LIVE REVIEW
ALTER BRIDGE
UTILITA ARENA NEWCASTLE - 25th February 2026

Myles Kennedy - Photo: David Weddle 2026

Photography and review David Weddle @dweddlephotography
Artist: Alter Bridge - Venue: Utilita Arena Newcastle
Date: 25th of February 2026

American rockers Alter Bridge began their What Lies Within tour in the UK with a spectacular performance at Utilita Arena Newcastle. The night was the first of six dates in the UK with a seventh UK appearance at Blackbird Festival in June. It has been a little while since the band fronted by Myles Kennedy played in the city, so Newcastle was ready for an Alter Bridge gig, and they weren't left disappointed. From the moment the doors opened, you could feel the static in the air; this wasn't just a concert, it was a homecoming.​

Myles and co. brought along a few friends with them to join the party in the form of Sevendust and Daughtry. Sevendust took to the stage first and within the first few chords had the place jumping. Helped in no small part by the huge smile on the face of vocalist Lajon Witherspoon, who was clearly having a blast. He even got the crowd to wish his wife a happy birthday via the power of video. Nice. It was the perfect shot of adrenaline to kick-start the evening.​

The second act of the night was hard rock heavyweights Daughtry. The crowd were already hyped after Sevendust and Daughtry kept that energy going with a blistering performance, with frontman Chris' stage presence adding an air of mysteriousness to the show, playing into the moody lighting perfectly. A cracking opening set. By the time the final notes faded, the arena was a powder keg just waiting for a spark.​

Thanks to Sevendust and Daughtry, Newcastle was in fine fettle when the time came for headliners Alter Bridge to take to the stage. The mesmerising stage lighting made for a visual treat that helped build the anticipation before the lads walked onstage to huge cheers from the fans. The roar from the Geordie crowd was deafening, a wall of sound meeting a wall of light.

Kicking off with Silent Divide, they got straight down to business; the sound was full on as I stood in front of the stage and felt the full force of the speakers vibrating the air around me. I don't know how it felt for everyone else, but I, for one, felt like it was an all-encompassing wave of sound. Awesome. It was a physical experience for sure. The kind of rock and roll that you don't just hear you also feel it in your chest.

Myles, dressed in shades and a green jacket, looked very much the rockstar, but when the jacket came off, you could tell he meant business, and he gave his guitar a damn good thrashing through Addicted to Pain. The whole band were all over the stage, making sure that they connected with every area of the arena. Mark Tremonti’s riffs were surgically precise, and the rhythm section was a freight train that refused to slow down.

Newcastle were given a real treat, with a set that included a good chunk of Alter Bridge goodness from their back catalogue with deep cuts from One Day Remains and Blackbird, making this the ultimate Alter Bridge gig. Finishing off with the classic Isolation from their third studio album AB III, Alter Bridge closed an opening night that will stay in the hearts and minds of the Newcastle faithful. If this first night was any indication, the rest of the UK had better brace itself.