Alter Bridge rocks Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg with In Flames and Metal Church on May 11
From a press release:
After touring with Wilkes-Barre’s Breaking Benjamin and Disturbed and stopping in Scranton last year, Orlando, Florida rock band Alter Bridge will perform at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg on Thursday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. with special guests In Flames and Metal Church.
Tickets, which are $32 in advance or $35 the day of the show, go on sale next Friday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. and will be available through the Sherman Theater box office (524 Main St., Stroudsburg), online at shermantheater.com and ticketmaster.com, and all Ticketmaster outlets. VIP boxes and sky boxes are available for this show and include eight tickets (VIP box) or 12 tickets (sky box), a fruit and cheese platter, and waitstaff. To purchase box seats, call the theater at 570-420-2808.
Heroes push us to excel. Their will, courage, and sacrifice can bring out the best in the world around them.
Fittingly, on their fifth full-length album, “The Last Hero,” hard rock juggernaut Alter Bridge pursues a level of excellence inspired by timeless heroism. Making the record became something of a personal quest for the quartet – Myles Kennedy (vocals, guitar), Mark Tremonti (guitar, vocals), Brian Marshall (bass), and Scott Phillips (drums).
Formed by members of multi-platinum-selling rock band Creed in 2004, the band reached an elevated creative and critical milestone in 2013 with “Fortress.” It bowed at No. 12 on the Billboard Top 200, moving over 30,000 copies first-week and earning unanimous tastemaker praise. The record garnered perfect scores from Total Guitar and Kerrang!, as well as acclaim from Billboard, The Guardian, Loudwire, Ultimate Guitar, and many more. In between sold-out tours in Europe and North America, the guys appeared on VH1 and graced the cover of Classic Rock Magazine, who labeled “Fortress” “the best thing they’ve ever done,” while Eddie Trunk called it “a Top 10 album of the last 10 years.” When it came time to write new music, the musicians collectively raised the bar yet again.
“Every time we do a record, my only goal is for people to simply think it’s better than the previous one,” declares Tremonti. “We pushed ourselves so hard last time, and we knew were going to push ourselves much harder here. When we brought material in, it had to outdo ‘Fortress.’”
“We always strive for that,” agrees Kennedy. “While recognizing where we’ve come from, we wanted to expand what Alter Bridge is. This record is definitely an exploration of the hero theme, whether it be the lack of heroes, the need for heroes, or a tribute to heroes. There’s a story in there.”
Kennedy wrapped up touring with Slash, and Tremonti finished up a successful run supporting his second solo album, “Cauterize,” in late 2015. By January 2016, the four members congregated back in Orlando with longtime producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette (Slash, Trivium). Over the next four months, they diligently assembled and tracked the 13 songs comprising “The Last Hero.”
“Because we have very finite windows of time to put these records together, it’s nonstop when we regroup,” explains Kennedy. “Each writer is very involved.”
“We’d work all day in the studio, and Myles and I would go back to my house and come up with ideas all night,” recalls Tremonti. “We set up camp in my kids’ playroom with a Garage Band system to prepare for the next day. It was intense.”
Constantly progressing, the boys decided to employ some fresh techniques, utilize more alternate tunings and even recorded on a seven-string guitar for the first time.
“We don’t want to put out the same thing over and over again,” Tremonti continues. “We want to keep everyone guessing. There are three new tunings, and that helped keep us inspired. I’d never recorded on a seven-string until now. This is the first record where Myles planned out his solos beforehand. In the past, he would wing it with this magical, improvisational touch. What he did is amazing. Me and Slash have both said he’s the best guitar player in our bands.”
“We weren’t afraid to travel certain roads we might’ve been hesitant to venture down on the last two albums,” adds Kennedy. “As a result, some of the songs are more uplifting and melodic. There was certainly a psychological shift. We embraced the past. You hear elements of each record throughout our history.”
Ultimately, Alter Bridge heroically deliver for fans worldwide and rock music at large.
“It’s good to be back in the Alter Bridge battle,” Kennedy leaves off. “Every time we do a record, I’m reminded of how great it is to have this passionate and loyal audience. We don’t take it lightly. We consider it an honor that people let us into their lives that way.”
Read NEPA Scene’s review of Alter Bridge, Breaking Benjamin, and Disturbed’s concert in Scranton last year here.
