February 17, 2023 – Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City NJ

Review by Chris Yates // Photography by Estelle Massry

Bush & Candlebox ascended upon New Jersey’s version of “Sin City” Friday night as two of the most 90’s iconic bands played to a packed house at the Ocean Casino Resort. I have seen and reviewed Bush a few times before but this particular show was different. As a young professional living in Hoboken, NJ in the 1990’s I had easy access to live music there in town, and easily across the river in the Big Apple. The post grunge and hard rock scene was exploding and one can hear both Bush and Candlebox being played in any bar you entered. They dominated the music scene. As two of my favorite bands of that time, and to this day, I was excited to see them and more excited to get started on this review.

It was my first time seeing a show at this venue. The aptly named Ovation Hall was a cool space with not a bad seat in the house. The stage was a perfect size. Not too big where you lose the band members and not too small or too tight. It was perfect for capturing some good photos of a full band shot or some good, individual close-ups. Most importantly the acoustics were on point!

Both bands seemed to have taken a few sips from the fountain of youth as their vocal range and individual, non-mistakable, specific sounds were the same as if I were listening to them 30 years ago!

Candlebox, hailing from Seattle, Washington burst on the scene in 1990. They released seven studio albums, with several charting singles. The band found immediate success with the release of their self-titled debut album in July 1993 and rose to fame quickly through the year 2000. Opening for Bush on this tour, Candlebox sounded amazing and it soon became obvious to me that people came out to see them as well, as the seats filled in quickly and people were singing along with every word (including yours truly). Candlebox released their latest album in 2021 entitled Wolves. Kevin Martin is an excellent frontman. His voice is still strong and melodic and sounded as good as ever. They played songs from their latest album but also mixed in many fan favorites like “Far Behind” & “You”, to which the crowd reacted with excitement and fist pumping, hand raising enjoyment. They are the perfect complement to Bush and an awesome pairing for any music fan wanting to hear some amazing rock & roll or experience some iconic nostalgia from the 90’s. Candlebox is: Kevin Martin (lead vocals), Brian Quinn (guitar), Island Styles (guitar), Adam Kury (bass) & BJ Kerwin (drums).

Once the Candlebox set concluded one can sense the anticipation in the room as music fans awaited Bush. Crowds filled in a little more, people remained standing, and it seemed difficult for ushers to keep people organized in their isles and ticketed seats. The floor became almost open access as fans pushed close to the stage. Eventually the fans won, ushers gave up, and it became what felt like a private party with Bush as the amazing talent.

Pioneering the grunge-rock scene, Bush formed in 1992 in the UK and burst on the scene across the pond here in the US in 1993. Frontman Gavin Rossdale has one of the most identifiable voices in the business and as mentioned before, sounded as he did 30 years ago. Experiencing a massive career resurgence, Bush is on tour celebrating their latest album, The Art of Survival and its lead single, “More than Machines“hit the #1 spot on the Active Rock Chart and the 7th Bush single to receive such accolades. The hard working band remains hungry as ever and it’s apparent in the lyrics of “More than Machines”. Wisefully current, the song has resonated with a new generation of fans, with lyrics resembling a battle cry against a tech-dominated society, capitalistic greed, and the destruction of the environment and human connection as a whole.

Gavin said in an interview about the new album The Art of Survival, “…this is about the success stories of humanity’s survival against the odds. People just find a way to push through. We’ve all obviously suffered to varying degrees. I think the nature of life is the art of survival. Everyone is being tested all the time, but we find a way. In recent memory, we’ve made major strides and shown great resilience in the face of war, endless instances of racism, gender politics, a pandemic, and a melting pot of what we’ve experienced. For me, The Art of Survival encompasses all of this.”

The lights dimmed and Bush came on stage to the eagerly waiting crowd as they erupted in screams and applause. The stage was set with their red album cover backdrop, fog and strobe lights to start. In addition to his vocals, Gavin continues to pour all he has into his performance. His voice maintains the raspy strength and unique sound it’s always had. The band played the new album which is one you can listen to from beginning to end as each song is amazing, while mixing in the fan favorites of old for which they are famous. Gavin uses the stage well and likes to engage with the audience as he always has. Half way through the performance, he left the stage and entered the audience, walking up and down the isles of the venue while singing along the way. He kept security quite busy as they cleared the path like Moses splitting the Red Sea so Gavin can keep moving through. Stopping for an occasional picture or a quick dance with an audience member, the crowd eats it up in enjoyment through the up-close and more personal experience he provides. I’ve witnessed him do this before and know he does this often but I must say, this show was different. When I saw him last he was co-headlining on a multi-band bill. As the sole headliner, he delivers a heart pounding performance, full of energy and a willingness to please his fans, coming out for encore’s and delivering gold while reminding us all to LEARN FROM THE PAST – LIVE IN THE PRESENT & LOOK TO THE FUTURE!