At regular two‑year intervals, BLACK STONE CHERRY cross the Atlantic to rock Europe’s stages. This year, 10 YEARS joined them as support. For the opening night of the tour, the four gentlemen from Kentucky honored the venerable LKA Longhorn in Stuttgart with their presence.

10 YEARS—the quintet from Tennessee—had the task of opening the evening with their blend of alternative metal and post‑grunge. Their last full‑length release dates back to 2022: ‘Deconstructed’. The five guys gave it everything they had, but the spark didn’t quite catch. The crowd reacted rather mixed; this opener wasn’t to everyone’s taste. The somewhat uninspired and unimaginative light show may not have helped either.

Right at 9:00 p.m., Chris, Ben, Fred, and Steve stepped onto the LKA stage. The band was clearly eager to play and bursting with energy. The audience was immediately on board and followed them wholeheartedly. Ben—always an unstoppable bundle of energy—jumped, stomped, and dashed across the entire width of the stage, constantly switching sides with bassist Steve Jewell. Chris Robertson’s voice is even more impressive live than on record. The setlist spanned the band’s entire musical catalog. Classics like ‘Me and Mary Jane’, ‘Blame It On The Boom Boom’, and ‘White Trash Millionaire’ were just as present as material from their latest EP ‘Celebrate’. No fan was left disappointed, and the crowd sang their hearts out—especially during ‘Things My Father Said’, arguably the emotional peak of every BLACK STONE CHERRY show.

With the sole encore, ‘Peace Is Free’, the concert ended after exactly 90 minutes—far too soon. Every fan is already looking forward to the next gig; it was simply outstanding. BLACK STONE CHERRY are masters of southern blues rock, without any doubt.