This Event has Passed
CANDLEBOX UNPLUGGED with Whole Damn Mess | Bloomington, IN
Whole Damn Mess will open the show!
Throw out any preconceived notions you may have about who CANDLEBOX is. Wolves, the band's seventh album which debuted at #7 on the Billboard Chart, is rife with brutal lyrical honesty and songs that run the gamut from dirty rock stompers to timeless, radio-ready pop-rock tunes. Wolves captures the live energy of a band embracing all its influences and coalescing them down into the most potent form. "These are songs that I love that the band loved. We didn't stop ourselves from recording anything if we dug it; we allowed each song to dictate to us what it needed musically, instrumentally," explains singer Kevin Martin. Wolves is a modern rock album that also contains "that really sparkly acoustic, Radiohead kind of dreamy guitar and ethereal stuff; we pulled from everything that inspired us, from Neil Young to brand-new bands."
CANDLEBOX teased the upcoming LP in August 2020, releasing Wolves' energized "Let Me Down Easy," an aggro, blues-based rocker with a booming bass and edgy guitar riffing. The cut was co-written with old Seattle pal Peter Cornell, Chris Cornell's older brother. As for the vibe: Martin knew he "wanted that song to feel and sound like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club."
In 2021 came "My Weakness." The pop-tastic gem is "kind of guttural and like 'The Summer of '69' and Bruce Springsteen tunes; it's one of those love songs where you can feel the band just wants to take off with you the whole time." Reminiscent of chart-topping '80s pop-rock that has stood the test of time, Martin knows that "My Weakness" may be perceived as a departure for CANDLEBOX. But that's the point.
Working with producer Dean Dichoso in Los Angeles' legendary Henson Studios for Wolves, Martin's goals included creating a "different record for CANDLEBOX. I don't want to fall into bad habits like overthinking in the studio. Dean and I had long conversations about music and songs, about what inspired me on albums like Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps, those really loose rock and roll albums where artists didn't follow a program, where there was no real formula."
The first official single from Wolves is "All Down Hill From Here," co-written with Christopher Thorne of Blind Melon, another old friend of Martin's. In the frank autobiographical tune, Martin sings, "Spent half of my life in a rock and roll band ... They say 'the harder they come, the harder they fall' / Well I hit it pretty hard babe, still reelin' from it all /And I made it to the peak babe, but it's all downhill from here now."
Wolves is not the record of a band on its downslide, but rather a strong aural statement from musicians who are exploring, reinventing, and creating music to make themselves happy. There's zero resting on the considerable laurels of CANDLEBOX's hit singles and albums. And the band is inviting fans, old and new, along for the ride.
The timeline of Wolves began well before the shit show of 2020, kicking off in mid-2018, with approximately three months to write and record. Alongside drummer Dave Krusen (who joined CANDLEBOX in 1997); lead and rhythm guitarist Brian Quinn and bassist Adam Kury, Wolves marks guitarist Island Styles' studio recording debut with the band. (BJ Kerwin, who has toured with CANDLEBOX in the past, will take over drumming duties from Krusen when the pandemic status allows for the band to hit the road in support of the record.)
The chemistry CANDLEBOX conjured playing live in the studio is undeniable and electric. And Martin couldn't be happier with the outcome. "It can be challenging to be an artist who has enjoyed great success, and then down the line, still has great fans, but never really achieves that great success again," Martin observes, echoing the lyrical story of "All Down Hill From Here." "A lot of our friends in bands are in that position now. It's a story I think a lot of people can relate to, not only musicians. "But," he concludes, referencing the Wolves' tune "Don't Count Me Out," "like the boxer who's on his last legs, he still has an opportunity. You really can't count anyone out."
Lead singer, Kevin Martin, is starting a charity called Riptide Society 501(c).The charity aid kids and young adults in the foster system to provide them with services and resources that empower them to create lasting change. RiptideSociety.org
Doors open at 7:00pm for this reserved seating show. The estimated length of the event is 120 minutes. Wearing a mask is required indoors in Monroe County. Vaccine verification or negative covid test results within 48 hours required to enter the venue.
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/1004289-2?pid=2809
Price:
Starting at: USD 45.00
