Alkaline Trio – Rock City, Nottingham – 17/04/14 |Live Review

Credit: Chloe Ingram

Scottish pop-punkers The Murderburgers take to the stage and never relent until they leave it. They band play almost as fast as they speak and within their short sweet set all their limbs are a blur. Back at the root of pop punk The Murderburgers were insane and refreshing and were certainly not what the crowd was expecting. Yet main support Bayside have always stayed in this reliable spot for old favourites we love and new tracks that get crowds moving and tonight was no different. Bayside give it all they have got but they always remain in this consistent bracket in recordings but kill it live.

The band take on this whole new depth driving people wild at the front. Newer tracks like ‘Stuttering‘ cause a frenzy live with rampant guitars racking up movements that wave back into a less engaged crowd. Bayside close with old favourite ‘Devotion And Desire’ and the front of the crowd throw back every word, the band reviving tracks live like you wouldn’t believe.

We have been dying for a UK tour since the release of ‘My Shame Is True’ last April and we finally got it. Instantly the room was conducted into ‘This Could Be Love’ as Alkaline Trio took to the stage arms reaching out in singalong with ‘Step One’ before old favourite ‘Hell Yes’ ‘Whispering Sweet Nothings‘ resounding through Rock City’s main rom. You’d assume before this tour that the set would be rammed full of ‘My Shame Is True’ tracks but Alkaline Trio had an eclectic set in mind. The first taste of the latest album comes through ‘She Lied To The FBI’as Matt Skiba’s vocals are on top form, every word hitting with Derek Grant’s drums.

Credit: Chloe Ingram

The beautiful balance we love between Andriano and Skiba’s vocals comes through as ‘She Lied To The FBI’ is followed by ‘Every Thug Needs A Lady’ the crowd are slightly still but to listen, appreciate and enjoy, lips following every word that left Andriano’s mouth. Old favourites like ‘cringe‘ find themselves next to new loves like ‘I Wanna Be A Warhol’ the mix of tracks giving it all to fans new and old, something we did not expect as after ‘I’m Only Here To Disapoint‘ the band head into ‘Jaked On Green Beers‘ and ‘Sadie‘. Alkaline Trio have been making incredible albums since 1996 and are continuing to do so. The band push through their epic set list in such a short space of time there is barely time to speak or breathe. The music drives everything, that is how amazing Trio still after all these years.

The continuous singalong ramps up as ‘Time To Waste’ lights up the room and ‘Young Lovers’ cranks up the crowd into an uprawr for ‘Stupid Kid’ the room raw in echos, desperate to sing back in every sensibility Trio give. ‘Warbrain’ signing off in loving winding riffs Skiba’s vocals resounding in every pattern of the track. As Alkaline Trio left the stage bouts of ‘TRIO TRIO TRIO’ sparked until they picked up their instruments again for ‘Private Eye’ the Chicago punks giving everything in perfect clarity, remaining CD tight with all the guts and tenacity that drove the crowd wild.

As the opening chords to the anthemic ‘Radio’ struck in it was clear this would be a crowd closer.  To have crowds sing full songs back to you all over the world must be an incredible feeling but to witness it too is amazing. As the crowd call back with the iconic chorus it is enough make you want to see Alkaline Trio countless times but something you could never capture with words.

Review by: Amber Carniege
Photos by: Chloe Ingram