On Saturday March 30th Alkaline Trio played their final show of the Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs tour in Las Vegas, NV. For those who were there, you know that this was a night you won’t be forgetting for a long time. Alk3 brought with them two phenomenal opening acts that absolutely brought some heat on this cold and rainy day. The first opener was a band called Worriers. They’re an awesome group of great individuals bringing safe and cheerful vibes wrapped in beautifully catchy melodies and tied up in a nice bow made of deeply profound lyrics that address things like gender identity, introspection, love, loss, and heartache. I have enjoyed the ability that bands have had to begin to bridge the divide between individuals with conflicting ideologies. I don’t believe minds are changed in one sitting, but I do think that music can serve as the great mediator in times like these where we are divided now more than ever. Worriers put on a great set that brought good vibes and good times to the room. They got the crowd smiling and nodding their heads along with their indie style brand of punk rock.
The next band that came to the stage took things to a whole new level. Drug Church is a post-hardcore band from Albany, NY. This band brought the energy levels up to 11. Where Worriers brought the feels and the vibes, Drug Church brought the electricity. Within the first two songs crowd surfers were pouring over the barricades and between every song after that vocalist Patrick Kindlon encouraged even more of them to come forward. Drug Church was a punchy, in-your-face, free for all release of all the aggression and angst that has been built up inside us by the dystopian capitalist hellscape that is the world we live in. They played banger after banger giving the crowd the opportunity to release any and all frustrations to dissipate into the ether. Drug Church was the perfect mid-show act for this tour.
It is hard to believe that Alkaline Trio has been around for over 25 years now. Over the years this band has remained unequivocally unique and delightfully dark. They have amassed a cult following of dedicated fans from teenagers to boomers! There was people from all walks of life in the crowd that night singing along with Matt and Dan. Alkaline Trio opened their set with “Hot for Preacher” which is the opening track off their newest album Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs. Alkaline Trio has an amazing way of reaching deep into your soul and playing with the lugubrious clay that the makes up the deepest and darkest parts of our psyche. They plunged through an extensive set of songs that ranged from God Dammit to Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs. They played some of their most popular songs like “Mercy Me” and “Time to Waste” off their album Crimson, “Mr. chainsaw”, “Private Eye”, and “Take Lots With Alcohol” off From Here to Infirmary, and so much more!
This was the final date on the BHnE Tour but Alkaline Trio isn’t going anywhere so keep on the lookout for your out for one off shows and other dates in the near future. This band is one you don’t want to miss. Due to the nature of Alk3’s lyrics, combined with their proclivity for minor chord progressions, and Skiba’s affinity for writing mellisonant guitar riffs, it was difficult to avoid the cathartic release that came with screaming along with their songs live. This was a show I personally needed. These times aren’t easy and I feel like all of us are searching for some sort of emotional liberation. Alkaline Trio did a phenomenal job at allowing us to exorcise the demons of social convention and expectation that plague the human experience. They allowed us to – if only for a moment – taste the sweet serenity and bliss that comes with getting lost in the music and rocking the fuck out to your favorite song.
