17 -- Alkaline Trio – Friday, July 11, 2008 – Rams Head Live – Baltimore, MD

The only thing that prevented this from being another perfect show was “Radio.” I was thrilled when they ended on it in Richmond because I thought it was an inspired choice – the first Trio song I ever loved happened to be the last song they’d played that night. I realized this time, though, that it was the last song they played at every set, like “The Middle” was for Jimmy Eat World. I’d probably be projecting if I said the band was not as into it as they were the other songs, but it still felt cheap.

Fortunately, the rest of the concert did not feel remotely cheap. It was every bit as frenzied and euphoric as it was in Richmond. The two best songs, the songs that I will look for them to sing at every subsequent concert, were “Mercy Me” and “Armageddon.” The former hinges on the chorus, which includes the deliriously confusing line “Oh mercy me, God bless catastrophe.” (What does that mean?! So many possibilities…) The latter hinges on the verses, which build and build and build better than any song I’ve heard. I jumped so high and so continuously during the two songs (they were played back to back) that my calves become sore afterwards.

The new measure of a great punk concert? Sore calves.