The Interrupters gig review – Rock City Nottingham – 23rd August 2022.

August 24, 2022 rocknews

On the waves of their latest album release “In The Wild” The Interrupters UK tour has arrived like a speed boat to the shores of ‘Rock City’ stage. Tonight’s show is one of 8 gigs the band are playing in the UK before they hop back over the pond to the US leaving behind them a wake of satisfied UK fans eager to see them again.

Not quite from last night, this is from the last visit to Rock City back in 2020.

Los Angeles band The Interrupters formed in 2011 when Aimee Allen and the three Bivona brothers, Kevin, Justin, and Jessie met and began writing songs together. All members of The Interrupters come from a background of music with Kevin (Guitar, lead, and backing vocals) recently stating in an interview that he was performing at the famous Whisky-a-go-go when he was 10 years old. The Bivona family have a history of music with parents and grandparents performing. Kevin is joined in the band by his Twin brothers Justin (Bass and Backing Vocals) and Jessie (Drums and Backing Vocals). I can’t help thinking if the brother’s parents were to have had any more kids there would be a whole orchestra on stage. Aimee now known as Aimee Interrupter had a solo career before joining the band. Aimee claims one of the reasons she is writing songs and performing on stage is thanks to listening and learning all the words to Joan Jet And The Black Hearts – I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll album when she was eight years old.

Cancel Your Gym Membership And Go See The Interrupters Instead, It’s A Better Workout.

Rock City’s lights dimmed as the PA system began to blast out The Specials Ghost Town, the intro song for The Interrupters. On stage the band appeared, the lights raised and we are into the first song Take Back the Power. It’s from the first self-titled Interrupters album and like most songs in their catalogue it’s an upbeat fan favourite with the crowd shouting along at the top of their voices from the get-go. Next up is Title Holder and this sees Aimee running across the stage and climbing the risers bouncing around like she’s warming up for a world title fight. Next is a song off their first album with Judge Not which shows the influence of Ska bands from the times they were at the height of popularity. The Say It Out Loud album was featured next with On A Turntable. The lead single, Raised By Wolves, off the latest album is next. It’s a slightly darker song for The Interrupters and I can see it featuring in their sets for many a gig to come. Another song off the Say It Out Loud album, She Got Arrested had the dance floor moving as one as the crowd danced along. Throughout the gig Aimee was using the crowd barrier to get as close as possible to the fans. Reaching out and connecting with them. For the fans lucky enough to look into Aimee’s eyes and see her smile only a few inches away will go home tonight with a memory that will last a lifetime. The rest of the band were also having a great time on stage with Kevin and Justin using the risers at the front of the stage to play their instruments or shouting out to the crowd urging them to sing and clap along to the fast beats and the infectious lyrics of the songs.

In The Mirror, another new track off the latest album In The Wild was met with great support from the audience. Having watched and read some of the interviews recently the song has been inspired by some of the struggles Aimee has had and overcome in her life. Towards the end of the song, The Interrupters stopped playing only for the crowd to continue the song as loud as they could. It looked to me like The Interrupters were humbled by the passion the audience gave to the song, well done Rock City!, Got Each Other had the population of Rock City punching the air in salute to punk rock-inspired song that could quite easily be an Anthem for the night. Kevin and Aimee then had a bit of fun with the crowd getting them to sing yeah-he’s as part of the intro to Easy On You. Another new song Afterthought which was announced by Kevin that it was the first time the song had been played in front of an audience. A Friend Like Me was dedicated to a member of the audience in tribute to The Interrupters 2015 UK tour where this particular individual attended every show and will now be known to the Rock City crowd as Oxford John thanks to the announcement made by Kevin. Another punk rock-inspired song By My Side had the whole of Rock City singing again giving feedback to the band that the whole place was having a great time. A more serious message at the beginning of Jailbird was made by Kevin as he introduced the song dedicating it to all the people who suffer as a prisoners of the problems associated with mental health and wellbeing. This is another example of how the band have reached deep inside themselves in the writing of the songs for the new album.

A little more fun was had at the expense of the Rock City crowd. Kevin played the intro to a number of classic songs fooling the crowd and allowing them to sing along without any music until he finally settled on tonight’s cover of Bad religions Sorrow. Last song of the main set was Gave You Everything and like every song tonight the crowd sang and danced along. Three songs made up the encore starting with the comedically rhyming Family. The band were joined on stage for the second song by British Singer Rhoda Dakar, lead singer of The Bodysnatchers. Rhoda joined The Interrupters on the stage to perform the upbeat As We Live which she also collaborated on the album version.

Unfortunately for the gig goers the last song She’s Kerosene is up. The crowd didn’t miss the opportunity to have one last singalong whilst hoping it wont be long till The Interrupters will come back to treat us to another night of fantastic entertainment and fun.

There’s one thing that can be said about attending an Interrupters gig and that is they give you a workout. With all the great songs to sing along with and the punk rock style music to jump and dance to, you really do get a full aerobic workout your gym trainer would be proud of!!. It’s been a great show with The Interrupters being one of the tightest bands around who are at the top of their game musically. Aimee has this ability to make everyone in the crowd feel this was a gig personally put on for them. She was so attentive to the members of the audience, reaching out to as many of them as she could, her smiles and eye contact made if feel intimate. Go get tickets for a show before its too late and have a great night courtesy of The Interrupters.