CANDLEBOX To Release New Acoustic Live Album Featuring Original Members

CANDLEBOX will release a new, live acoustic album, titled "Live At The Neptune", on June 23 via Pavement Entertainment. It will be available on all streaming platforms, as well as on vinyl and CD.

Featuring all four original CANDLEBOX members — Kevin Martin, Peter Klett, Bardi Martin and Scott Mercado — "Live At The Neptune" was recorded at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle, Washington on November 5, 2021, when the lineup reunited for one night only to celebrate the 26th anniversary of their iconic album "Lucy". The setlist features hit songs from the band’s self-titled debut as well as their sophomore release "Lucy".

Lead singer Kevin Martin says: "That was such an amazing night for us to share with our fans. We're so stoked with how great this recording turned out. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as we do!"

Guitarist Peter Klett adds: "I love that we were able to capture such a vibe. It feels as though you're there with the band."

The track listing is as follows:

Side A

01. Cover Me
02. Blinders
03. He Calls Home
04. Change

Side B

01. Blossom
02. Sometimes
03. You
04. Far Behind

Fans can also pre-order "Live At The Neptune" on CD. This format has two bonus songs that are not included on the vinyl: "A Stone's Throw Away" and "It's Alright".

Last month, CANDLEBOX announced details of its 30th-anniversary celebration and farewell tour. "The Long Goodbye Tour 2023", which kicks off June 10 and runs through September 23, will feature a career retrospective of the band's extensive eight studio album catalogue.

The farewell tour dates, alongside CANDLEBOX's support dates with 3 DOORS DOWN on their "Away From The Sun Anniversary Tour", will hit amphitheaters in major markets across the U.S. CANDLEBOX will also perform with legendary LYNYRD SKYNYRD on Friday, May 5 at Frank Brown Park in Panama City, Florida.

To celebrate, CANDLEBOX will offer VIP meet-and-greet packages at each 3 DOORS DOWN date, including a ticket, early entry, photo with the band, and merchandise.

In addition to CANDLEBOX's extensive tour schedule this year, the band is working on its final studio album with producer Don Miggs. It will be released later this year by Round Hill Records. Additionally, a feature-length documentary, "Far Behind: The Candlebox Story", is in the works for the group. Executive produced by Guy Oseary and Amy Decker and co-produced by Warner Music Entertainment (WME),the television and film division of Warner Music Group, and Highway West Entertainment, the film will explore the beginnings of what the world would come to know as the grunge scene, following CANDLEBOX on their rise to fame.

CANDLEBOX first formed in 1991 and helped lay the groundwork for the grunge genre, alongside notable bands such as PEARL JAM, SOUNDGARDEN, NIRVANA, and others.

CANDLEBOX has sold over seven million albums worldwide, scoring the megahits "Far Behind" and "You", which have garnered over 100 million streams, decades after their initial release. The band's latest album, "Wolves", had been in the top 10 on two Billboard charts (Hard Music Albums and Alternative Albums).

Last May, Martin announced plans to retire after the 30th anniversary of the release of the band's debut album in 2023. "I am retiring after next summer — yes, I am retiring," the CANDLEBOX frontman told the 94.3 The Shark radio station.

Noting that CANDLEBOX would celebrate its 31st birthday in October 2022, Martin said: "I don't know if I would have ever thought that CANDLEBOX would be around this long. I wanted it, of course; I think every kid wants to have that opportunity and a career that lasts decades, and I'm very grateful that it has. But there comes a time where my responsibilities as a husband and a father supersede my responsibilities to the music that I make. And that's kind of where I'm at. I enjoy it, but it's not the love of my life anymore. And that's, I think, when you as an artist you kind of have to recognize that and step away from it. And if it means that five years after that I decide that I wanna go out and do some shows, I'll do it; if two years after that I decide I'm going to do some shows… But I won't be doing the full-band tours for two, three, four months. I don't wanna do that. It's really, really hard. And I miss my family. And physically, it's very taxing. The way I sing, it's acrobatic, so it's not something that I wanna be performing and not have my voice work. So I'd rather go out on top, I think, is the term."

Although Martin plans on retiring from the road, he hasn't closed the door on making more music.

"I know that I've got another record I have to do," he told the 94.3 The Shark. "And people are saying, 'Well, if you do another record, you've gotta tour on it.' Well, that's not necessarily true. I would certainly want to and have people hear it, but I think that the case is that it's probably best for me to just accept that the mindset that I'm in and what I've decided for myself is what I need to do. As much as I may wanna keep singing and doing this and putting myself in the music the way I do, I have to recognize that I'm not in love with it the way I [once] was."

Kevin went on to say that "a lot of people" are telling him that he can't retire. "And a lot of those people are my bandmembers and my management," he revealed. "They're, like, 'You can't retire. People love you, and they love your music.' But like I said, man, I have got to put myself first emotionally in everything I do. And that's kind of where I'm at. I don't want to stop singing a song like 'Sometimes' that means the world to me, or 'It's Alright' or 'Far Behind' or 'You', because I love them, but I just know that it's the decision I have to make."