Don’t ever go to an Emo Punk show with a broken heart. This is not based on any empirical evidence, just advice from my own experience with this show. Maybe I went to my first long-term romantic post-break-up show 15 years ago, but it was Slapshot and Sam Black Church, so different vibes that night. But take my word for it, it’ll wreck you if you do.
Allow me to backtrack. Earlier that day I was informed with the news that the status of my situationship changed, and it broke me apart inside. Although I played it cool for the sake of a good night out, I was kind of dead inside. All the devastation had not yet fully hit me, that would happen in later days to come as I replayed things a million times in my head, and cried a lot. Sheesh. But enough about my trauma dump, onto the show!
The Masonic is an incredible venue I have been fortunate enough to go to a few times since becoming a San Francisco resident. The all-white marble lobby and entryway make it feel like going into a museum or a historical landmark, which it is, in a way. With a vast bar and a huge balcony in floor it is a great place to see a show with excellent sight lines and pretty decent sound, although tonight, it was a mixed bag depending on the band. We were well into the tour by this time with just a few dates left, so I figured by now they would have this down pat in terms of the mix from venue to venue, and band to band. I’m a bit of an audio snob live and on record, so maybe others didn’t mind. The Masonic also has one of the biggest stages in the Bay Area that’s not an outdoor venue so you really can pack a lot of kids in for these shows. It’s smaller than The Bill Graham Auditorium downtown (8500), but holds nearly 3,500 fans each show.
Up first tonight was The Worriers, who I have now seen three times in the last 6 months. They put two excellent records out last year: Warm Blanket and Trust Your Gut, both on Earnest Jenning Record Company, and the band always plays a great mix of Punk Rock, Indie Folk, and Alternative Rock. The brain-child of Lauren Denitzio, and while originally a solo project, they now have a full-fledged band backing them. Coincidentally, the six degrees of separation in mind – Atom Willard, now playing drums for Alkaline Trio, and formally with it Against Me!, was on The Worriers’ debut album and some other recordings, and Laura Jane Grace produced their excellent debut Imaginary Life (Don Giovanni Records).
Now that I’m fully acquainted with The Worriers’ back catalog, they were even better than the previous two times, even though seeing them at 924 Gilman Street, and with Grumpster at Thee Parkside ruled. Armed with a terrific voice, amazing hooks, and a vulnerable honesty lyric-wise, Laura led the charge through a set that included fan favorites “Future Me,” “I’m Not Mad,” “Hold My Breath,” “They / Them / Theirs,” the title track from there new album Trust Your Gut, and “Top Five.” The video for the title track song is a reference to Empire Records – a great movie, in case you missed Rex Manning Day on April 8th. “Top 5” is also a reference to High Fidelity, which you should not watch on a loop like I have, if you are lovelorn. It was a great opening set and I’m looking forward to possibly catching the band on tour with Laura Jane Grace this spring.
Drug Church f****** rules. That’s it. The end.
Seriously though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a harder working, heavier, better music-making band that came out of the Hardcore scene since 2010 than this band. From upstate New York, and rich in Punk and post-Hardcore history, a Drug Church show is like a can of Redbull for your soul. I needed this music to wake me up out of my funk too. Non-stop action from start to finish, they definitely had their own fans in the room tonight, and that’s really saying something with the rabid following of the headliner. In between songs, frontman Patrick Kindlin hyped up the crowd, no different than he used to back when I saw him with Self-Defense Family back in the day. Drug Church has been kicking it hard since they signed with Pure Noise Records five or six years ago, and their current album Hygiene is all bangers. If The Worriers are heavy emotionally and introspective, Drug Church is the opposite with their frenetic riffs and an over-the-top sick performance. They had the most moshers of the night, and I was scared some poor emo kid was going to get spin-kicked in the face in the pit. Highlights of their 13-song set included “Grubby,” “Avoidarama,” “Bliss Out,” “Fun’s Over,” “Unlicensed Hall Monitor,” “Athlete On Bench,” and the closer, “Weed Pin”.
Honestly, with the state of my mind and my heart in this show, I should not have been in the room to hear these Alkaline Trio songs full of angst, despair, hope, loss, and self-flagellating lyrics that they are known for. It was like salt in the wound for an hour and a half. But they have a lot of uplifting tracks couched inside that darkness too. It wasn’t quite a sellout, but it was a pretty full room, especially the floor with a sea of black (and red) shirts.
Having only seen the band once before, at Warped Tour years ago in 2010 (I was there for The Dillinger Escape Plan), I was excited for tonight, especially on the strength of their new album Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs, out now via Epitaph Records. The lights went down and an audible dinosaur scream came from the crowd! I think I know who it was. Anyways, the band had not played here in a while and it was clear that it was an electricity in the air. Skiba was at one-time a local resident, living just blocks away from the venue, which he said early on, he loved the city and people.
There are a lot of power trios in rock and punk, but very few as accomplished, musical, and professional as Alkaline Trio. Opening with their more recent single “Hot For Preacher” off of the new album, the crowd lit up with a lot of movement and some loud singing, which was impressive. Seemed like a good mix of first-time fans and longtime stans all around me, but basically, everybody was united in their camaraderie: screaming along the entire show. Having done many Misfits covers back in the day, this band’s “whoah whoah whoahs” are totally on point. I love Dan Andriano’s tasteful, muscular bass playing and his dynamic backing vocals. He takes the lead at times too. Immediately noticeable over the din of guitar and bass and screaming fans, was the incredible drumming of Willard (Against Me!, Plosives, Rocket From The Crypt, 100s of other bands) again, who is just an absolute beast live. One of the top 10 drummers in Punk, maybe ever. Continuing to keep the energy high, tracks like “The Next Blade,” “We’ve Had Enough,” and “Take Lots With Alcohol” were both face-melters.
The band crafted a perfect setlist of their songs; balanced between angsty anthems and brokenhearted, wistful songs with lists of regrets. Skiba’s connection with the crowd and his delivery was straight into the psyche of people and their emotional debts. A gifted storyteller, he can sum up the entire spectrum of being anxious and depressed with just a few spare, but impactful words.
The top moment of the set for me was hearing my favorite song by the band – “Calling All Skeletons” which, made me cry my eyes out. There were several others nearby who also had streaks down their cheeks. It was weird knowing the person this song reminds you of, is also in the crowd probably also screaming the words “Where did you go, as the lights went black? Look what’s become of me… I’ve grown to love your disappearing acts. Do one more, pretty please.” On one hand, this was very cathartic, and on the other hand, it was torture. I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is my life, I guess.
With a very long set list that included other top-tier tracks like “Break,” “F*** You Aurora” “Warbrain,” “Crawl,” the title track of their new album, “Private Eye,” “Time To Waste,” and the encore of “Radio” at the entire room on fire. When the band stops in the final chorus of radio and the crowd just sings the one line by themselves – “I’ve got a big fat bone f****** bone to pick with you my darling!” it’s pretty damn magical. And depressing. And angry. And awesome. You’d be hard-pressed to find another band that’s 25-years old and then some still banging it out on long tours, taking out great openers, with this many great songs, and with such a diehard following.
So, am I still saying don’t go to an Emo Punk show with a broken heart? Yeah. It was a 10 of 10 show (if I graded them like albums), but 10 of 10 don’t recommend the other part of this experience.
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WORDS BY KEEFY