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Alkaline Trio / One Man Army / theSTART

live in San Diego (2003)
Vagrant Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Sheena
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 17th 2003

I am surprised that a band like Alkaline Trio would play a show at canes. This isn’t the first time, but with the release of their new album, tons of airplay and a new video on mtv.com, I would think they would be able to play a bigger venue. Of course Cane was sold out, but to think what would have happened if it was a larger venue? No what ifs.

I arrived when the first band was playing but I think I only missed the first few songs. I was actually looking forward to seeing paris_texas, who just so happened to be the first band. I didn’t even realize it was them until midway through the set when they announced their name. Let me tell you, they are much better recorded then they are live. I was disappointed.

Despite their name, The Start was up second. They are a female fronted “punk” band from Los Angeles. I was unimpressed with their set and it seemed the crowd’s feeling was mutual. I saw a total of 3 heads bobbing in time with the music. 3 out of several hundred people is not an impressive number. I am assuming the crowd just wasn’t feeling it like myself. I felt bad for the band, but they were just horrible.

The third band, who are from San Francisco, was One Man Army. They easily fall into the punk genre. Not typically my style but they had the crowd moving. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a decent number of people who showed up just to see them rather then the headlining band. They’ve come a long way from the last time I saw them a few years ago. The crowd was into it and I didn’t mind the music at all. If you are into punk rock, check them out.

Alkaline trio were slow to get on stage. They had a bunch of roadies setting up for them. When that was done there was spooky music playing for what seemed like several minutes before one by one, the band came on stage. They opened up with “This Could be Love”. Right off the bat, the crowd was moving like waves in the ocean and the crowd surfers wasted no time.

Matt Skiba seemed to be enjoying himself because he was smiling more than I have ever seen him smile before. He stood close to the barricades, just inches beyond reach of the crowd grabbing at him and talked with the crowd asking questions and taking requests. It brought a pleasant feeling to the performance to know that the band was enjoying themselves as much as the crowd. Some of the people in the crowd were going a little too crazy, making it hard for the others to enjoy.

We were treated so a “sing along”, although to any diehard fan, the entire set was a sing along. The crowd was given the opportunity to sing the first few lines of “Cooking Wine”. I was excited to hear that song, because it was that song that got me into the band nearly 5 years ago.

I felt like I was in a sense, robbed towards the end of their set. After the band had a few side discussions, they decided that they would not perform an encore. It went something along he lines of “I don’t want to lie to you and say this is our last song…we’re going to play a few more and then that’s it. We're done.” Despite this remark, after playing their closer “97” and exiting the stage, the crowd did chant “one more song…radio”, but the lights were flipped on and the crowd moved out as the stage was broken down.

Here is the set list, as close to accurate as possible.

This Could Be Love
We've Had Enough
100 Stories
Maybe I'll Catch Fire
All On Black
Cringe
I Lied My Face Off
Hell Yes
Continental
Emma
Cooking Wine
Another Innocent Girl
If We Never Go Inside
Goodbye Forever
My Friend Peter
Private Eye
Sundials
97

[Thanks Jay P. and Rob C of sandiegopunk.com for the setlist]

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modelcitizen (August 8, 2006)

the start is such a great fucking band.

lalombriz (June 23, 2003)

"WHAT THE FUCK? Billy's playing with One Man Army?! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? Holy shit..... this makes me so angry, ARGH. The Beltones are/were one of my favorite bands of the past few years, and now he's in FUCKING ONE MAN ARMY?! Not that I have a problem with OMA, but any Beltones song will eat OMA's entire catalog, FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. Can anyone provide more information before I kill myself? Ha, just joking... that would only happen if the Lawrence Arms broke up this week too... ha... cough.."

- from what i could make out (website, etc), mcfadden is only playing with oma for the summer or something like that... i too would shit myself if beltones no longer existed. but on that note, oma sound impressive as a 4 piece... still one of the best live shows i've seen.

Anonymous (June 23, 2003)

One Man Army and Alkaline Trio? Sounds like a show for me.

Anonymous (June 21, 2003)

I saw the start a few months ago at the whiskey and they were pretty good. This coming from a girl that likes the classified. Her review totally kills my erection.

