In the late 1980s and early 1990s, grunge music began to move from Seattle and the Pacific Northwest throughout the United States and the rest of the world. While bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Stone Temple Pilots integrated punk influences into their alternative grudge sound, Alice in Chains turned toward heavy metal as a primary influence, producing an entirely new and unique form of grunge music.

Like other leading grunge bands, Alice in Chains started in Seattle, Washington.

Alice in Chaisn was founded by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney in 1987 when they recruited Layne Staley as co-lead vocalists and Mike Starr on bass and backing vocals. The band released its first EP We Die Young in 1989.

Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney formed Alice in Chains in 1987.

Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley acted as co-lead vocalists between 1987 and 2002 when Staley died. William Duvall joined Cantrell as co-lead vocalist in 2006.

Layne Thomas Staley was a pioneer of the grunge movement in Seattle and a founding member of Alice in Chains. Because of heavy substance abuse, he stopped performing live in 1996 after the band’s performance on MTV Unplugged.

While he didn’t technically leave, the band was mostly inactive throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s as a result of Staley’s retreat from the public spotlight. After years of continued drug addiction, Staley passed away on April 5, 2002, leading to the official breakup of the band.

Alice In Chains reformed in 2006 with William Duvall taking Staley’s place as co-lead vocalist.

Alice in Chain’s performance on MTV Unplugged premiered on May 28, 1996.

The song “Man in the Box” has dual meanings. Initially, it was meant to be about censorship alone. However, after having dinner with several Columbia executives and learning a few were vegitarians, he inquired more. As a result of this conversation, the song’s focus shifted to animal cruelty caused by modern-day meat consumption as well.

Jerry Cantrell wrote the Alice in Chain song “Rooster” about his father’s experience in the Vietnam War and how they caused the devastation of his family. While there are many pro- and anti-war songs out there, “Rooster” doesn’t really fall on either side. Taken at its core, its more about the effects war has on a person and those they are closest to.

Alice In Chains has had 1,169 concerts.

Alice In Chains is most often considered to be Rock, Alternative Rock, Alternative, Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Alternative Metal, Nu Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Rock, Grunge, Glam Metal, Glam Rock, Sludge Metal, Acoustic Rock, Glam, and Estados Unidos.

The next Alice In Chains concert is on April 27, 2024 at Las Vegas Festival Grounds in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. The bands performing are: Slipknot / System of a Down / A Perfect Circle / Alice In Chains / Bring Me The Horizon / Lamb Of God / Primus / Sevendust / Static-X / Motionless In White / Ice Nine Kills / Black Veil Brides / Danny Elfman / Sleep Token / Wage War / Bad Omens / Spiritbox / Powerman 5000 / Nonpoint / Kittie / Taproot / Dope / Fear Factory / Helmet / Killing Joke / Lords Of Acod / Skindred / Jinjer / Code Orange / Knocked Loose / Loathe / Baby Metal / Lorna Shore / Front Line Assembly / Wednesday 13 / 3TEETH / Dayseeker / Slaughter To Prevail / Kim Dracula / slowdrive / Duster / Swans / The Garden / VOWWS / Vein / Drain / Front 242 / Static Dress / VNV Nation / She Past Away / Nitzer Ebb / Drop Nineteens / Trash Talk / Combichrist / Zulu / Fury / SPY / Gel / Violent Vira / Snow Strippers / ULTRA SUNN / 6arelyhuman / Better Lovers / fleshwater / Superheaven / Incendiary / Glare / Have A Nice Life / Kublai Khan TX / Sunami / Paleface Swiss / Polyphia.

The last Alice In Chains concert was on December 15, 2023 at Nautica Stage in Cleveland, Ohio, United States.

The songs that Alice In Chains performs live vary, but here's the latest setlist that we have from the October 16, 2023 concert at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:

1. Again
2. Check My Brain
3. Them Bones
4. Hollow
5. Angry Chair
6. Man in the Box
7. Down in a Hole
8. The One You Know
9. No Excuses
10. Would?
11. Rooster