There are certain concerts that carry a weight that feels bigger than the stage, and Jerry Cantrell’s stop at the Roxian on his I Want Blood tour was exactly that. The legendary guitarist and songwriter, best known as the creative force behind Alice in Chains, has carved out a solo career that is just as formidable. With his latest album I Want Blood at the center of the night, Cantrell showed why his name has remained one of the most respected in hard rock and metal for over three decades. The Roxian, packed shoulder to shoulder with die-hard fans, felt like the perfect place to host a show that was equal parts intimate and ferocious.
The evening kicked off with Sparta, the post-hardcore outfit formed by members of At the Drive-In. Their performance was lean and relentless, filled with jagged guitar riffs and urgent vocals that immediately grabbed the room’s attention. The trio delivered a set that pulsed with raw emotion, building an intensity that set the tone for the night ahead. While their style came from a different corner of heavy music than Cantrell’s, the contrast made their presence even more compelling.
When Jerry Cantrell took the stage, the room erupted with the kind of roar reserved for legends. His set leaned heavily into I Want Blood, which has quickly established itself as powerhouse album and a return to riff-heavy metal. “Villified” and the title track “I Want Blood” came alive with a grit that felt sharper and heavier than on record, backed by a band that played with both precision and heart. Cantrell’s voice, weathered but commanding, carried through the crowd like an old friend and a battle cry all at once. Every song seemed to underline his ability to balance melody with raw power.
Of course, a Cantrell show wouldn’t be complete without diving into his solo catalog beyond the new record. Fan favourites like “Atone” and “Cut You In” were met with deafening cheers, proof that his solo work has carved out its own legacy separate from Alice in Chains. The interplay between Cantrell and his bandmates was tight yet unforced, as if they were feeding off the crowd’s energy with every note. The Roxian’s smaller size made it all the more special, giving the show a sense of closeness that larger venues often lose.
Then came the songs that defined a generation. Throughout the set, Cantrell sprinkled in Alice in Chains classics, including “Them Bones”, “Got Me Wrong”, and “Man in the Box.” The response was overwhelming, the crowd screaming back every lyric with a ferocity that shook the walls. Hearing “Man in the Box” and “Would?” just two months after Alice in Chains had performed them at Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell show added another layer of weight to the moment. To witness those same songs in a room as intimate as the Roxian felt surreal, as if the past and present had collapsed into one unforgettable experience.
The encore sealed the night with a gut punch of nostalgia and power. Cantrell and his band tore through “It Ain’t Like That” before closing with “Rooster,” a song that has always carried a haunting, almost spiritual quality live. The crowd sang so loudly it often threatened to overtake the band, a fitting tribute to both Cantrell’s legacy and the timelessness of Alice in Chains. As the final notes rang out, fans left knowing they had just witnessed more than a concert. They had been part of a night where one of metal’s greats bared his soul, blending the blood of new work with the bones of the past, and proved that his fire is burning brighter than ever.
September 6th, 2025
