Bush presented perfectly packaged nostalgia at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre with Jerry Cantrell and Candlebox
On another perfect SoCal night under the stars, Bush‘s Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour made its San Diego stop on the SDSU campus, packing the Open Air Theatre with far more alumni than current students. Featuring a bill that all had numerous hits in the 90s, this tour demonstrated both the staying power of the groups involved along with their ability to maintain their sound through evolving lineups. With so many early Alternative Rock bands heading out on tour in an attempt to relive old glories, it was quite satisfying to see Bush, Jerry Cantrell, and Candlebox so gloriously deliver such a successful night of nostalgia for everyone.
Candlebox took the stage almost as soon as gates opened (a tip to bear in mind at the Open Air Theatre: due to their curfew, music starts early, arrive before doors open to ensure you get to see every minute of it). Lead singer Kevin Martin connected with the crowd throughout the set, tossing out nearly a dozen signed drumsticks (including one set gifted directly to two enthusiastic younger fans who had been rocking out non-stop) and countless guitar picks (with a few cupfuls launched into the crowd at the finale). His energetic presence and genuine appreciation for the engaged audience created an uplifting communal vibe that immediately united those already present in the amphitheater. From the deeply passionate Candlebox fans to the other early arrivals, all were “brothers and sisters here tonight”. Taking the opportunity to go deep, their set included the poignant Far Behind, dedicated to Andrew Wood and others who have left us all behind.
Up next, Jerry Cantrell certainly fanned the flames of fandom for his previous band. The assembled musicians more than did justice to classic Alice In Chains’ tunes, blasting them and songs from Jerry Cantrell’s solo discography well out of the theatre and into the quad. Cantrell’s shredding style exhibited an almost zen-like aura of effortless cool, broken only by blistering guitar solos that also seemed effortless when performed by the master. Perhaps in an effort to lighten all the sonic heaviness going down on stage, Cantrell attempted but naturally failed to resist going full Ron Burgandy, sparking a moment of levity as he greeted the audience with his best “Hello San Di-ago!”— and the crowd went wild.
As the closing band of the evening, Bush’s stage show provided plenty of theatrics to frame their career-spanning set of greatest hits. Gavin Rossdale, ever the energetic front man, engaged with the audience in a way that felt exhilaratingly personal. After working up a sweat during the first few numbers, he kept that energy level going the rest of the show, dancing all over the stage, crisscrossing it back and forth to sing to all sides of the house. Towards the end of the initial set, he leapt from the stage and took to the stands, taking the stairs in leaps and bounds, singing to and with the audience as he traversed the entire amphitheater, bringing a personal performance out to the remote seats. The crowd-pleasing set proved a veritable hit parade, including hits from their early albums like 1994’s Everything Zen and Machinehead and 1999’s The Chemicals Between Us as well as from their modern era albums, including Heavy is the Ocean, from 2022’s “The Art of Survival”. Their rousing encore included a unique cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” and their earliest and possibly biggest hits, Glycerine and Comedown
With everything from the mid-90s celebrating thirty year anniversaries, this evening proved to be a shining example of how to do it right. All three bands gave it their all and exhibited such genuine appreciation for the audience, which in turn stoked the crowd into an enthusiastic (and friendly) frenzy. With waves of nostalgia washing over them, their full-throated response revealed a deep connection to the music first heard years prior and euphorically experienced that evening. All of the bands in turn shared from their years of life experience as well, speaking on love and loss and the need for unity with complete and unreproachable sincerity. The world might seem more divided than ever, but Bush, Jerry Cantrell, and Candlebox perfectly recaptured the sense of unity that the 90s alternative rock scene ushered in.
Scroll down for our image and video galleries from the show, and next time: see you there!