A sold-out crowd at the Star Pavilion at Ameristar Casino in Kansas City got exactly what they came for—and then some—as Candlebox delivered a powerful, no-nonsense 90-minute set that felt both nostalgic and refreshingly alive.
From the moment Kevin Martin hit the stage, his signature sneer and unmistakable vocal grit immediately transported the audience back to the band’s explosive arrival on the post-grunge scene in 1993. Backed by a tight, road-tested lineup, Candlebox leaned heavily into material from their self-titled debut, and rightfully so—those songs still hit with the same urgency and emotional punch they did three decades ago.
What stood out most was Martin himself. Even as he admitted to struggling with his voice on this particular night, there wasn’t a single moment where it showed. His delivery remained sharp, passionate, and commanding, effortlessly carrying the band’s biggest hits while keeping the crowd locked in from start to finish. If anything, the grit only added to the authenticity.
The setlist struck a perfect balance between honoring the past and embracing the present. While the crowd roared for classics, the band also sprinkled in tracks from their 2023 release The Long Goodbye, a record that—despite its title—may not actually signal the end. Martin recently hinted during his appearance On The Road to Rock Podcast that new music could still be on the horizon, proving retirement isn’t sticking just yet.
“I tried to retire but you just can’t do it sometimes,” Martin said in a recent interview with our On Road to Rock Podcast. “It’s been a really good tour, the shows have been awesome, the fans have been amazing. I guess we’re the lucky ones.”
Among the night’s highlights was a rousing performance of “Cover Me,” a song that continues to resonate with its introspective themes of religion and personal spirituality. It was one of several moments where the band elevated beyond nostalgia and tapped into something deeper.
Of course, the biggest singalong moments were saved for the end. Closing with the massive one-two punch of “Far Behind” and “You,” Candlebox turned the Star Pavilion into a full-voice choir, with every lyric echoed back from a crowd that clearly hasn’t let go of these songs—and likely never will.
For a band that once flirted with calling it quits, Candlebox showed no signs of slowing down. Whether opening for larger acts or headlining their own shows like this one, they remain as reliable—and as electrifying—as ever. And if this performance in Kansas City proved anything, it’s that some bands don’t just survive time—they outlast it.
