Myles Kennedy: What to expect when the rockstar comes to Birmingham?

Myles Kennedy delivered an unbelievable night of blues-soaked rock as he celebrated his 55th birthday in style at the Manchester Academy on the latest leg of his UK tour.

Having been a fan of Myles Kennedy and Alter Bridge for over a decade thanks to the band performing the entrance theme for WWE and AEW legend Adam ‘Edge’ Copeland, Kennedy never fails to deliver as a vocalist and a guitarist. Last night’s show marked the first time I’d seen Kennedy perform a solo show, and with the spotlight solely on him he put on a show to remember.

Despite the Manchester Academy not having the production values of the spring tour with Slash and the Conspirators, seeing Kennedy perform inside an intimate venue was a spectacle to behold. With his powerful voice, blues-soaked guitar riffs and exquisite guitar solos, Kennedy underlined why he is one of the best frontmen in rock.

After stepping onto the stage, Kennedy got things off to a red-hot start as he performed the bluesy-southern rock hit about change ‘The Art of Letting Go’ and the upbeat and guitar-driven ‘Nothing More To Gain’ to set the stage for what would be an enthralling night of celebration and music.

The Manchester Academy was in a celebratory mood throughout the night on and off the stage. Members of the audience were provided with party whistles and paper hats to celebrate Kennedy’s birthday, and it didn’t take long for the Alter Bridge frontman to be serenaded with a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ that hijacked ‘Devil on the Wall’ early in the night. After the track finished, bassist Tim Tournier and drummer Zia Uddin paid tribute to the 55-year-old and brought out a cake for the frontman.

Throughout the evening, the powerful melodic lines of Kennedy’s guitar were complemented perfectly by Uddin’s dreamy drum patterns and Tournier’s terrific basslines and their sound was given a bit of an organ-esque twinge as Tournier played the keys with his feet.

The thought-provoking blues-rock hit ‘A Thousand Words’ and ‘Mr. Downside’ that has the opening bars crammed with dreamy riffs follow before Myles performed his favourite track off ‘The Art of Letting Go’ in ‘Behind The Veil’ which features a marvellous guitar solo to give the song an extra kick in a live setting.

Cutting a candid and sincere figure on stage, it’s easy to see why Myles is universally adored for much more than his musical abilities. Throughout the evening, Kennedy stopped to express his gratitude for the fans, accepted a birthday card from one adoring fan and even made one young fan’s week by directly handing him a guitar pick midway through the set. Definitely a good souvenir to have!

After the energetic start, the pace dipped as Tournier and Uddin stepped off stage as Kennedy performed an acoustic set that included covers of The Mayfield Four’s ‘White Flag’ and Alter Bridge hit ‘All Ends Well’ that serves as a message of inspiration and to remain resilient even in times of struggle.

As Kennedy closed out the evening, tracks such as the macabre ‘Love Can Only Heal’, ‘Miss You When You’re Gone’ that touches on themes of relationships ending and change, the rock hit ‘Year of the Tiger’, a rousing rendition of ‘Get Along’ and the survivalist POV song ‘In Stride’ offer a nice variety of hits before Kennedy closes with ‘Say What You Will’ in the encore.