By Erik Casarez// The theory of eternal recurrence hypothesizes that the universe and everything within it will persist to recur in a similar form over and over again for all eternity. In popular culture, it is sometimes simplified to the concept that “time is a flat circle.” Everything that has happened will continue to happen in a similar shape or form infinitely. This is what it feels like watching Alkaline Trio play live in 2024, but in the best way.
The band rolled through Stubbs on February 27 in support of their latest album, Blood, Hair and Eyeballs. Supported by melodic punk band Worriers and post-hardcore band Drug Church, Alkaline Trio straight-eighted their way through a discography that spans 10 studio albums. The venue was filled to the brim with an energetic crowd that sang along to every word of every song throughout the band’s hour-and-a-half set. Observing the crowd in real-time only emphasized the wide range of fans the band has accumulated through their three-decade tenure.
At one point during Drug Church’s set, lead singer Patrick Kindlon rejoiced in the diversity of the Stubbs’ crowd remarking how great it was to see 17-year-olds standing side-by-side with 50-year-olds all there for the same purpose. It’s a testament to Alkaline Trio’s sustainability throughout the 21st century. So many of their peers are regarded as legacy bands in 2024 – wherein the set would be driven primarily by nostalgia and the crowd would be anticipating 20-year-old songs to sing along to in between new material to stand up straight and cross their arms to. Of course, there is no problem with being a legacy band, however, the draw of Alkaline Trio extends beyond the albums that hit at their apex.
Drug Church
There is a kind of synergy in inviting bands on different sides of the punk spectrum to open up for a band that has reached legendary status in the punk scene, in that it’s all relative. The heart of Worriers’ sound is in the prowess of lead singer and guitarist Lauren Denitzio’s songwriting ability. It’s easy to liken them to if The Pretenders were an orgcore band. Drug Church on the other hand is a high octane, amps to 11, contemporization of 90s melodic hardcore. Yet, having these bands on the bill opening for Alkaline Trio still just makes so much sense.
Worriers
In the sea of pumped fists moving along to songs about growing up and giving in, there’s an array of Sharpie Xes, studded leather jackets, and scraggly beards connecting to newsboy hats.
They are in the middle of so many Venn diagrams, it’s no wonder the crowd played out like watching different stages of punk show attendees happening at the same time. Time is a flat circle and so is Alkaline Trio.
Alkaline Trio