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Alkaline Trio / One Man Army / theSTART

live in San Diego
2003
live show

Alkaline Trio / One Man Army / theSTART - live in San Diego (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Sheena
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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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Posted by modelcitizen on 2006-08-08 18:29:27

the start is such a great fucking band.

Posted by lalombriz on 2003-06-23 19:54:05
My Score:

"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.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 23, 2003 at 7:49 AM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 21, 2003 at 1:47 AM (EDT)
My Score:

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.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 20, 2003 at 7:31 PM (EDT)
My Score:

"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!

Posted by Eddie on 2003-06-20 14:45:22
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 20, 2003 at 1:22 PM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Stamos

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 20, 2003 at 12:19 AM (EDT)
My Score:

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.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 18, 2003 at 6:45 PM (EDT)
My Score:

Hey matt skiba does coke...

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 18, 2003 at 2:08 PM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Ramo

Posted by Sheena on 2003-06-18 03:33:50
My Score:

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.

Posted by inagreendase on 2003-06-18 01:15:19
My Score:

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

Posted by lieutenant on 2003-06-17 21:46:51
My Score:

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.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 9:35 PM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Posted by doitforjohnny on 2003-06-17 20:34:42
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 7:44 PM (EDT)
My Score:

yay for coke!

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 6:19 PM (EDT)
My Score:

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.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 4:20 PM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 3:32 PM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Posted by ramo on 2003-06-17 13:49:32
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 12:12 PM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 10:25 AM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 9:36 AM (EDT)
My Score:

"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.

Posted by irish_joo on 2003-06-17 04:04:50
My Score:

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

Posted by ElVaquero on 2003-06-17 02:29:43
My Score:

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..

Posted by dignin on 2003-06-17 02:05:38
My Score:

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.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 1:49 AM (EDT)
My Score:

somebody scored some good coke

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 1:44 AM (EDT)
My Score:

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

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 1:35 AM (EDT)
My Score:

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.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 17, 2003 at 12:39 AM (EDT)
My Score:

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.