Alkaline Trio Brings Dallas a Night Full of Punk Rock and Exuberance

Accompanied by openers Drug Church and Worries, eminent 90s punk band, Alkaline Trio, stops at the House of Blues in Dallas for their Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs tour.

With a line wrapping around the building for fans to buy merchandise from this influential band was a sign that the House of Blues was in for a packed house full of punk-rockers and music lovers. As the pit and the seated area began to fill up, the musicians prepared for a night of head-banging and heavy riffs.

To begin the show, Brooklyn native artist Worriers began the night with enjoyable and indie style punk rock. With frontwoman and songwriter Lauren Denitzio, Worriers is primarily a solo project, but lead guitarist Frank Piegaro and bassist Allegra Anka help Denitzio create a perfect blend of indie and punk sounds. With Worriers being an activist and queer led group, the band created a perfect beginning to the night, making sure everyone felt seen, heard, and welcomed regardless of how they identify themselves. Denitzio’s newest album “Trust Your Gut” produced with former Social Distortion drummer Atom Willard is a triumph for those looking for anthems to grow from heartbreak and develop strength through adversity. As Worriers finished up their set, the crowd was left with an energy that would be used to jam and rock out the rest of the night. 

Soon after Worriers left the stage, the crowd was ready for another opener, Drug Church, to send heavy vocals and high energy their way. Drug Church, originally from Albany, New York, is a post-hardcore style band and was created as a side project with lead vocalist Patrick Kindlon of the band Self Defense Family. With the help of guitarist Nick Cogan and Cory Galusha, bassist Patrick Wynne, and drummer Chris Villeneuve, the band is able to create a perfect blend of fast paced beats, hard riffs, and experimental and introspective vocals, it is easy to grab the attention from an audience full of punk-rockers. To keep their lyrics powerful and meaningful, Drug Church includes topics involving injustice, and social or personal issues to bring a sense of liveliness and morale from the audience. When Drug Church finished their last song on the setlist, a wave of anticipation filled the crowd as the renowned punk band, Alkaline Trio, was in line to make their appearance. 

As the lights dimmed, the cheers of the audience began to fill the venue and surely enough, vocalist and guitarist Matt Skiba, vocalist and bassist Dan Andriano, and drummer Atom Willard took the stage. Originally, Alkaline Trio was formed in 1996 by Skiba and has been rocking ever since. During the years of 2015 to 2022, not only did Skiba continue to work on Alkaline Trio’s two most recent albums, but he also served as co-lead vocals and guitar for acclaimed pop-punk band Blink-182 during original member Tom Delonge’s hiatus from the band. Most recently, Alkaline Trio released their newest album “Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs” in January of this year, providing fans with more experimental and pop-punk style music to jam out to. It was evident at the House of Blues in Dallas that Alkaline Trio knows how to create a high energy environment with unique and euphoric sounds. As the show came to an end, the fans left the venue with a smile on their face (and maybe a little bit of sweat from all of the dancing). 

If you weren’t able to catch a glimpse of these bands yet, the Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs tour is nowhere close to the end, with shows coming up in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver, Alkaline Trio, Drug Church, and Worriers are prepared to carry their punk energy around North America (and in Europe too during the summer). So, whether you are a hardcore Alkaline Trio fan, or just a newcomer to the punk or hardcore scene, the Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs tour is a great way to spend a night with friends, punk rock, and maybe a little bit of dancing too.