Tommy Williams
The 2022 Minnesota State Fair Grandstand series kicked off with a dose of mid to late 90’s era grunge music. Sprinkle in 00’s era metal band Breaking Benjamin and you’ve got all the ingredients to make a 5-hour flashback of greatness happen!
Bush opened the show and took the stage at 6:25 pm sharp. Kind of strange because they’re easily big enough to have been the headliner on this tour.
“The Kingdom” was the first song they performed followed by one of their biggest hits “Machinehead” off of their debut album (Sixteen Stone). Which got most of the 11,000+ up on their feet.
Bush, frontman, Gavin Rossdale jokingly confessed his love for deep-fried Oreos and how he needed a chair to sit on because he was feeling a bit nauseous.
The 56-year-old Rossdale also displayed how fit he is as he sprinted while singing all the way to the top of the Grandstand. He also performed an intimate/solo version of their greatest hit “Glycerine”.
Breaking Benjamin brought the heat during their pyro-laced opening song “Blow Me Away” which brought extra excitement to the crowd.
Breaking Benjamin pairs solid-catchy riffs with 3 very talented singers in guitarist/vocals, Benjamin Burnley, bassist/vocals, Aaron Bruch, and guitarist/vocals, Keith Wallen.
Benjamin Burnley told the crowd how Alice In Chains was his first ever concert as a teen. He then mentioned that Bush was the second concert he attended and how he can’t believe he now tours with these giant bands.
A key moment from the Breaking Benjamin set was an impressive, dramatic, and versatile acoustic version of Queen’s “Who Wants To Live Forever”
Breaking Benjamin proves to be more than just dark screams and heavy growls and a good size of the crowd showed up for them.
After 3 years of no touring due to COVID Alice In Chains hasn’t missed a beat. The band ripped right into an incredibly tight set starting with the song “Again”.
Co-singer and lead guitarist, Jerry Cantrell displayed why he’s one of the greatest musicians from the grunge genre. He and the band paid tribute to the late members’ frontman Lane Staley and bassist Mike Starr.
Frontman, William DuVall sounds eerily and convincingly close to the distinguished voice of the late Lane Staley, especially during his signature moans and howls of their greatest hits “Would”, “Man In The Box”, and “Rooster”.
Another keynote from Thursday night’s concert was Alice In Chains co-founder and drummer Sean Kinney’s tribute to the late Foo Fighters, drummer, Taylor Hawkins who died suddenly in February. Kinney’s bass drum adorned a smiling Taylor Hawkins face on it.
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