Seminal Chicago emo ensemble Alkaline Trio has enjoyed a prosperous 17-year run that’s seen the band release eight studio albums—not counting B-sides compilations, splits and acoustic releases—and inspiring countless heart and skull tribute tattoos along the way. Many of the emblazoned jumped ship a decade ago when the band began to veer away from its distinct anthems of beer-soaked heartache poured into the timeless Goddamnit and Maybe I’ll Catch Fire. Any such exodus wasn’t evident at The Rave Saturday, though, as a sellout crowd was on hand to sing along as the veteran band traversed its lengthy and ever-changing catalog in 75 minutes of nostalgia.
After a solid showing by opener (and Epitaph labelmates) Off With Their Heads and a Bayside set that won over the few in attendance not already familiar with the experienced New York punk outfit, Alkaline Trio came out to a frenzied reception and launched into “She Lied To The FBI,” the opening track from their new My Shame Is True. After another indifferently received number from its two-month-old album, Matt Skiba—adorned entirely in black, save for an upside-down crucifix necklace—and company rewarded longtime fans with true-to-form renditions of “Hell Yes” and “Clavicle” in the early going.
Predictably, Trio touched on middling new single “I Wanna Be A Warhol” and a fair amount of selections from its latest album. However, most of the set was populated with songs from earlier efforts, ranging from beloved standards like “Cooking Wine,” “Armageddon” and “She Took Him To The Lake” all the way to the less expected likes of Good Mourning fillers “If We Never Go Inside” and “Blue Carolina.” During another Good Mourning song, “The Donner Party,” Skiba was drenched when a drink was thrown at him from the crowd. Unfazed, he kept smiling until song’s end before toweling off and cracking an Olde English 800 tallboy to both drink and use as a prop to introduce the jingle he’d written for the malt beverage.
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Between songs, Skiba and a rather svelte Dan Andriano kept things light by cracking jokes, referencing “Cheers” and informing the captivated crowd of their post-show plans to see Torche at Cactus Club—a promise Andriano kept. Following “This Could Be Love” from—what else?—Good Mourning, the band briefly departed, until drummer Derek Grant returned to play Led Zeppelin riffs on Skiba’s guitar until the axe’s owner came back on stage. Upon Skiba’s return, a flawless “Cringe” set the encore into motion.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Alkaline Trio show without the entire venue’s seemingly requisite singing of “Radio” to close out the night. While the song was predictable, two guys’ pathetic attempt at stage diving offered comic relief to the somber song. “That was the worst stage dive I’ve ever seen,” Skiba said between chuckles. “I can’t even think where the fuck [in the song] I am right now.” Still laughing, he stopped briefly, before wrapping up the song and an evening that fans of any Alkaline era could enjoy.
