When Rhino Records decided to put out a collection of Candlebox's hits (and a few near misses) in 2006, the Seattle group that blew up big in the early '90s had been inactive for six years.
"Kevin called to discuss it and I said, 'Why don't we tour in support of it," guitarist Peter Klett said, referring to muscular-voiced singer Kevin Martin during an interview prior to the band's triumphant performance Friday at the Downtown Street Fest.
The 8th annual Downtown Street Fest, which concludes tonight with performances by the Cult, Lacuna Coil, Over the Rainbow and Drive A.
What was different about the band — bassist Adam Kury, drummer Scott Mercado, touring guitarist Scott Hennessy, Martin and Klett? "After all that time, we did some growing up," Klett said matter-of-factly.
The reunion, now in its third year, has been more ups than downs. Klett said when the group first convened "we were in a room and played 'Arrow.' There were smiles all around."
But the three-month tour in support of "The Best of Candlebox" was "too long" and too much of a grind. And early attempts to start writing new material were less-than-fruitful. "We were uncomfortable trying to write after that first tour. It didn't work really well," the guitarist, 40, said.
But Martin and Klett, both of whom had worked on solo projects, had enough ideas and after the departure of bassist Bardi Martin and addition of Kury, things fell into place and last year's "Into the Sun," their first album in 10 years, finally saw the light of day.
"I think everybody realized what our place is and where we stood. We're comfortable with that," he said.
Now, he says, they have of a lot of ideas for a new album, which they'll start to work on by the end of this year, after they take a break from touring — the band now spaces out its shows every so many weeks — and after Klett gets married on Sept. 25.
Friday's performance was packed with hits, including "You," "Far Behind" and "Cover Me" among them, as Martin fed off the packed crowd's festive energy, noting the audience went all the way back to Main Street from their perch on the main stage at the corner of Sante Fe and San Antonio.
Sometimes groups get back together simply for the paycheck. Sometimes they do it for art. For Candlebox, it's obvious that those aren't the only matches that relit the flame. They've got some unfinished business. "I think it's a function of our age," Klett said.
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