Alice in Chains returned to the stage with a strong set Saturday night (Apr. 28) at the House of Blues in Boston, Mass. The sold-out show kicked off their 2018 headlining tour.

The Seattle alt-rock legends started the gig in Boston with "Bleed the Freak," a song which they hadn't played live since 2015. From there they tore through '90s hits like "Again," "Man in the Box" and "Heaven Beside You" while effortlessly blending in newer material like "Last of My Kind," "Stone" and "Hollow." (See the full setlist below.)

William DuVall, who has been fronting the group since their return in 2006, continues to impress with his intensity and commanding stage presence, and with two albums under his belt, he's now much more than a replacement frontman.

The band debuted a new stage setup, made up of four sections of stark, blinding lights which towered in the background, alternately flashing on and off in time with the music.

There was also a somber moment before the group went into "Nutshell," which guitarist Jerry Cantrell dedicated to late Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley and bassist Mike Starr, who passed away in 2002 and 2011 respectively.

"We like to take a minute most every night to think about Layne and Mike as well," Cantrell said before strumming the familiar opening notes to the stirring number.

Despite there being a new Alice in Chains album on the horizon for release this fall, they didn't preview any new tracks. Cantrell and DuVall jokingly bantered about rumors of "a record out pretty soon" before the final encore of "Rooster." The guitarist even announced a new song would be coming out this week, though no further details have been made public at this point.

Last June, the band revealed that Nick Raskulinecz, who produced both 2013's The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here and its predecessor, 2009’s Black Gives Way to Blue, will produce the new album. Bassist Mike Inez added that AIC intended to record in their home base of Seattle, as opposed to heading to Los Angeles, where they recorded their two previous releases.

Alice in Chains House of Blues Boston April 28 Setlist

Bleed the Freak

Check My Brain

Again

Them Bones

Dam That River

Hollow

Voices

Last of My Kind

Down in a Hole

No Excuses

Stone

We Die Young

Nutshell

Heaven Beside You

Man in the Box

It Ain't Like That

Encore:

Got Me Wrong

Would?

Rooster

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