Live Review: Alter Bridge - Oberhausen 2026

Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen, Germany
17th February 2026
Alter Bridge - “What Lies Within” European Tour 2026 - Special guests: Sevendust, Daughtry

Here is a specific kind of electricity that fills the Turbinenhalle when the Industrial steel beams of Oberhausen meet the titan-sized riffs of American Hard Rock. Last night, the “What Lies Within” tour made its stop in the Ruhr area, delivering a triple-bill masterclass in technical precision and emotional weight.


Sevendust

SEVENDUST has long been the gold standard for “the musician’s band,” a quintet hailing from Atlanta that seamlessly bridges the gap between the rhythmic aggression of Nu-Metal and the soul-drenched melodies of R&B. Formed in 1994, the line-up - led by the incomparable Lajon Witherspoon - has remained remarkably consistent, a rarity in the genre that has allowed their chemistry to harden into diamond.



Their heritage is rooted in a gritty, bottom-heavy sound defined by Morgan Rose’s frantic drumming and Clint Lowery’s haunting guitar textures. With a discography spanning nearly 15 albums, including the foundational self-titled debut (1997), the gold-certified ‘Home’ (1999) and ‘Animosity’ (2001), and the more recent, Grammy-nominated ‘Kill the Flaw’ (2015), they have spent three decades proving that heavy music can possess a profound groove. https://sevendust.com



Music & Performance
Opening the night, SEVENDUST wasted no time. As the first notes of ‘Black’ shook the floorboards, it was clear that Witherspoon’s voice has lost none of its velvet-and-sandpaper charm. The carnage continued during ‘Denial’, fueled by a mix of nostalgia and the band’s relentless energy. However, a lot the energy got lost due to an extremely poor and mushy sound production, where the guitars input levels were way overdriven. Overall, the atmosphere was one of mutual respect; SEVENDUST doesn’t just play for an audience, they commune with them. By the time they closed with ‘Face to Face’, the Turbinenhalle was already reaching a fever pitch.

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Daughtry

DAUGHTRY represents the high-gloss, powerhouse evolution of Post-Grunge and Arena Rock, emerging from the spotlight of American Idol in 2006 to become one of the most successful Rock exports of the 21st century. Led by Chris Daughtry, the band’s style is characterized by soaring anthems, cinematic production, and a vocal range that sits comfortably between blue-eyed soul and hard rock grit.



Their history is one of record-breaking momentum; their self-titled debut became the fastest-selling rock debut in Soundscan history, yielding hits like ‘It’s Not Over’ and ‘Home’. Over subsequent releases like ‘Leave This Town’ (2009) and ‘Baptized’ (2013), they experimented with pop sensibilities before circling back to their heavier roots with recent singles like "Artificial" and the Shock to the System EP. Their heritage is a testament to the enduring power of the "big" rock hook, polished to a mirror sheen. https://daughtryofficial.com



Music & Performance
Stepping into the direct support slot, DAUGHTRY brought a stadium-sized production to the more intimate confines of the hall. While the set leaned heavily on their newer, darker material, the roar that greeted ‘Over you’ was deafening. Chris Daughtry’s stage presence has matured into that of a seasoned commander; he navigated the set with a vocal clarity that was staggering to witness live. The transition from the heavy, industrial-tinged ‘Heavy Is the Crown’ to the acoustic vulnerability of his older hits shifted the atmosphere from aggressive to communal, preparing the crowd for the technical onslaught to follow. However, while the sound production was flawless, the performance itself at times felt a little too choreographed and lifeless.

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Alter Bridge

ALTER BRIDGE stands as a titan of modern Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, defined by a style that masterfully blends soaring, stadium-sized melodies with intricate, progressive technicality. Formed in 2004 following the hiatus of CREED, the band saw guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, and drummer Scott Phillips join forces with the virtuosic vocal range and guitar prowess of Myles Kennedy. This transition marked a significant departure from their previous Post-Grunge roots, leaning into a more complex, riff-heavy heritage that values both instrumental dexterity and emotional depth.



Over the past two decades, their discography has become a roadmap of consistent excellence, beginning with the gold-certified ‘One Day Remains’ (2004) and evolving through the critically acclaimed masterpiece ‘Blackbird’ (2007). Subsequent records like ‘AB III’ (2010), ‘Fortress’ (2013), and ‘Pawns & Kings’ (2022) have cemented their reputation as “the band’s band”, moving seamlessly between Thrash-influenced aggression and haunting acoustic arrangements. By 2026, with their newest self-titled album and a total of eight studio albums under their belt, they have secured a legacy as one of the few contemporary acts capable of maintaining technical integrity without sacrificing the anthemic power that fills arenas worldwide. https://alterbridge.com



Music & Performance
When ALTER BRIDGE finally took the stage at the Turbinenhalle, the shift in the room’s energy was instantaneous. Opening with the title track of their 2026 release, the band moved with a level of synchronicity that only twenty years of shared stage floor can produce. The atmosphere was one of reverent intensity; the Oberhausen crowd, known for its discerning ear, met the crushing riffs of ‘Addicted to Pain’ with a thunderous roar that seemed to vibrate the very foundations of the hall.



Kennedy’s vocals were a force of nature, hitting the stratosphere during the mandatory performance of ‘Open Your Eyes’, while Tremonti’s guitar work remained as surgical as it was soulful. There is a specific communal magic in an ALTER BRIDGE show, particularly during the dual-guitar harmonies that have become their trademark. Their musical prowess became especially evident during the ballad ‘Watch Over You’, started out by Miles on an acoustic guitar. With Miles and Mark fist bumping after the song and smiling, it became clear that this band still has what it needs for the coming decade.



 As the final notes of ‘Isolation’ faded into the industrial rafters, the lingering feeling was not just that of a successful concert, but of a masterclass in the enduring relevance of high-caliber rock.

Setlist
01. Silent Divide
02. Addicted to Pain
03. Cry of Achilles
04. What Lies Within
05. Fortress
06. Burn It Down
07. Open Your Eyes
08. Tested and Able
09. Broken Wings
10. Watch Over You
11. Silver Tongue
12. Rise Today
13. Metalingus
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14. Blackbird
15. Isolation

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All Pictures by Andreas Klüppelberg