Candlebox Proves It Is Still the Leader of the Pack as The Wolves Tour Hits Charlotte

Follow me back in time for just a moment. It’s the early nineties and the Seattle rock scene has fully exploded. Grunge is all the rage and bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden are the biggest thing in rock and roll since Elvis Presley himself first shook his hips on television in 1956 with his classic hit “Hound Dog.” Gone are the flashy outfits and big hair of the 80s and flannel shirts, once relegated to the outdoorsman and those living in sub-zero climates are literally everywhere.

Now that I’ve set the scene, there is one band that first made their mark in the Seattle scene during this time that is one of the most talented of the bunch albeit sadly underrated by many. I am talking about Candlebox. Their self-titled debut album would go on to become certified platinum four times over in the US alone and spawned several hit singles such as “You” and “Far Behind.” You could not turn on the radio or flip on MTV without hearing a Candlebox song or seeing a Candlebox music video. Led by lead vocalist Kevin Martin’s soaring voice, the band was a powerhouse and crafted well-thought-out, emotionally-gripping songs. Now that we’ve gone back this far, let me let you in on a little secret, Candlebox still is nothing short of a fantastic rock band. They’ve recently released their seventh studio album and first since 2016, Wolves, and I’m going to go on record right here and now and let you know that I think it just might be their best. Wolves is the complete package, a rock record for the ages, full of top-notch tunes from hard-charging rockers to poignant ballads and mid-tempo feel-good songs. If you haven’t checked it out yet, do so now because this is one that you don’t want to miss out on. You can buy or stream it here.

Queen City rock fans got the chance to hear some of the songs up close and personal when the band hit The Underground and brought the Wolves Tour alive. I was beyond excited to be there since it had been about ten years since I’ve seen them and let me tell you, they did not disappoint.

As the venue was beginning to fill up, the opening act of the evening got things rolling and off to a good start. The Dead Deads are a hot, up-and-coming, three-piece band from Nashville that is a perfect blend of grunge, rock, alternative, metal, punk, and everything in between. Kevin Martin is known for picking some pretty terrific bands to tour with Candlebox and The Dead Deads certainly fit the bill. The band consists of McQueen on drums, Daisy on bass, and Meta on guitar. They are a true power trio and their set was full of raw, unfiltered rock and roll just the way I like it. Gritty at times and pure melodic-pop at others, The Dead Deads are the real deal. I’ve been lucky enough to catch them a few times over the years and they just keep on getting better and better. Check them out at https://thedeaddeads.com/ and pick up their new album Tell Your Girls It’s Alright here.

Now, on to the main event. It was officially Candlebox time. The band hit the dimly lit stage and cranked into “Arrow” from their 1993 debut album. The crowd was into it from the very first note and the energy filled the floor of The Underground as we ascended into a track from the Lucy album with Candlebox teaching us some “Simple Lessons.” Martin’s vocals were spot-on, complex yet simple, soothing when we needed him to be and forceful at other times. Kevin is the only founding member of the band left but has surrounded himself with musicians whose talents know no bounds. Guitarists Brian Quinn and Island Styles provided the licks and riffage with bass guitarist Adam Kury and drummer BJ Kerwin laid down a rock-solid foundation. The setlist was a mix of new tunes and old with a little bit of something for everyone. A standout performance was one of the new songs from Wolves with “All Down Hill From Here.” It’s a great tune and speaks to that question we all ask ourselves at some point. Is this it? Is this the best it’s ever going to be? Is it really all downhill from here? In the case of Candlebox, most definitely not, not on this night and not ever as they are rocking as they’ve never rocked before.

Martin took some time to chat with the audience and told a few stories during the evening as he dedicated “Nothing Left To Lose” to the late, great Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead. He also spoke of being a good person and being someone’s shelter from the storms of life before diving into “Cover Me.” But, my favorite by far of the evening was an extended version of “Sweet Summertime.” They included a medley of bits and pieces of classic rock covers including “Do You Love Me” by KISS and part of Guns ‘N Roses’ “Sweet Child Of Mine” along with an audience singalong. Closing out the regular set with one of their biggest hits, “You,” the band had everyone’s emotions up as Martin sang those iconic lines: And I’ll cry for you, yes, I’ll die for you/Pain in my heart it is real/And I’ll tell you now how I feel inside/Feel in my heart, it’s for you. It was definitely all the feels in the world right there.

After that, the audience was not quite ready to go home and Candlebox obliged with an encore of “Far Behind” as everyone sang along and experienced the rollercoaster of emotions and highs and lows that the song brings out. What a night of music!