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

"Big deal. Skiba does coke. This is still supposed to be punk rock. Remember drugs and going to shows drunk? Eat an ass for criticizing it. It's gonna be great when this all gets lame."

ha! i'd love to eat a girl's ass so that little insult doesn't work!

Eddie (June 20, 2003)

I actually think The Start plays fairly well on stage...it's just the music that sucks.

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

I just saw this tour last night in Boulder. Holy shit were they good. Also, One Man Army really impressed me.

Stamos

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

Big deal. Skiba does coke. This is still supposed to be punk rock. Remember drugs and going to shows drunk? Eat an ass for criticizing it. It's gonna be great when this all gets lame.

Anonymous (June 18, 2003)

Hey matt skiba does coke...

Anonymous (June 18, 2003)

last time i saw F2F they did play "Disconnected" after their "walkout" routine. i think you must have done something to trever.

Ramo

Sheena (June 18, 2003)

Wow. I didn't complain that they didn't play radio. I could care less if they did or did not. You're right, their last 5 songs were awesome. I complained that they didn't do an encore. They just smashed it all together.

inagreendase (June 18, 2003)

first we had an afi show review every week. i guess it's alkaline trio's turn.

lieutenant (June 17, 2003)

Face To Face skipped out on Disconnected the last time I saw them, which was definately a bummer.

I really did not enjoy the penmanship of this review. It looks like the band chose a great setlist for the night, though.

somebody scored some good coke
Yes, I found that simply hilarious. There are some old jokes that will crop up once in a while and just make you crack. No pun intended.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

When I saw Face to Face about a year ago they played Disconnected.

doitforjohnny (June 17, 2003)

they played a lot more songs in new york and we got radio at the end too.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

yay for coke!

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

face to face has been playing Disconnected ever since they went back to being a 3 piece. I've heard it played 3 times in the past couple years.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

I like when bands decide to retire a song from the setlist every now and then. "Radio" isn't even that great of a song. The only time it pisses me off is when Face to Face doesn't play "Disconnected". That fucking sucks.

-sickboi

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

Dear Sheena,
You suck. youre a crappy greedy reviewer. You got see 5 of their best song at the end of the set and yet you
"Goodbye Forever
My Friend Peter
Private Eye
Sundials
97"
complain. Im glad they dont play radio and stupid kid just so you and likewise stupid fans cant sing along. They played a very similar set when I saw them and Ive never been more happy with their selection of songs. Now their performance, thats another story..*boring*..

rockonchicago,
-feedmynightmare

ramo (June 17, 2003)

One Man Army is great live. I remeber seeing them with Pistol Grip, Swinging Uttersa and Jack sure loves to talk about San Fran.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

Sounds like a good show. Paris, Texas is awesome live.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

All on Black is one of the best songs they ever did. booyah! they kicked ass at the skate and surf fest! Now if they would just come to Ottawa instead of skipping it like every other band do! We have feelings too!

-ejaculine

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

"somebody scored some good coke"

Give it the fuck up. Ok, we all get it, "skiba is a coke head". Amazingly witty of you to post that.

irish_joo (June 17, 2003)

terrible, they didn't play 97 or sundials at pomona. Ill cry now

ElVaquero (June 17, 2003)

WHAT THE FUCK? Billy's playing with One Man Army?! ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? Holy shit..... this makes me so angry, ARGH. The Beltones are/were one of my favorite bands of the past few years, and now he's in FUCKING ONE MAN ARMY?! Not that I have a problem with OMA, but any Beltones song will eat OMA's entire catalog, FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. Can anyone provide more information before I kill myself? Ha, just joking... that would only happen if the Lawrence Arms broke up this week too... ha... cough..

dignin (June 17, 2003)

I saw paris, texas open for the d-plan a few nights ago and my feelings on them them was just the opposite of the reviewers, their live show was awesome.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

somebody scored some good coke

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

Skiba's just happy cuz his record is selling hella good.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

anyone else excited that Bill McFadden of Beltones fame is now the 4th member of One Man Army?? i know im just a BIT tickled.

Anonymous (June 17, 2003)

I went to this show at the Glasshouse and it was great. They were so good, much better than when I've seen them before. They did do an encore, but opted to close with Hell Yes instead of Radio.
And yea, Skiba did seem unusually happy.