Jerry Cantrell blends Alice in Chains past, solo present in Pittsburgh concert

Jerry Cantrell offered a minor apology while toasting the crowd after Saturday night’s show at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks.

“We know it wasn’t perfect, but that’s (expletive) rock ‘n’ roll,” Cantrell said, while raising a non-alcoholic beer bottle.

The flaws, if you want to call them that, were minor: the crowd yelling for Cantrell’s vocals to be turned up early in the set or him whipping his microphone out of the way during “Rooster.” Plus one song flub — “Are we playing the same setlist?” Cantrell jokingly asked when wires were crossed on what the night’s fourth song would be.

Beyond that, it was a close-to-perfect blend of the past and the present on Cantrell’s I Want Blood tour.

The past, of course, is his legacy as the guitarist/co-lead singer of grunge icons Alice in Chains, with plenty of that band’s biggest hits played Saturday. And the present comes from Cantrell’s solo career, notably his 2024 album, “I Want Blood.”

The band: Besides Cantrell, Zach Throne handled guitar and co-lead vocals, while Eliot Lorango was on bass with Roy Mayorga (Ministry) on drums. Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan, Better Lovers) has handled Staley’s parts in recent years, but he isn’t on this leg of the tour.

It’s an impossible task to replace the signature lead vocals of Alice in Chains’ Layne Staley, who died in 2002. But Throne tried his best, getting a boost from the crowd on songs like “Man in the Box” and “Would?”

Opening song: The brooding “Psychotic Break” set the tone for the night, with the heavy guitars matched by the lyrical content: “I feel the fear take hold. Reside in darkness, thrive where most won’t go.”

Highlights: The Alice in Chains songs resonated the most amongst the crowd, as expected. But new songs like the heavy “Vilified,” a haunting “Afterglow,” a driving “I Want Blood” and “Off the Rails,” which had the crowd literally pumping their fists, showed that Cantrell’s songwriting chops are still present.

Encore: After a quick break, the band returned for an encore of three songs. A compelling, buzzing “Echoes of Laughter” — with perhaps Cantrell’s most emphatic vocals — was followed by the sludgy riffs of “It Ain’t Like That.” The band closed with a stirring “Rooster,” a song about Cantrell’s father’s experience in the Vietnam War.

Missing: It’s truly hard to quibble over the Alice in Chains songs, since all the biggest hits were in the setlist. But if forced to pick, among the Cantrell-written AIC songs, any of these could have slotted in comfortably: “Again,” “Check My Brain,” “Dam That River,” “Down in a Hole,” “Grind,” “Heaven Beside You” and “No Excuses.” (And if there was an acoustic interlude, “Brother” or “Got Me Wrong.”)

The crowd: The floor at the Roxian was full for openers Sparta, and it packed even tighter as Cantrell’s set drew near. At least one Terrible Towel was also twirling.

Opening band: Post-hardcore veterans Sparta opened the show with a 45-minute set that leaned heavily on their 2002 debut “Wiretap Scars.”

Formed after the explosive rockers At the Drive-In splintered, Sparta has kept at it with vocalist/guitarist Jim Ward the last man standing from the original group.

For only a trio, Sparta created quite a atmospheric buzz, opening with “While Oceana Sleeps” and closing with “Air.”

(Filter had been tapped originally to open the show, but the “Hey Man Nice Shot” rockers dropped off in July as singer Richard Patrick recovered from surgery.)

The merch: Cantrell’s tour T-shirts were $40, a sweatshirt was $75, and there was a variety of signed and unsigned posters, vinyl and CDs. Sparta T-shirts checked in at $35, with singer Jim Ward half-jokingly adding: “We’re T-shirt salesmen. That’s how we pay our rent.”

The Roxian also offered a selection of drinks renamed after several Cantrell songs.

A look at the merch for Jerry Cantrell/Sparta at the Roxian Theatre + tonight’s special drink menu pic.twitter.com/rqpvUnSlVq

— Mike Palm (@MikePalmMedia) September 7, 2025

Did you know?: Cantrell spent his eighth grade year in Finleyville, Washington County, and grew up a Steelers fan.

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Quotable: “I got some Pittsburgh Steelers guitar picks today. I got a Terrible Towel. (Pointing to his shirt) As close as I could get to a bumblebee. I tried my best.” — Cantrell

Last time in Pittsburgh: Cantrell’s last show here with his solo band came on March 31, 2022, at the Roxian Theatre on his Brighten tour. Alice in Chains’ last stop here was on Aug. 10, 2022, as the headliner at the Pavilion at Star Lake.

What’s next: Cantrell will play Sept. 7 at Bogart’s in Cincinnati, with the tour running through Sept. 14 in Kansas City, Mo.