The Interrupters Take Charge

The night was billed as a double headlining show. The Interrupters and Flogging Molly were taking over one of Connecticut’s newest outdoor venues, The Westville Music Bowl. Then the scourge of the 2020s hit. Dave King, lead singer of Flogging Molly became a victim of Covid but the show went on without them. With The Interrupters taking the helm, the show was relocated to College Street Music Hall.

The Skints opened the eve with their brand of feel-good music. Mixing a huge amount of reggae with a touch of ska gives this band a “good time” feel. These musicians from the UK have 4 acclaimed albums to their name. They sadly are not widely known here in the US but hopefully, this tour will correct this error. Touring with Flogging Molly and The Interrupters will no doubt bring them to a broader base of music aficionados. Lead singer Marcia Richards has a haunting voice that will capture the hearts of all who hear it.

A drastic change in music styles was next on the bill. California-based psychobilly veterans, Tiger Army took College Street by storm! Hitting the scene in 1996, these cats show no signs of stopping. For the uninitiated, their hammering style of rockabilly is like a punk rock version of The Stray Cats. Frontman Nick 13 handled the vocal and guitar work with the poise of a true veteran. Serbian-born bassist Djordje Stijepovic wielded his standup bass expertly as he laid down killer bass lines. Rounding out this hard-hitting trio, Mike Fasano on drums held the band from flying off wildly.

While the youngest band on this evening’s bill, ska band The Interrupters was certainly the most popular. Formed in 2011, these prolific Californians have released 3 albums with their fourth, “In The Wild” is due to be released in August of 2022. They’ve released a sneak peek of their new release with the song “In The Mirror“. Their last release, “Fight The Good Fight” peaked at #2 on the US Indie Charts.

For those not familiar with an Interrupters show, it can best be described with one word, FUN! Lead singer Aimee Allen, aka Aimee Interrupter, clearly has an enthusiastic love of what she is doing. Her infectious smile and energetic romps back and forth across the stage hooks viewers and reel them in. The stage had a center section that jutted out just short of the rail. She frequently ventured onto this stage appendage to get closer to her fans. There are no doubt Covid concerns but they were placed on the back burner. Aimee shook hands and high fived which her devoted fans loved.

Not to be outdone were the remaining members of the band, the Bivona brothers. Guitarist Kevin also moved about the stage and took to a box perch as he flailed wildly on his six-string. On bass, Justin would also take to his box perch from which he often launched himself into dramatic stage leaps which delighted the crowd. Drummer Jesse Bivona was the “sedate” brother but one would believe that’s only because a drum kit can’t be moved about the stage as a guitar can.

Standing in the photo pit, I found myself looking back towards the audience as Aimee took to the stage appendage. Rarely have I seen a crowd so wrapped up in the music while being so harmonious. New Haven brought forth an enthusiastic yet easygoing crowd.