night drew to a close, “Isolation,” also from AB III , was the fourteenth song on the setlist. After it, the vocalist introduced Scott Philips and bassist Brian Marshall. The drummer played an introduction to “Metalingus,” making the entire Unimed venue shake and driving the fans wild. Before returning to the final chorus, Myles thanked the audience, praising the fans, and performed his classic stunt of pointing to a section of the crowd, who shouted and raised their hands, even doing the classic wave. After wishing a happy birthday to the fans celebrating their birthdays, Alter Bridge finished the song with the entire audience jumping.
“You're fucking the best. Thank you!”, the frontman said before the band left the stage. The audience clamored for “one more second” which then turned into “one more” and was granted! The band returned to the stage to play “Open Your Eyes” from One Day Remains (2004), with the Brazilian flag displayed. And to end the night, Alter Bridge played “Rise Today” which was received with applause and closed with the audience singing along with the band.
And the show ended the same way it began, with the audience chanting the band's name. In a performance rich in striking vocals, heavy riffs, and powerful drums, Alter Bridge left their mark on Espaço Unimed. The band's fans missed the quartet and we hope the group returns as soon as possible – not taking another six years to come to Brazil.
Our contributor Leca Suzuki went to the show and captured the evening. Check out the photo gallery below.
