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This could be a trainwreck. These thoughts, first pronounced as I made my way through the crowd through Metropolis before openers Middle Class Rut took to the stage, rested at the top of my head. A sense of dread filled me for a second. Alice In Chains. AiC. The makers of fine records and probably one of the best MTV Unplugged albums ever. A band whose albums I've owned and loved for more than a decade. Together for more than 20 years, though largely dormant for the last decade, the band put out a new album last fall and are touring behind it.

Break-ups and musical reunions are a fragile thing: sometimes they are straight trips down the musical toilet, taking all of their fans down the spiraling shame that is their waning credibility by rereleasing material and trading in their once-fresh material into a calling card. (Oh hello, Kiss!) Other times,  a band will re-ignite the chemistry they once had and continue their musical journey together, much to the delight of fans who like to hear something new mixed in with their something old. (What's up, Heaven And Earth/Sabbath with Dio?)

Opening band Middle Class Rut offered little comfort: the guitar/drum duo (both members sing, and one sounds like a mid-ranged Perry Ferrell at times) offered up a 25-minute set of the same, bland alternative rock that fits itself very well in-between Filter and Stone Temple Pilots, though the hooks that the 'Rut exhibited were buried underneath sheets of shrieks and awkward musical passages.

Halfway through the headlining set, I gladly realized that it wasn't the nostalgia trip I'd feared. Going to see Alice In Chains 2.0 wasn't merely a look back into a great back catalogue, but the band proved that their newest album (the fantastic Black Gives Way To Blue) stands up with their earlier material. Kicking the set off with BGWTB opener "All Secrets Known", the quartet chainsmoked (seriously, 3/4ths of the band had dangling cigarettes from their mouths for the majority of the set, barring youngin' William Duval) their way through a 19-song set that mixed in new and old.

The band's most recent singles ("Check My Brain" and "Your Decision") found most of the concert hall singing along, and the mammoth "A Looking In View"  (complete with a joke introduction via an impromptu cover of the intro of Black Sabbath's "Snowblind") sounded amazing nestled in-between Facelift's opener "We Die Young" and Jar Of Flies EP cut "Nutshell" (introduced via the night's only acknowledgment of original singer Layne Stayley's passing). Hearing Dirt's two opening tracks ("Them Bones"/"Damn That River") played back-to-back was a sight I thought I'd never be privy too, five years ago, but it ended up being far better than I imagined it would be.

New frontman Duval understands his place in the band: he doesn't try to recreate the wounded animal stage presence that Stayley had perfected. Instead, Duval is an energetic frontman who runs around on-stage when not playing rhythm guitar, ready to engage in the crowd and playing the perfect extroverted foil to Alice In Chains mastermind Jerry Cantrell's more earnest persona.

Cantrell, the riffmaster that he is, is the architect to the band's sound: seeing him live made me realize just how much he appeared on all four of the band's albums vocally. He really is the centerpiece to the band's sound, anchored down by long-time companions, drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez, who both performed their tasks admirably during the evening, locking into a groove and finding the pocket that makes the songs tick. Inez, in particular, is a real presence live musically as his tone cuts through the buzzsaw guitar sheets that Cantrell and Duval perpetuate, finding his own sonic space to shine through.

The last two songs of the set ("Angry Chair" and "Man In The Box") as well as the encore ("Would?" and "Rooster") added a nice ending to an already great evening, as the quartet hung around after the dying strains of "Rooster" in order to joke with the crowd as well as show their appreciation for the crowd, who spent most of the evening singing along to all of the material, new and old.

The only real downside in seeing a band such as this in a live setting is realizing how many of the band's songs end in a similar fashion (a quick repetition of the chorus before quickly fading out/stopping cold). I counted seven (of the total 19) songs that finished up this way, and a feeling of sameness crept over me, though was quickly dismissed when faced by the band's sheer amount of great material.

The reason why this worked out so well for AiC is that their music is as relevant as ever. Dated acts like Ratt and Poison still crisscross the world offering up variations on their tired, '80s tinged product, occasionally releasing a new album in an attempt to capture the spark that once made them popular. Alice In Chains, on the other hand, have started a successful second chapter to their musical story, as evidenced by their performance, and I'm looking forward to seeing where they go.

Setlist:
1. All Secrets Known
2. It Ain't Like That
3. Again
4. Check My Brain
5. Them Bones
6. Damn That River
7. Rain When I Die
8. Your Decision
9. Got Me Wrong
10. We Die Young
11. A Looking In View
12. Nutshell
13. Sickman
14. Lesson Learned
15. Acid Bubble
16. Angry Chair
17. Man In The Box
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18. Would?
19. Rooster

On Thursday March 18th, tune into CJLO 1690AM (CJLO.com) for Dirty Work as Denis A profiles this year's lineup of contestants in the inaugural CJLO Battle of the Bands!  Seven diverse bands will be heard, their stories will be told, and much fun will ensue.  The show will also be peppered with cool tunes inspired by the contenders, wry observations on the human condition, and (of course) stories about Dennis' cats.  Tune in this Thursday Night from 8pm to 10pm for Dirty Work!

CJLO is super excited to present its first ever Battle of the Bands!

Concordia's best bands will be battling it out for one night only and it's going to be explosive!

There will be performances by Left Side Neighbor, Hey Predator! Mirrors, Triggered Response, Interracial Love Triangle, Elgin-Skye, Stereochic.

The competition will be judged by Jonathan Cummins of Bionic, the Doughboys and the Montreal Mirror, Mikey Bernard of M Pour Montreal, Omar Husain of Safe in Sound Management and CJLO’s Head Music Director and host of Hooked on Sonics, and Angelica Calcagnile, formerly of Aquarius & Last Gang Records and host of CJLO’s BVST.

Bands will be judged on stage presence, musicianship, originality, song writing, cohesiveness, and a popular vote component.

The winner is going to go home with two days worth of studio time, an on-line feature on our website and magazine, an in-studio session and interview on CJLO’s “Hooked on Sonics” and other great swag!

Show's at the FC Smith Auditorium on the Loyola campus (7141 Sherbrooke Street West). Doors and drinks happen at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:30 pm sharp. Admission is two bucks and there will be door prizes!

Points are given for popular vote so be sure to come and support your favorite band!

Click Here for the Facebook Invite