If you talk to any record collector in Milwaukee who’s over the age of 35 for long enough, you’re bound to hear them wax poetic about Atomic Records. After being in business for more than 20 years, the East Side institution tragically closed its doors in 2009. Though there are still plenty of great places to buy vinyl in town, there will never be another place with a selection, a staff, and in-store performances quite like Atomic Records.

Speaking of in-store performances, someone graciously uploaded an Atomic acoustic set by Alkaline Trio to YouTube recently. The performance by Alkaline Trio guitarist and founding member Matt Skiba and longtime bassist Dan Andriano took place at the shop on May 16, 2001, which is exactly 21 years ago today. Though the performance was in support of From Here To Infirmary (the album the band released about a month earlier), none of the eight songs the duo played were on that record that lined Atomic’s walls during the 30-minute set.

Take a trip back to Atomic Records and hear stripped-down renditions of Alkaline Trio classics like “San Francisco” and “She Took Him To The Lake” in the video below. [h/t – Jared]

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Co-Founder and Editor

Before co-founding Milwaukee Record, Tyler Maas wrote for virtually every Milwaukee publication (except Wassup! Magazine). He lives in Bay View and enjoys both stuff and things.