Any doubts about the “the end” of rock music were put to rest Tuesday night at the Fillmore Silver Spring, when Mammoth made a stop on their current tour, in support of the band’s latest album, The End, released in October. This third album finds Mammoth, minus “WVH” from the name, continuing to evolve. There is no question that Wolfgang Van Halen is making his own mark on music.
In tow on The End tour is Los Angeles-based Return to Dust. Getting the rock and roll party started early, Return to Dust (Matty Bielawski, Sebastian Gonzalez, London Hudson, and Graham Stanush) hit the still-assembling crowd with a blazing 25-minute set. Return to Dust is a very young band; the kickoff song was “Black Road,” the title track from their debut EP, released only in 2023. After releasing their only LP (so far), Return to Dust, in 2024, their second EP, “Speak Like the Dead,” was released in August.
The band’s sound is a throwback to ’90s rock—think Soundgarden and Alice in Chains—and provided a solid complement to the rest of the lineup. This band has a bright future and, like Mammoth, Return to Dust carries with them a relative of rock royalty. Drummer Hudson is the son of guitar legend Slash.
I made a comment to another photographer Tuesday night that the last time I covered Mammoth, they were supporting Alter Bridge (back in 2023). On this tour, Alter Bridge frontman and all-around rock god Myles Kennedy was supporting Mammoth, comfortably occupying the middle spot on the night’s bill.
Probably best known as the lead singer in Alter Bridge and collaborator with Slash and the rest of his Conspirators, Kennedy has also produced a robust solo catalog. He’s been on the road this year to promote his latest solo album, The Art of Letting Go. Back in January, I covered his headlining gig in Baltimore for The Vinyl District. Back then, I wrote that solo Myles is my favorite Myles. Sure, both Alter Bridge and Slash kick ass, but solo performances allow Kennedy’s easy-going, rock god-next-door charm to take the spotlight fully. On Tuesday night, it did just that.
He doesn’t need a lot of flash, either. With a minimal stage setup and armed with an array of guitars, Kennedy’s only company onstage was bassist/manager Tim Tournier and drummer/old pal Zia Uddin. Both are familiar faces to longtime fans.
Kennedy’s setlist had six tracks from The Art of Letting Go, including the title track and fantastic performances of “Nothing More to Gain” and “Say What You Will.” Shoehorned in there were just a couple from 2021’s The Ides of March, “Get Along” and “In Stride.”
The entire performance showed off his golden voice and musical prowess. It’s true that I’m an unabashed Kennedy fangirl, but it is also true that Myles Kennedy is among the best artists the rock music world has to offer. As a side note, Alter Bridge is set to release their eighth studio album in early January 2026. Yippee!
By the time 8:45 rolled around, the Fillmore crowd was ready for Mammoth. Taking the stage, Wolfgang Van Halen and his band (Ronnie Ficaro, Jon Jourdan, Frank Sidoris, and Garrett Whitlock) wasted no time getting down to business, diving right into “One of a Kind” from The End. In 2025, Mammoth now has three albums; the setlist pulls from all of them.
The emotional peak came later in the set, with “Distance.” Van Halen performed the very personal track on a darkened stage against the backdrop of old home videos from his childhood. The emotion of the song, coupled with the tender images of his legendary father (who passed away five years ago), made for an extremely moving moment. After the main, 15-song set, the band returned for a brief encore, which included “Don’t Back Down” and, of course, “The End.”
I’ve covered Mammoth a few times for The Vinyl District; it’s been a great pleasure to see the band evolve and get even stronger. It’s worth noting that Van Halen sings and plays all instruments on Mammoth’s albums. That’s mindblowing. But the touring band he’s assembled, in 2025, sounds tight and has great chemistry—performing live, they sound like an organic manifestation of Van Halen’s vision. In other words, this is a group of experienced and talented musicians led by a gifted artist who is at home as a frontman. There is no doubt that Mammoth is a band with more success in its future.
Mammoth’s The End 2025 US Tour, featuring special guests Myles Kennedy and Return to Dust, continues for another month, wrapping up on Sunday, December 7, in Anaheim, California.
MYLES KENNEDY
RETURN TO DUST
