“The world is on fire but we’re having a good time tonight!” – Gavin Rossdale
Between the start of an April heat wave in the south and Bush heating up downtown Raleigh with a night full of explosive energy, it sure felt like fire. The band rolled into town on Tuesday, April 14th, just a handful of dates into their “The Land of Milk and Honey” tour, and fans were super excited to kickoff the outdoor concert season at Red Hat Amphitheater.
You know a band has some true longevity when they’re able to start the night with one of their top hits. Bush kicked off an electric night of music with “Everything Zen” and this classic set the tone for the entire evening. It’s now been over 30 years since the band’s debut album Sixteen Stone, and this showed the crowd that they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon. The setlist was peppered by fan favorites and some deeper cuts throughout the evening, but was bookended by Zen and “Little Things”. From the latest release, I Beat Loneliness, fans were given the album’s title track, the tour’s namesake “The Land of Milk and Honey”, “We’re All The Same On The Inside”, and “Love Me Til The Pain Fades”.
At one point, Rossdale stopped to take in the sight out of the crowd and added that this was his favorite type of show to play – outdoors in the middle of the city. He remarked that he was thinking about how each person there had their little lives that they all lived that day, but then everyone came together that evening. He is profoundly aware of the impact he and the band have on the fans, and acts with such graciousness in acknowledging it. On several occasions he steps out towards the standing pit to shake hands with those up front, but in a much rarer act of connection, he travels all through the audience to greet so many more. Gavin hops out onto the floor of the amphitheater while singing “Flowers On A Grave” and never misses a beat while shaking hands, high-fiving, hugging, and snapping selfies with the crowd. The best part about this is that the smile on his face as he continues to perform while weaving himself through the aisles is just as big as that of everyone he comes into contact with.
After closing out the initial set, the band returned to the stage for an encore with what Gavin called a “brand new song” before they erupted into “Machinehead”. The band then left the stage as Gavin performed an acoustic version of “Swallowed”, and returned at the end to cap off the night with “Comedown”. The audience sang the 2nd verse acoustically and it was a beautiful moment of admiration between the performers and the crowd. 30 years after it’s initial release, it’s clear that the fans still don’t want to “come back down” from the high of seeing such a great performance.
Opening the show were Mammoth and Wales-based James and The Cold Gun. Mammoth, fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen, took the crowd on a quick journey through their trio of albums. Late 2025 saw the band’s release of their latest, The End, and the evening brought several songs showcasing their evolution as a band. From the initial release, Mammoth WVH, the band was treated to “Distance” which began acoustically but then was backed by the rest of the band. Alt-rock band James and The Cold Gun kicked the night off with their infectious energy. Lead singer James Joseph thanked the crowd who got there early enough to catch their set, and added that they were used to playing up and down the UK to about 15 people. He stated that being on tour with Bush now playing for thousands was incredible. Those who there from the show’s beginning surely found a couple new favorite bands to add to their playlists.
The Land of Milk and Honey tour keeps Bush, Mammoth, and James and The Cold Gun zig-zagging throughout the US over the next month before Gavin and the boys take the band back overseas. Don’t let the days go by without catching these guys on an upcoming tour date!
Review and pix by I’m Music Magazine Photographer/Music Journalist KT Lafferty
BUSH
MAMMOTH
JAMES AND THE COLD GUN
