{"id":284259,"date":"2025-10-07T15:43:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/284259\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T15:43:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:43:11","slug":"candleboxs-kevin-martin-says-he-feels-at-home-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/284259\/","title":{"rendered":"Candlebox’s Kevin Martin Says He Feels at Home in Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"

The life of a rockstar is often painted in broad, romantic strokes: sold-out arenas, a blur of cities and the ceaseless roar of the crowd. But for Kevin Martin, the voice and soul of Candlebox, the picture is far more intricate, shaded with moments of profound reflection, deep-seated gratitude and an unwavering connection to the places that shaped him.<\/p>\n

Fresh off a stage in Seattle<\/a>, where his band opened for the legendary rock gods The Who \u2014 a surreal experience he describes as something \u201cto pin on your refrigerator\u201d \u2014 Martin is already looking toward a different kind of homecoming: a return to Texas.<\/p>\n

Candlebox is set to play at Dallas\u2019 Community Beer Co.<\/a>, bringing their iconic sound back to a state that holds a significant piece of Martin\u2019s history. This isn\u2019t just another stop on a tour; it\u2019s a pilgrimage. And for Martin, it\u2019s an opportunity to give back to the community that fostered his artistic spirit long before the world knew his name.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still feel at home when I\u2019m there,\u201d Martin says. \u201cIt\u2019s the strangest thing. Every time I get into Austin, San Antonio, Houston or Dallas, there are so many fond memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those memories run deep. Before Seattle, before the multi-platinum albums and global tours, there was a kid in San Antonio finding his place.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always kind of felt like an outsider when I was growing up, and that punk rock community really made me feel very welcome,\u201d he recalls. He speaks of venues like the VFW Hall, San Antonio\u2019s The Bone Club and Austin\u2019s legendary Liberty Lunch with a reverence usually reserved for hallowed ground. It was in these spaces, watching bands like the Dead Kennedys, Flipper and the Butthole Surfers<\/a>, that the foundation of the artist he would become was laid.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to see bands like that as a young man, I think really shaped who I became as a musician and an artist,\u201d Martin explains. \u201cThat has a lot to do with that environment that I grew up in Texas, the friends that I still have from San Antonio who I\u2019m still very, very close to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BandKevin Martin of Candlebox shares the stage with Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, a moment that underscores the camaraderie and shared history of the grunge era.<\/p>\n

This punk rock ethos \u2014 a fierce belief in individuality and a defiant compassion \u2014 has remained a guiding principle in his life. \u201cThe way I look at life is very much, you know, I don\u2019t believe in treating people poorly. And I think that everybody has an opportunity to be who they want to be and in any way, shape or form.\u201d It\u2019s a philosophy that has not only influenced his music but also ignited a passion for philanthropy.<\/p>\n

The upcoming shows in Dallas and Buda are benefit events. The proceeds will support a charity close to Martin\u2019s heart, focused on providing resources and aid for at-risk youths and young adults in the foster care system through the Riptide Society<\/a>. This isn\u2019t a token gesture, but rather a mission born from a genuine desire to make a difference in a place that gave him so much.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels right to me,\u201d Martin says about his charity work. \u201cIt\u2019s something that I want to do forever. I know that there\u2019s a real need for a charity like this to raise money for these kids. \u2026 This is a really, really hard life. And I\u2019ve been very lucky to be able to take time out of my schedule, whether it\u2019s busy or not, just to give back to a community that gave me so much as a human being.\u201d<\/p>\n

The journey of Candlebox itself is a tale of two distinct eras. The first was a meteoric rise in the 1990s, an explosion of post-grunge success that saw their self-titled debut album go platinum four times over. They toured with titans like Rush and Metallica, cementing their place in rock history with hits like \u201cFar Behind\u201d and \u201cYou.\u201d Reflecting on that time, Martin sounds like a man who won the lottery and still can\u2019t quite believe his luck.<\/p>\n

\u201cGod, am I a lucky son of a bitch to have been able to do this back when it was a little bit easier,\u201d he muses. \u201cThe opportunities when we were 22, 23 years old that were given to us, I don\u2019t think that we would get those now. \u2026 We\u2019re one of those bands that just had so many stars align.\u201d<\/p>\n

He speaks candidly about the self-doubt that can creep in. \u201cObviously, there\u2019s the feeling of \u2018we don\u2019t belong, do we belong?’\u201d It\u2019s a vulnerable admission from a man who has commanded stages for over three decades.<\/p>\n

But he ultimately lands on a place of humble acceptance. \u201cIf you find your direction in this and you\u2019re lucky enough to play your music for people that want to listen to it, that\u2019s the best you can do sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a hiatus, the band\u2019s second era began in 2008, bringing them back to a vastly different music industry landscape. Yet, they survived. More than that, they thrived, continuing to release music such as Into the Sun, Love Stories & Other Musings, Disappearing in Airports, Wolves and The Long Goodbye. They toured for a loyal fan base.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m most proud of the band,\u201d Martin says without hesitation. \u201cI think that the band has survived some pretty tumultuous situations.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the past few years, Martin has been trying to retire. He talks about standing on stage, thinking he was singing these songs for the last time and the strange feeling of questioning a decision \u2014 something he\u2019s never done with his music. \u201cI\u2019ve always just said, \u2018let\u2019s do this, let\u2019s do that,’\u201d he reflects. \u201cI\u2019ve just never thought that I would get to a point where I was going to hang it up. And that was a weird thing for me to just question myself \u2026 and I still don\u2019t have the answer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sun may be setting on one phase of his life, but it\u2019s rising on others. The Dallas show at Community Beer Co. promises to be a special night, not just for the music but for the reunion of the band and the place. Fans can expect the return of original lead guitarist Peter Klett, whose \u201cmagic fingers,\u201d as Martin calls them, have been missed.<\/p>\n

When asked for a message to his Dallas fans, especially those who have been there since the beginning, Martin\u2019s answer is simple and direct: \u201cJust thanks so much for this opportunity, letting us do this for 32 years. It\u2019s been an absolute pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Candlebox with special guests Madam Radar and The Loud Brothers will perform on Friday, Oct. 17, at Community Beer Co., 3110 Commonwealth Drive Tickets are available for $42.99 on Prekindle.com<\/a>, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Riptide Society\u2019s mission: lifting individuals out of the riptides they\u2019re caught in \u2014 whether it\u2019s trauma, hardship, or instability \u2014 and helping them find a healthier, more hopeful path forward.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The life of a rockstar is often painted in broad, romantic strokes: sold-out arenas, a blur of cities…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":284260,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5135],"tags":[5229,7738,132130,1596,1149,4185,358,132131,3187,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-284259","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-dallas","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-beer","10":"tag-concert-previews","11":"tag-dallas","12":"tag-interviews","13":"tag-rock-music","14":"tag-texas","15":"tag-touring-artists","16":"tag-tx","17":"tag-united-states","18":"tag-united-states-of-america","19":"tag-unitedstates","20":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","21":"tag-us","22":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115333655067699249","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284259\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/284260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}