Coheed & Cambria w/ Alkaline Trio• August 10, 2022• The Complex
Reviewed and Photographed by Maralee Nielson
A hot and cloudy day didn’t stop anyone from seeing Coheed & Cambria with Alkaline Trio. Unfortunately, Mothica was unable to make this stop but the crowd was still so excited for what the night would bring. I got to the venue an hour before doors, and the line was already up the sidewalk and wrapping around the venue. People were parking blocks away to walk to the show they would not want to miss. The majority of people I saw had a Coheed and Cambria shirt on. There were families with their younger kids there, ready to see their favorite band.
As doors opened, the lot quickly filled up as this was in the lot of The Complex. Sooner than later, it was filled with fans. Fans were running inside to get a beer and hurrying out to get the best spot in the lot.
Alkaline Trio
As 6:30 rolled around, it was time for Alkaline Trio to go on. Lead Vocalist Matt Skiba ran on, with his sunglasses and black lipstick and eyeliner, greeting the crowd. The crowd cheered, all hands in the air. Opening for Coheed & Cambria I feel comes with a lot of pressure to put on a show that compares to Coheed. The second song they played was “Blackbird”. As they announced the song with “ This is a song…about a blackbird. It’s called Blackbird” which was a great song to help kick off their set. “Blackbird” was followed by “The Poison” and “Calling All Skeletons”.
Lightning
As they played, dark clouds started to cover the venue. Unfortunately, Alkaline Tio was cut off stage a little early due to lightning. They put the show on hold to see how the storm would pass. This led concertgoers, some to come inside the venue as it started to rain, but the majority of them stayed outside on the lot. Rain or shine nothing was going to stop them from losing their spots let alone missing Coheed and Cambria. Listening in, many were talking about their previous times seeing Coheed and Cambria. I heard one guy telling staff at the venue that this is his 15th time seeing Coheed. Absolutely incredible! The merch line was wrapped around a few times. Everyone was eager to get tour merch as they waited for the show to continue.
Finally around 7:40, they got the okay to continue as the stagehands started setting up for the headlining band, Coheed and Cambria. Everyone rushed out, the line at concessions was no more, and the lot was packed front all the way to the back gate. 8 pm and the show is on.
Coheed & Cambria
As the prologue started, they had this big blow-up backdrop. It looked like a goat head with horns that inflated and filled the back. While it inflated the crowd screamed “Coheed! Coheed!”. As the band performed “The Dark Sentencer” the crowd was singing along, and often throughout the whole set, lead vocalist Claudio Sanches would start singing and stop. Throughout the whole lot you could hear the crowd singing for them with every word so clear. They played an 18 song set, 2 of them being the encore songs, and the energy never died down.
There were crowd surfers, and a small mosh pit going on in the middle of the lot. They played one of my favorite songs, “The Gutter”. As well as “A disappearing Act” followed by In “Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth:3”. This night was a nostalgic trip for many. It was the most enjoyable watching the drummer of Coheed, Josh Eppard. His energy and facial expressions kept me entertained. The lighting, the beautiful purple and blue lights with the stage fog. They finished with an encore of “The Suffering” and “Welcome Home” which hit home to many.
Rain or shine, hot or cold, Coheed and Cambria’s fans will always turn out to a show with them in Salt Lake City.
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