Alkaline Trio @ O2 Academy, Glasgow, 30 Jul

It’s been an unusual few years for Alkaline Trio. Singer-guitarist Matt Skiba’s stint fronting Blink-182 was abruptly terminated by the return of erstwhile alien hunter Tom DeLonge, but just as his primary band were expecting to re-emerge into the world, long-term drummer Derek Grant announced his departure from the band after 22 years, citing mental health reasons and a desire to pursue music production and graphic design. Thankfully though, any upheaval has done little to dull the enthusiasm of tonight’s attendees who loyally flood Glasgow's O2 Academy. It seems like everyone got the memo on the dress code too: it’s black from front to back.

Support for the evening comes from Anglo-American quartet LOWLIVES. Their songwriting may be a mixed bag but when they match grungy punk to catchy melodies like they do on Loser, there’s the spark of something interesting. More important than songcraft though is the performance, with their blue haired drummer Luke Johnson banging away with manic energy and their frontman Lee Downer bantering away amiably, dubbing his bass-playing counterpart “Handsome Steve” [Steve Lucarelli] and exhorting the audience to clap and sing along.

In a band uniform of black suits and ties, the new look Alkaline Trio of Skiba, long-time bassist Dan Andriano and punk rock lifer Atom Willard take to the stage and crash into the classic rock-influenced Hot For Preacher from new record Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs. The two outfielders strike a sharp contrast on stage, with Skiba mugging for the crowd, stealing Andriano’s guitar picks to throw to enthusiastic fans and donning sunglasses tossed from the crowd. His bass playing counterpart is more stoic, eyeballing the crowd and thumping his instrument.

Sadly, in the early part of the set Skiba’s vocals aren't the clearest and given that much of the impact of Alkaline Trio’s choruses comes from the doubled-up heft of his reedy voice and Andriano’s gruffer bark, it sells the opening portion of the set a little short. However, by the time they rocket through Mr. Chainsaw and the gothic graverobber’s tale of Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs’ title track, the sound has cleared up and the band have hit their groove, powered in no small order by the heavy hitting power of Willard's drums.

With a CV that includes The Offspring, Angels & Airwaves, Against Me!, Social Distortion and Rocket from the Crypt, the sticksman must be a sure thing for the punk journeyman Hall of Fame. By the end of tonight’s set, he's also the sweatiest man in Glasgow but several of the lifers down the front of the crowd aren't far behind.

Alkaline Trio might not quite have had the juvenile appeal of Blink-182 or the acoustic ballads of Green Day necessary to take them to arena level, but in a theatre size venue they are consummate pros and by the end, they have the audience eating out of the palm of their hands as they reel off a closing streak of punk-rock bangers like Stupid Kid, Private Eye and Time to Waste.

Returning for a quick, single song encore of the singalong Radio, Andriano cracks a smile for the first time. Alkaline Trio may have had their ups and downs but there’s plenty of road left ahead of them.