Indianapolis, IN. – There’s not much I can say about Jerry Cantrell that hasn’t already been said – Founder, lead guitarist, co-lead singer, and primary songwriter for 90’s grunge powerhouse Alice In Chains. AIC along with a handful of other bands, changed the landscape of rock-n-roll in the late 80’s/early 90’s and took us from big hair and hot pants to flannels and Doc Martens. There was a new sound on the street and it was coming out of Seattle, WA. It was loud. It was raw. It was full of youth angst being expressed in a way we craved and didn’t even know we needed.
Currently out touring behind his third solo album, Brighten (out now via Double J Records), Jerry Cantrell, along with co-lead vocalist Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan), drummer Gil Sharone (Team Sleep) and guitarist Tyler Bates took the 21 and over SOLD OUT crowd on a 90 minute ride featuring tunes off the Brighten album along with AIC fan favorites including “Them Bones”, “Man in the Box”, and “Would?” just to name a few.
Amazing as Jerry’s set was, there were four girls based out of Seattle, WA that stole the show! Opening all dates on the Brighten Tour as the support act, Thunderpussy featuring Molly Sides (vocals), Whitney Petty (guitar), Leah Julius (bass) and Lindsey Elias (drums) took it old school with a sound reminiscent of 70’s arena rock! Petty has described their live shows as “Beyonce meets Led Zeppelin”; and that couldn’t be more fitting of a description. From the moment Molly takes the stage, you can’t keep your eyes off of her. She completely captivates you; bending and flowing around the stage all while belting out these rock anthems that compliment Petty’s hammering guitar licks along with the driving force of Julius and Elias’ rhythm. Did I mention Molly has a voice that sounds like Grace Slick when she was with Jefferson Airplane?
A quick glance around the room told you they had the crowd in their pocket. I could tell some were familiar with the band but most were experiencing Thunderpussy for the first time. You could see it on their faces. They were blown away! Speaking with people in the crowd between sets, the overall consensus was “Those girls F*&king ROCKED” or “Holy Crap! I had no idea but so glad I got here early. That was awesome!”
This was my third time capturing Thunderpussy and it’s been fun to watch the band grow and evolve since I first crossed paths with them in 2018. I had the opportunity to interview guitarist Whitney Petty back then and at that time, they were in a battle with the US Patent and Trademark Office who had been denying their request to trademark their name since 2015. After years of legality and a Supreme Court decision, the ladies were finally granted their trademark in 2020 and celebrated by teaming up with Future Primitive Brewing Co. out of Seattle to create “Thunderpussy IPA”. That same partnership just released “Firebreather IPA” for Thunderpussy’s new single, “Firebreather”.
THUNDERPUSSY: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
Thunderpussy and Jerry Cantrell are winding down the Brighten Tour this week; ending in Tacoma, WA. on April 1st. No future dates currently on the books for Jerry or Thunderpussy, but we hope to see them out on the road again soon. In the meantime, make sure to follow them on all socials to stay up-to-date with news and/or announcements concerning the bands.
Show Date: 3/21/2023
