On 29 November 2011, Alter Bridge performed to a sell-out crowd at London's Wembley Arena. Recalling the most significant event in the band's eight-year career, guitarist Mark Tremonti says, "Playing Wembley was a dream we were chasing, but it was never something we were sure we could pull off. For us to headline the place, and to sell it out... we still can't believe it."
Good thing there's proof, in this case the upcoming Blu-ray and DVD titled Alter Bridge Live At Wembley, helmed by Grammy-nominated director Dan Catullo III. Live At Wembley is a stunning visual and audio document which captures Tremonti and the rest of the band (which also includes vocalist/guitarist Myles Kennedy, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips) smashing through a dramatic 21-song set, including the hits Rise Today, Blackbird, Watch Over You, along with their latest single Slip To The Void, which MusicRadar is pleased to premiere as a video exclusive (above).
Shot with 16 high-def cameras, Alter Bridge Live At Wembley will be released on 26 March in Blu-ray and DVD packages, and there will be a CD set, as well. In addition, the package will be issued in 3D this fall. We sat down with Mark Tremonti the other day to get his take on the band's Wembley triumph, their UK success story and the smoking new Blu-ray and DVD.
On Wembley
"When the tour was booked, we saw that there were a few arenas, Wembley being one of them. We were excited and nervous, wondering if the tickets would sell. They did, and we were blown away.
"The first four or five songs of any set are usually pretty nerve-racking; those are the tunes where we're finding our footing and trying to get comfortable. But Wembley was different. Even with all of the cameras and the fact that we were filming and we couldn't make any mistakes, it was fun right from the start."
On UK success
"After the breakup of Creed, we went back to the UK and worked our way up through the clubs and some bigger places. Establishing yourself or re-establishing yourself can be a battle sometimes, but in this case, it's really paid off, and it's all because of the fans."
"I think certain parts of the media in England really supported us. Kids get a lot of their music through the Internet and magazines - it's not so much radio-driven and MTV-driven - and I guess we got out in all the right channels.
"Also, I think they like a different sort of music there. They dig the tenor vocalists and guitar solos. Those kinds of elements seem to connect in England more than they do in the States for some reason."
Tremonti onstage at Wembley, November 2011. © Christie Goodwin
Lights, camera...pyro!
"We put a lot of that stuff up the day before the show. We weren't using lasers and a lot of the lights on tour, and the pyro was totally new to us. We were just hoping for the best on those things. I have to hand it to Dan, the director, and our crew - they made sure everything worked and came together for a seamless show."
On post-production
"We sat with Dan and went through every song in the editing room. Basically, we picked apart all of the shots. I think we went through three or four rounds until we got the version everybody was happy with. Working on a DVD is just like anything else, and it's just like mixing a record. People have their input, they make their suggestions. You don't always win every argument, but as long as everybody is cool with the end result, that's what counts."
On meeting special fans
"Before the show, we did meet a fan who is sick. That was a pretty special moment for us. Whenever there's a situation like that, whether it's Make A Wish or any other kind of foundation, anybody that reaches out, we always try to do what we can to lift somebody's spirit. Taking a little time out of our day to meet with someone who's going through something pretty rough, that's the least we can do."
The tracklisting for Alter Bridge Live At Wembley (DVD and Blu-ray)
1. Slip To The Void
2. Find The Real
3. Ghosts Of Days Gone By
4. Before Tomorrow Comes
5. Come To Life
6. All Hope Is Gone
7. White Knuckles
8. Brand New Start
9. Metalingus
10. Broken Wings
11. I Know It Hurts
12. One Day Remains
13. Coeur d' Alene
14. Buried Alive
15. Blackbird
16. Wonderful Life
17. Watch Over You
18. Ties That Bind
19. Isolation
20. Open Your Eyes
21. Rise Today
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