Alkaline Trio at O2 Academy Bristol

Posted on: 2014-04-28

Our rating:

The sound quality was excellent and the band was on top form, punching out every song with a limitless amount of conviction and emotion, the only downside being a lack of communication between band and audience.


 

Friday night brought three-man punk rock band Alkaline Trio to the O2 Academy in Bristol for an energetic set

Alkaline Trio first formed in 1996 and have eventually shifted to the current line-up of Matt Skiba on lead guitar and vocals, Dan Andriano on bass and Derek Grant on drums. They have toured extensively in their time together and released 9 studio albums, becoming a popular favourite in the punk rock and pop-punk scene.

There were two support bands, one from Scotland and one from New York. The first, The Murderburgers, were a young band, signed to the very same record label that released Alkaline Trio’s debut album – Asian Man Records. They gave a strong and passionate performance, entertaining the audience in the typical pop-punk way over a short set of songs. This then gave way to Bayside, who have been touring for a while promoting their new album ‘Cult’. Similarly, the audience seemed engaged, some of whom already wearing their Bayside t-shirts proudly. It was a great start to the evening.

I first developed a love for Alkaline Trio at a very young age, becoming accustomed to their songs which seemed to be featured on every skating video game and punk cd sampler, although I had never been lucky enough to see them live before Friday night. I certainly was not disappointed however; many of the popular favourites were played alongside newer additions in a no-nonsense, back-to-back set. Each song blended swiftly into the next, meaning a grand total of 18 songs could be played. This excited an already frenzied audience, setting a sea of mohawked heads bobbing and prompting some rather loud singing. The songs played included Time to Waste, Private Eye, Cringe and I Wanna Be A Warhol), meaning that pretty much every era was covered in part. The sound quality was excellent and the band was on top form, punching out every song with a limitless amount of conviction and emotion, the only downside being a lack of communication between band and audience. Many punk bands especially like to keep it an open dialogue, sometimes telling funny stories or making quips – this was a little dry on that front, though nonetheless a brilliant gig.

An ever successful band with an array of excellent albums, it was exhilarating to be a part of the experience in Bristol. However, if you were unlucky enough to miss it, Alkaline Trio continue their tour with two more dates in England and many more across Europe.

3/5

Reviewed by Miri Teixeira for 365Bristol

Alkaline Trio in Bristol



Article by:

James Anderson

Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.