By “Tampa” Earl Burton, Journalist, and Chyrisse Tabone, Photographer, Rock At Night Tampa
Live Review: Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, and Teen Mortgage – The Baycare Sound, Clearwater, Florida – September 25, 2026
In a brief time, the BayCare Sound in Clearwater has established itself as one of the preeminent performance venues in the Tampa Bay area. It was a fact that was commented on by the entirety of the bill Friday night, the Chicago bands Rise Against and Alkaline Trio and the Maryland-based Teen Mortgage. The beneficiaries of those outstanding performances were a surprisingly energetic crowd that came to see a show from punk royalty.
Teen Mortgage Surprisingly Excellent Opener
The concert was set to start at 7 PM on Friday, and the Marylanders Teen Mortgage hit the stage right on time, much to the delight of the early-arriving crowd. Teen Mortgage is a two-person band, British transplant James Guile and Ed Barkauskas, formed when Guile moved from Liverpool to Washington, D.C. For those unfamiliar with them (such as this writer), they turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
Pinning the band down to a single style was difficult, because the duo took the audience on an intriguing journey through their thirty-minute set. I have always found that exciting because it shows musicianship and the ability to adapt and be creative with their music. When they began in 2017, they leaned closer to a garage-rock sound, but after a decade, they have taken a few forks in the road with their song output.
Weaving straight-up punk sounds with a more Ministry-based thrash, Teen Mortgage wasn’t afraid to make political statements along the way. One of their big tracks was “Democracy Manifest,” and Guile even slipped in commentary on the situation in the Middle East (imagine something along the lines of Macklemore’s comments on the Ed Sheeran tour). The audience supported Teen Mortgage’s commentary, and it demonstrated a simple fact… THIS is why you go to concerts for the openers: to catch bands on their way up like Teen Mortgage.
Alkaline Trio Brings Energetic Set, Revs the Crowd
After a short break, the Chicago-based Alkaline Trio was up next, and this was also a bit of a surprise. Last year, they were sandwiched between Beauty School Dropout and blink-182, and I recalled the band seemed a bit subdued. That may have been because they ran into technical difficulties during their set; those issues didn’t show up Friday night, and the Trio delivered an energetic set for an appreciative (and growing) crowd.
For a band that has now been around thirty years, Alkaline Trio still attacks with the aggressiveness of a teenage rock band. Guitarist/vocalist Matt Skiba, bassist/vocalist Dan Andriano, and drummer Tosh Peterson captured the punk rock attitude and spirit, but they also brought a melodic element that punk rock bands sometimes overlook. The ladies in the front row were clearly into the show, dancing and singing at the top of their lungs along to the Trio’s best work over the past three decades.
A three-song block personally caught my attention. “Private Eye,” “Is This Thing Cursed?” and “Take Lots with Alcohol” kept the punk party going, and Peterson thrashed his kit like a demon possessed. Andriano and Skiba playfully bantered with both the crowd and each other, keeping the show lighthearted but still “punk” edgy. This visit by Alkaline Trio turned out much better for me than their 2025 performance; getting through a show without those annoying technical gremlins let the band fully demonstrate their excellence.
Rise Against Hammers the Headliner Role
Although the crowd (which, surprisingly, chose to stand in the GA area around the stage rather than take advantage of the seating) enthusiastically supported both Teen Mortgage and Alkaline Trio, it was obvious from the moment Rise Against took the stage that they were who the audience came to see. The Windy City-based band is into the second leg of their North American tour, and they presented an hour-plus program that had the BayCare Sound crowd roaring their approval.
Led by guitarist/vocalist Tim McIlrath, Rise Against launched into one of their more popular tunes, “Satellite,” and did not back down for the entirety of their set. McIlrath was animated in his performance, emphasizing every point the songs were trying to make, while lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe, and drummer Brandon Barnes matched his intensity. The audience matched the band’s effort, bringing an appreciation and power that surprised this writer.
The Rise Against set had many highlights as they moved through their ten-album discography. My personal favorites were a two-song set of “Help is On the Way” and “Katy Bar the Door,” but Rise Against also showed that punk could have calmer moments. An acoustic “Hero of War” was particularly noteworthy, with McIlrath offering commentary on the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran (“We shouldn’t be sending our best into wars”) and other pointed words about the current administration. The fans shouted their approval of everything Rise Against had to say and wanted more.
Alas, the night had to end at some point, but kudos to the BayCare Sound audience (which might have covered only half the area) for bringing wild energy, punk spirit, and passionate appreciation for the bands. Kudos also to Teen Mortgage, Alkaline Trio, and Rise Against, who presented a night of punk rock anarchy wrapped in an excellent presentation and outstanding musicianship…it was one of the best concerts that Tampa Bay might have seen in 2026.
PHOTO GALLERY
- Punk Royalty on the Beach: Rise Against, Alkaline Trio and Teen Mortgage Rock the BayCare Sound in Clearwater - September 27, 2026
- Blackie Lawless’ W.A.S.P., KK’s Priest Bring Metal Madness to the Staid Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater - September 24, 2026
- Battle Jackets and Bludgeoning Riffs: Two Days of Mayhem at Tampa Death Fest 2026 - September 7, 2026
