Candlebox @ House of Blues 10/28

Photos by Sam Weber

Review by Iris Broisat

Before the doors even opened on Oct. 28, a line of fans stretched outside House of Blues Boston, eager to step inside the venue’s neon-lit halls and watch Candlebox perform.

“I’ve already seen them three times,” said one audience member. “They just keep getting better.” 

The night opened with Detroit rock band Sponge, whose powerful chords and heavy beats shook the ground and energized the crowd.

After playing one of their biggest hits, “Plowed,” from their debut album “Rotting Piñata,” lead singer Vinnie Dombroski introduced the headliner, a band Sponge had toured with decades before.

“We’re out here traveling in the Candlebox and Sponge time machine,” said Dombroski. “We’re throwing it back to the ‘90s.” 

At 9 p.m., fans cheered as Candlebox’s members took the stage one by one. Instrumental music resembling a drum roll played over the loudspeakers, giving the moment a grand and exciting feel. 

The Seattle grunge band, formed in 1991, immediately launched into their hit song “Arrow.” Following an impressively held-out vocal fry scream, lead singer Kevin Martin introduced each member of the band, giving a special shout-out to guitarist Peter Klett from Candlebox’s original lineup.

Beyond echoing the sound of ‘90s rock, the band’s visual aesthetic reinforced the era through flannel shirts, black jeans, tattoos and long, flowing hair.

The audience was composed largely of middle-aged adults, whose teenage energy seemed revived by songs from Candlebox’s self-titled 1993 debut album.

The connection between the artists and the crowd was apparent throughout the night. After “Vexatious,” an emotional commentary on social media dependence among younger generations, Martin thanked a 14-year-old girl for attending the show before reminiscing about his own first concert, Dead Kennedys, when he was 12.

The band then broke into “Change,” a haunting track filled with reverbed guitar riffs, raspy vocals and satisfying shifts in intensity, with softer verses transitioning into thunderous choruses.

“I wrote that song when I was tripping on mushrooms,” Martin said, sparking laughter in the crowd.

The singer’s dry sense of humor surfaced throughout the show. Before “Blossom,” Martin dedicated the song to the women in the audience while joking about why it was made. 

“I wrote this for my girlfriend when [Candlebox] got signed. Then I broke up with her.”

The band’s set touched on more serious topics as well. “Riptide” was written to raise money for the Riptide Society, an organization that helps youth in foster care. After a speech by Martin about the cause, soft acoustic chords filled the venue, followed by touching vocals.

The band then transitioned into “Cellphone Jesus” with an unexpected question. 

“If you could pick up the phone and call Jesus, what would you ask him?” said Martin before joking, “Will the Red Sox win the championship next year?”

The crowd’s energy dropped slightly during these songs, likely as a result of the band performing some of their more underground tracks. Martin noticed the shift and acknowledged it with humor. 

“I know it’s hard. Stupid band wants to play new stupid stuff.”

After “Nothing Left to Lose,” featuring a return from Dombroski, Candlebox broke into their hit song “Cover Me.”

“This song is about why we do what we do,” Martin said. “This one is for you.”

The crowd immediately sang along, matching the band’s energy. Bassist Adam Kury banged his head, drummer Scott Mercado vigorously crashed his cymbals and Martin danced across the stage so much that a stagehand frequently had to rush over to untangle his microphone cord.

This liveliness continued as they performed “Cover Me,” a song about questioning organized religions based on Martin’s experience as a former Roman Catholic, and “Far Behind,” the band’s biggest hit. Martin dedicated the latter to Andrew Wood, Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley and Chris Cornell, the iconic voices of grunge who have died. 

Candlebox closed its 16-song set with another hit from its debut album, “You,” tossing guitar picks and signed drumsticks into the audience before leaving the stage.