Live in Concert: Alter Bridge, Klub Studio, Krakow; June 17, 2026

Alter Bridge loves to visit our native Poland. The band’s Krakow show was probably their eighth in total (if I’m counting correctly, they’d previously played three times in Warsaw, twice in Katowice, and once each in Łódź and Gliwice), and their second this year. To get a little ahead of myself, I’ll note that it was also a very intimate one, because in a venue that holds a maximum of 1,500 people, the audience has a perfect view of what’s happening on stage, and the musicians aren’t playing to a sea of heads and unrecognizable faces, making it easier for them to connect with the audience.

Alter Bridge, Klub Studio, Krakow; June 17, 2026. L-R: B. Marshall, S. Phillips, M. Kennedy, M. Tremonti

As with tours in support of their previous albums, they started with the single promoting their latest release – in this case, the song “Silent Divide.” Both on the new record, titled “Alter Bridge,” and during the Krakow show, it proved to be an excellent opener. Then, without any introductions or small talk, they launched into “Addicted to Pain.” After those two warm-up tracks, it was time for the main course. In the case of this set, it began with a spectacular performance of “Cry of Achilles,” to which the audience reacted enthusiastically from the very first notes of the guitar intro played by Myles Kennedy. They followed that up with the title track from the same album (namely, 2014’s “Fortress”), and the concert really took off at full throttle. Or rather, it would have, had it not been for the fact that the next song, “Playing Aces” (from the new album), didn’t make quite as big an impression on the fans, and the atmosphere cooled off a bit. However, Alter Bridge are true stage veterans and they immediately proceeded to fire off some absolute crowd-pleasers: “Burn It Down” (with Mark Tremonti on vocals), “Open Your Eyes” (the audience was unsurprisingly ecstatic), “Broken Wings,” and “Watch Over You” (naturally with Myles on acoustic guitar). After that moment of calm, they ramped up the energy a bit with “The Ghost of Days Gone By” and “Tested and Able,” and I have to admit that this track from the new album blended perfectly with the classic songs. Then came “Rise Today,” followed by “Metallingus” – the long-awaited track that capped off the set and was received with great enthusiasm – and the band left the stage to thunderous applause and chants of “Alter Bridge! Alter Bridge!”

They didn’t keep us waiting long, though, and came back to play what everyone had been waiting for – “Blackbird.” No AB concert is complete without this song, so it’s no surprise that everyone in the venue went wild – it was truly the highlight of the show. To wrap things up, they played “Isolation,” high-fived the front row, gave fans a few guitar picks, threw drumsticks off the stage, said their thanks, and the lights came on in the venue. Fifteen brilliantly performed and perfectly selected songs (well, almost 😉 ) – about 90 minutes of music. Could there have been a little more? Probably, but 10:00 p.m. is the strict curfew for the AGH University of Krakow campus, where the club is located. Besides, it’s probably better to leave the audience wanting a little more than to overwhelm them. I didn’t notice anyone disappointed among those leaving the club, and I certainly didn’t feel that way myself. There really was no reason for it. The band quickly established great chemistry with the audience and encouraged people to sing along, which the Polish fans eagerly did time and again that evening. Myles Kennedy was in excellent vocal form, Mark Tremonti proved he’s now a full-fledged vocalist, both gentlemen showcased their guitar prowess, and the rhythm section of Brian Marshall (bass) and Scott Phillips (drums) was a perfectly synchronized machine that laid a solid foundation for all the vocal and guitar shenanigans. What more could you ask for?

A great opening act. And Alter Bridge certainly delivered. The Welsh band Cardinal Black is excellent – their blues-rock really got AB fans in the right mood. It was also clear that some of the audience knew their songs. Check them out if you haven’t heard them yet. It’s worth your while!

For the sake of journalistic accuracy, we must also note that Scott Phillips has been Alter Bridge’s drummer since the band’s inception. He is also a co-founder of Creed (where he still plays today) and has recorded with the bands Submersed and Projected. The artist collaborates with the following drum brands: DW Drums, Zildjian, Vic Firth, and Evans.

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Official Alter Bridge website: https://alterbridge.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/alterbridge
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialalterbridge/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@alterbridgeofficial

Official DW website: https://www.dwdrums.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/dwdrums
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwdrums/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@dwdrums / https://www.youtube.com/@TheeDrumWorkshop

Official Zildjian website: https://zildjian.com/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Zildjian / https://www.facebook.com/ZildjianPolska
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zildjiancompany/
YT: https://www.youtube.com/@ZildjianCompany