Live Concert Review: Flogging Molly, The Interrupters, and more – Live in Denver

Mission Ballroom – 09 SEP 2022

Despite a few gimmicks, this concert’s packed bill was worth the cost of admission.

It was a cold and rainy night in September when The Interrupters and Flogging Molly came through town on their double headlining tour. I had only attended one other concert hosted by the Mission Ballroom before and that one had been on one of their outdoor stages, so it was my first time seeing the inside of the venue. To my delight, the venue was very old person friendly in that there were lots of seats with a great view of the show. I may still be a punk rocker, but I also have a bad back and knees, and standing for a whole concert gets to be a little tough for me. But, if you’re the kind that likes to stand or jump in the pit for a show, there was plenty of room down on the floor. 

With four bands on the bill, it was a packed night. First up were The Skints, a reggae-punk band from the UK. With multiple vocalists, it really felt like a very decentralized band structure that didn’t have a very clear frontperson. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Marcia Richards especially stood out, and it was my first time seeing a crowd cheer when someone pulled out a saxophone. It definitely made me want to check out more of their material. 

Next up was psychobilly band Tiger Army, who I had heard a lot of good things about but I’ve never really checked out before. They were really impressive to an uninitiated listener. Upright bass player Djordje Stijepovic was a real monster on his instrument. Frontman Nick 13 was someone who struck me as a really genuine person who truly appreciated his fans. He also mentioned something I hadn’t thought of before: he said that it’s been hard for bands to be able to book tours since live music started up again. Suddenly it struck me why there’s been such a proliferation of double-headliner tours lately or shows with a lot of opening bands. Bands must be clamoring to get on the road all at once, forcing tours to pack as many bands on the bill at one time as possible. In some ways, it’s been a blessing because these packed tours are really fun. 

The next band was The Interrupters, which is a band I’ve had very mixed feelings on over the years. First of all, let me say that I absolutely love their new album, In the Wild. The songwriting has just gotten so much better on this album as Aimee Interrupter has found a new sense of vulnerability and lyrical depth that she never had on the previous albums, not to mention such a brilliant sense of imagery. I’ve found a lot of their other albums to be little more than a few good singles propped up by a lot of filler. In the Wild is definitely a big leap forward for them. In fact, I had seen them live a few years ago and found them to be unimpressive, but the new album is so good that I wanted to give them another shot. 

One thing I’ve noticed in the two times I’ve seen them live is that Aimee Interrupter rarely speaks to the audience between songs. Instead, guitarist Kevin Bivona handles the stage banter for the band. All of the banter sounded overly rehearsed, but especially in one of the few moments when Aimee Interrupter tried to join in the banter as they introduced “Family.” It felt a bit awkward to me.

Their set had its share of stage gimmicks, and I’m not sure how well that worked out. A light board directly behind the band flashed a light show choreographed with the music. Platforms on the stage gave them something to climb up on while performing, and a series of confetti cannons went off as they closed the show out with their best song, “She’s Kerosene.” Admittedly, this all could easily have been the label’s idea, but it ultimately amounts to a lot of contrived elements that one would see from a larger act on an arena tour, an act that needs to rest on an overall “experience” to please the fans instead of relying on their music. It smacked of a lack spontaneity that didn’t feel particularly punk rock, and something The Interrupters could easily have done without.

Finally came Flogging Molly, who I have to admit I’ve only had a passing interest in over the years. I grew up listening to my dad’s Irish folk bands, so I love what Flogging Molly does, but I can never get into a full album without doubling back to the one or two songs I really love. I had also seen them live before, but always at festivals so I was interested in seeing them do a full-ish set. 

The band entered to a recording of their own song, “There’s Nothing Left Part I.” I’ve never seen a band enter the stage to a recording of their own song before, and it seems like an odd move. But otherwise, it was the kind of spirited performance you would expect from the veteran celtic punk band. (Admittedly, they also used a light board behind them, but somehow the show felt less gimmicky than when The Interrupters utilized it). Dave King was a charismatic frontman who was able to banter with the audience in a genuine way.

All in all, this show is worth the cost of admission, and I do recommend this tour if it comes through your town, despite the arena-style posturing, the bands all still put out some great music.