If only I could have been an Alice In Chains fan back in the early 1990s...

I know, I know, such things are a little unrealistic when you consider that I was a Barney-watching five-year-old when AIC were at their peak. But I really would have loved the chance to have been able to witness Layne Staley singing live... in person. Of course, given that Staley died in 2002, that opportunity is entirely out of reach for me now. Still, I always imagine what it might have been like...

...and for $12.99, Live brings that idea to life for me.

I'll get it out of the way quickly: I usually am not too big on live releases. No, scratch that. I'm usually not too big on live CDs. Live DVDs are heavenly for me; I like being able to see the images to get the full "live" experience. Live CDs, however, are more likely to disappoint me than anything else. Now, there always have been some exceptions to this general rule of mine, but no exception to date has dared to come close to Alice In Chains' Live.

Released in 2000, Live is a compilation of numerous AIC songs from several different live concerts, ranging from 1990 to 1996. Fans get everything here, from "Bleed the Freak" in Alice's hometown of Seattle to "Dam That River" six years later in Kansas City. When I purchased Live, I'd already been well acquainted with the band's live performances of acoustic songs (see: Unplugged), but an electric, fully-rocking Alice In Chains experience like this one was something completely new to me. Therefore, my curiosity was out of control.

The faint, familiar sound of an audience cheering greets listeners as the band is introduced in their hometown. "Please welcome home... [cheers] ... who are they? ... [louder cheers evolve into indecipherable roars]" But before another word can be spoken, the sound of Staley's haunting vocals penetrate the air. "Bleed The Freak" is the perfect song for an opener: its chorus is super-singable, it's loud, raucous, and eerie in all the right ways. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell provides wonderfully smooth backup vox to complement Staley's throaty wails. The truth is, once this song begins, the goosebumps on my arms appear and refuse to leave until this entire live album is over. I can't listen to this without shedding a few tears. It's magical. I feel like I'm right there.

Though the humorous, 'countrified' "Queen of the Rodeo" never appeared on an Alice In Chains studio album, it's a song from the band's earliest days (I'm talking 1987 here), and it's very popular amongst devoted fans. It's fitting that this song was performed in Dallas, Texas. Staley's exaggerated twang sounds just perfect, and the punkish breakdown toward the end of the song is all too fun. The absolute classic hard-rocker "Man In The Box" is performed at a notably faster pace than what fans may be used to on the studio version. The sludgy, simple groove is still there, but somehow it seems to be energized just a bit more here. The notes Staley hits in this song's chorus are no easy feat, but he nails everything flawlessly, and with every ounce of emotion present on the Facelift version.

The slow-paced, deranged "Love, Hate, Love" is my unquestionable favorite live performance here. It's one of my most adored AIC songs, period, and this rendition is amazing. Staley introduces this song as being "written for a very... special little girl." His vocals here are so raw, twisted and passionate, and the ominous tone of Cantrell's guitar really helps in adding to the purely insane atmosphere of the song.

Complete with shockingly honest lyrics, soaring vocals, and blaring bass line courtesy of Mike Inez, "Dirt" comes off BEAUTIFULLY live. Staley drags out each word slowly in order to assist the audience in understanding his agony and his personal demons, keeping things interesting enough, but for the most part, still staying true to the album version. The audience goes nuts for this one.

The 1996 performance of "Again" from AIC's self-titled release brings forth a great deal of heaviness and fist-pumping energy with its monstrously sludgy main riff, while Staley's maniacal, shaky vocals create an illusion all their own. One of the most striking things about Live is the way the listener can feel Staley's slow, heroin-induced deterioration process: the more recent performances have this indescribable aura of helplessness and confusion, while the older ones -- as angry and passionate as they are -- seem to exude more of a young, naive, "rock music is fun! energy!" vibe from Staley.

Live is a must-must-must-must-have for any Alice In Chains fan, especially those of us who never got the chance to see their original lineup in the flesh. New touring vocalist William DuVall is extraordinary in his own way, but even if I did witness the new lineup live, I can't imagine that it would be even 1/100th of the experience that seeing and hearing Layne Staley in person would have been. Live is as close as I'm going to get to achieving that now-impossible dream of mine. And when listening to it, I find myself at a complete loss of words, and at a complete loss of things to complain about.

Great Music to Play While: Putting on your Alice In Chains shirt and hat and escaping into an alternate reality, in which you're actually seeing the band live...





Recommended: Yes