On a sunny Monday I set off up the M8 to Glasgow around 11a, – yes, that’s right 11am- for the evening’s gig. If I’m setting off that early, it can only mean one thing – Alter Bridge are in town!

The traffic was kind to me and I reached the science centre car park without incident then complete the last leg of the journey on foot.

The reason for my uber early arrival at the venue was simple. I was doing the VIP Meet and Greet and check in time was 1.20pm.

What happens at the Meet and Greet stays at the Meet and Greet. Sorry.

By around 3.30pm we were all back outside trying to determine which security box to queue at. The order people queue in at this point in proceedings is important – trust me.  We sorted ourselves out as security were adamant that we could queue at any of them. Organised chaos.

The VIP package gets you early entry to the arena so fifteen minutes before the masses descended, we were allowed inside and were able to secure our rail spots for the evening. I got a spot just off centre where I had hoped to be. Happy days!

There were two support bands on the bill and I was really looking forward to seeing the first of the two- Sevendust! It had been over ten years since Sevendust last graced a Glasgow stage.

At 6.55pm, Sevendust stepped out on stage to huge warm cheers from the crowd. With only half an hour or so at their disposal, Sevendust did not disappoint. Frontman Lajon Witherspoon did an amazing job of warming the fans up ready for the headliners.

Sevendust squeezed seven songs into their allotted time, opening with the mighty Black. They followed this with Denial. Mid-set, they blew the fans away with Enemy.

Enemy – Sevendust @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

For their last two songs, Lajon welcomed a third guitarist out to keep John Connolly and Clint Lowery company. Every Alter Bridge fan in the room was delighted to see Tim Tournier join the boys from Atlanta for Crucified and their final song Face to Face.

Face to Face – Sevendust @OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

Awesome start to the night. Half an hour just wasn’t enough.

Daughtry were the second band on stage. I’d given them a listen a few days before and for me they jury was still out on them. At 7.45pm, Daughtry took to the stage for their hour-long slot and opened their twelve-song set with Divided. I’ll be honest – I almost adopted my Thumper Principle here but I decided to give them a fair hearing. Perhaps they are an acquired taste… but after a few songs it was all starting to sound very “samey”. The exception to this was Home which Chris Daughtry performed solo on stage.

Home – Daughtry @OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

This was the first time I can recall seeing a support band play an encore!

Sorry to any Daughtry fans reading this but they left me cold. They could also do with leaving the ego in the dressing room and remember that their place on the bill was support and not headline.

The energy in the room took an audible dip during that hour. I and many others around me would have much preferred half an hour of Daughtry and an hour of Sevendust…. just saying.

By 9.15pm there was an air of anticipation as the lights dimmed and Alter Bridge’s intro music played in the darkness before the band were greeted with rapturous cheers. Alter Bridge opened their ninety-minute set with Silent Divide from their current self-titled album and set the bar high from the off.

Silent Divide – set opener – Alter Bridge @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

Two firm fan favourites followed much to the delight of the crowd – the colossal Addicted to Pain and the awesome Cry of Achilles, both from 2013’s Fortress era.

All four members of the band had brought their A-game to Scotland. It was great to see all four of them looking relaxed up on stage. There’s a unique chemistry among them that the fans feed from. Love it! (Yes, I admit I am biased)

Playing Aces from the current album sounded as great live as I had hoped it would.

Playing Aces – Alter Bridge @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

With an extensive back catalogue (eight studio albums to date) picking a set list that pleases every fan is a nigh on impossible job.

Having had a little insight at soundcheck earlier in the day, I knew we were going to be treated to another magnificent song from Fortress- the title track itself. Spellbindingly good!

The it was Mark Tremonti’s turn to take over the vocal chores for the stunning Burn It Down.

Burn It Down – Alter Bridge @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

Alter Bridge then mixed the set up and possibly confused a few of the band’s fans. Next up was open Your Eyes that more usually rounds out the main set but panic not- Myles and the boys were only mid-set.

Tested And Able, the last song from the current album to make the set, followed. Myles and Mark have added a quirky little intro to this for the live shows before the song powers into the face melting banger that it is. Great to see both Myles and Mark sharing the vocals on this one.

Tested and Able – OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

It wouldn’t be an Alter Bridge show without an acoustic song. Standing in a ray of white light to match his tee, Myles charmed everyone in the room with the beautifully poignant Watch Over You. Such an emotional song.

Energy levels were swiftly cranked back up to 11 with the next song on the list – the mighty anthemic Silver Tongue from 2022’s Pawns & Kings album.

Time was no longer the fans’ friend. This show was flying by far too fast.

Rise Today was followed by one of Alter Bridge’s most iconic songs, Metalingus, that Scott Phillips, caged in Perspex for this tour, recently showcased on Drumeo. Fitting then that it began with a short drum solo. In recent years, Alter Bridge have introduced the “Metalingus Mosh” where at the appropriate moment in the song Myles signals to the fans to crouch down. En masse, Glasgow did as they were told almost to the back of the room. Oh, Myles! Did you need to hold us down for so long? My knees have almost forgiven you LOL. Towards the end of the song, Mark snapped a string. Guitarless centre stage, Myles vocally improvised a guitar part from some unknown song. Hilarious. It’s little moments of musical mayhem like that that make the night.

After a brief sojourn off stage, Alter Bridge returned to the stage for a two-song encore. One song had been noticeably absent from the main set but fans were not to be disappointed by its absence. Alter Bridge opened their two-song encore with the stunning Blackbird. Goosebumps and a few tears every time with this incredible song.

Blackbird – Alter Bridge @ OVO Hydro Glasgow 02/03/26

The honour of being the final song of the night fell to the powerful Isolation. What a way to end an awesome night.

Til next time, guys.