The Lawrence Arms know what it’s like to be alone on New Year’s Eve. “This year, I’ll live like I’ve never lived before,” guitarist Chris McCaughan croons on the band’s “100 Resolutions,” and the slight crack in his voice indicates that it’s all wistful, wishful thinking. It’s been eight long years since McCaughan and bandmates Brendan Kelly and Neil Hennessy splashed Chicago’s flag across the cover of their last album, Oh! Calcutta!, so one can’t blame their fans for being similarly melancholy. The good news is that the North Side punks are set to return in a blaze of middle-aged glory with the release of new LP Metropole, due out on January 28 from Epitaph Records. They’ll likely debut most of that album’s songs at Concord Music Hall on New Year’s Eve, where they’ll be joined by Masked Intruder, Downtown Struts, and Direct Hit!. Don’t sleep on Masked Intruder, whose schtick pairs colorful balaclavas with songs about petty crime. (Concord Music Hall, 2047 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tuesday, December 31, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25.)

Photo: Ben Pier.