Chicago’s Own, Alkaline Trio, Made Triumphant Return With Sold Out Show At Aragon Ballroom

Mar 20, 2024 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

By Christopher David

Chicago’s own Alkaline Trio made a triumphant hometown appearance at the sold-out Aragon Ballroom on Saturday, adding a new and exciting chapter to the band’s history as one of the city’s best power-pop/punk acts.

Guitarist/vocalist Matt Skiba, bassist/vocalist Dan Andriano, and drummer Atom Willard took the stage in matching suits to “Hot for Preacher” from new album Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs, and while the band delved nicely into the new material, the setlist was a strong balance of classics as well.

“Who here was at the Fireside Bowl shows?” Skiba asked at one point, and a good portion of the Aragon’s floor went wild. “This is for you, then.” The band launched into an inspired singalong of “Cringe” from the band’s 1998 debut Goddamnit. “Armageddon” and “Fuck You Aurora” saw similar singalongs from the crowd, and new tunes like title track “Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs” fit in perfectly with the rest of the band’s oeuvre. And while Alkaline are known to history as primarily a punk band, their sound has evolved into something more akin to locals Smoking Popes and even Cheap Trick at times, with undeniable hooks centered in no-bullshit rock arrangements versus the crunchier punk of their early days, and Skiba’s recent turn as a member of Blink-182 seems to have only heightened his songwriting sensibilities, though a return by the end of the setlist to early tracks “Stupid Kid” and “Private Eye” helped showcase the timeless nature of Alkaline’s output.