Sunshine The first band on the bill for the night were apparently one of Alkaline Trio's favourite bands, but unfortunately I couldn't see why. They didn’t have anything different to offer from what a lot of other bands are serving up in the mainstream. Each song blended into the next and nothing special raised its head out of the set. They seemed to have so much potential but have decided to follow a bland route of music which relies too heavily on guitar effects. Their stage presence left nothing to be desired either - with the band members rarely moving from the same spot in front of the mic. I was disappointed to see such an uninspiring band warm up for such a diverse outfit as Alkaline Trio. Mike Park Mike Park was originally pencilled in to play The Waterfront just a few days before this gig, but the singer and his friends Alkaline Trio made a wise decision to merge their shows in a perfect complement. It was great to see the guy who helped a budding Alkaline Trio to flourish playing alongside these now big players.  | | Alkaline Trio's Daniel Andriano |
He set started off performing a compilation of his finest songs on his acoustic guitar accompanied by images projected on to the backdrop about growing up in a country dominated by whites. It was refreshing to see one man stand up alone on the UEA stage, where the ground space is normally covered by a bevy of musicians and their instruments, to articulate his meaningful songs. Alkaline Trio There was a lot of anticipation just before Alkaline Trio came on stage: the venue was hushed in near silence with just a few murmurs exchanged between anxious friends. The house lights dipped and the stage lit up in red as the band's banner dropped. As the first note rang out, the crowd exploded with energy and surged forward in one of the best welcomes I have seen. Alkaline Trio are an outfit who appeal to almost everyone with their intelligent lyrics and overpowering guitar lines. They played a varied set consisting of songs from their older albums and from recent release Crimson. Alkaline Trio maintained an excellent rapport during their set to ensure the crowd didn't stop moving for a moment. It came to the end of their last song, and the lights dropped as chants for Alkaline Trio filled the venue. They returned to play one of their new songs, Time To Waste, with its instantly recognisable piano intro sparking the crowd's energy into a peak once again. They signed off with one of their most popular songs, Radio, which united the fans as they sung along. The show was a hit, and it was great to see Alkaline Trio back in Norwich. Alkaline Trio played the UEA, Norwich, on Wednesday 23 November 2005. Photo credits: Anthony Reed. | 
