Review Tue Mar 02 2010

Review: Alkaline Trio & Cursive @ Metro 2/28/10

By Andy Keil

Emerging from behind the curtains with, "Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand," Cursive began warming the crowd, a feat the Dear and Departed failed to accomplish. Vocalist Tim Kasher veered from a whispered murmur to anguished yowl on key tracks like "Art is Hard" and "The Casualty." Adding a single horn player on top of guitar, bass, and drums adds some live presence but still doesn't make up for the loss of a cellist or all the instruments that are used on the records. After "From the Hips," the fans settled in until Kasher unleashed that signature once again for their set closer, "I Couldn't Love You."

As Alkaline Trio's famed heart skull emblem was unveiled, the crowd cheered and a fan remarked, "That's going to be on my body forever!" Shortly after, Matt Skiba, the master of disguise, strode on stage in a newsboy hat and black-framed glasses while beaming over the crowd. Night two of Trio's weekend stint at the Metro began with "This Addiction," a shameless plug for its new record of the same title, which was released on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

After the second This Addiction track, "Dine, Dine My Darling," the opening chords of "We've Had Enough" brought the crowd to a boil, followed by shouts of "Turn that fucking radio off!" Nearly the entire crowd shouted along with Skiba's every word.
Skiba ditched his hat and glasses insinuating, "we're just getting started," and took a quick breath before blazing through "Mr. Chainsaw," prompting a crowd push toward the stage.

A mainstay of Trio's live show is its ability to interweave new and classic material, meeting the yesteryear demands of fans. Trio pulled songs from every album, except Agony and Irony, an omission that most fans don't miss.

The final chapter of the night left the band playing musical chairs, with Skiba landing on the drum kit, while Derek Grant donned the bass, and Dan Andriano slung a guitar for "Fine" and a cover of the Misfits' "Attitude." After a sincere "thank you, Chicago," they stopped several departing fans with "Radio." Skiba let the crowd sing the first "I've got a big fat fuckin' bone to pick ..." amending "with you Chicago."

After 22 songs, Trio retired for the night with a quick wave, as N.W.A.'s "Fuck Tha Police" blasted through the speakers. Alkaline Trio will always have a home in Chicago.