The 1990s was the era of long hair, flannel and ripped jeans. Bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden sold out stadiums around the world, combining guttural vocals with scorching guitar licks.
The time of grunge may have ended in the mid-1990s but for many bands, the rock did not stop. In the case of Alice in Chains, performing Sunday at the Patriot Center, even the saddest story in grunge music could not keep the band down.
Alice in Chains rose to national prominence in 1990 with the release of Facelift.
The album featured the band’s signature song, “Man in the Box.” Critics and fans were intrigued by the traditional grunge sound infused with the combination of vocalist Layne Staley’s garbled vocals and guitarist Jerry Cantrell’s smoother style.
While the band seemed unstoppable following 1992’s Dirt, things did not stay that way.
Staley’s well-documented heroin addiction stalled the band’s recording process and prevented Alice in Chains from touring.
A handful of commercially successful albums followed, culminating in the band’s performance on MTV Unplugged.
However, their 1996 performance would be the band’s last for nearly a decade. Staley never officially quit the band, but he did not tour and spent the last few years of his life deep in a heroin addiction before his death in 2002.
But in 2008, the band headed back to the studio to record a new album, Black Gives Way to Blue, with their new vocalist, former Comes with the Fall frontman William DuVall.
Alice in Chains will be performing with former ‘90s alternative rock veterans Deftones and Mastodon. Tickets are available through the Patriot Center ticket office or by calling 703-573-SEAT.
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