It also sets a new challenge for a bands like Rancid, The Skints and The Bronx, who’s music fits so perfectly with the intimate confines of a smaller venue. In the case of the headliner, by now well into their third decade without including time spent in Operation Ivy, it is a sound synonymous with sweat and bounce. In the large chamber that is Wembley Arena, there was always a risk that the chance of seeing the whites of Tim Armstrong’s eyes would be lost. Thankfully, for all three bands, the energy never fades – these are three acts still capable of pulling you in even in the echoes of the Arena, who still haven’t quite figured out how to make guitar music work in the space. Walking into the hall, we were suddenly taken back to 2004, to one of the (first) final blink-182 shows – the ambient guitar noise flickering from this wall to that wall. It was the same almost nineteen years later – but then Wembley Arena has fallen well down the priority for bands touring the UK, and perhaps this may kickstart a resurgence and possibly some investment in new equipment.

By now, The Bronx are elder-statesmen of American punk rock, taking their influences and reproducing a real vitality and energy as they continue what always appears to be a relentless touring schedule. Frontman Matt Caughthran is electric, pulling the crowd in, lighting up the room. On ‘White Shadow’, the band bring a tightness reserved only for bands at the peak of their powers. The Bronx return to the UK later on this year to play far smaller spaces like the New Cross Inn and The Joiners, and it’s a reflection of their ability as a live act that you can be sure they’ll be just as home there as in the cavernous settings of Wembley Arena.

The same can be said for The Skints who deliver a blistering run through all things punk-adjacent, carrying the crowd as they wait for the main event. This is a band who do not seem daunted by the size of the crowd. It does make you wonder if, in another musical landscape, a UK band such as these might find themselves more regularly on stages these sizes. Much like The Bronx, their next London date will find them at Dingwalls.

When Rancid finally take the stage, you’re instantly reminded why this is a band that figures in the same breath as the great legends of punk rock. Although at points there were attempts to picture Rancid in the same conversation as Green Day, they’re far closer to The Ramones than they are to Reel Big Fish. Rancid recorded one of the all-time great punk albums in ‘…And Out Come The Wolves’ and this is a set that draws heavily from that timeless classic. However, they’re not a band who rest on their laurels.

Opening with ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ from the new album of the same name, the standard and level of songwriting is still there. The song bleeds seamlessly into ‘Roots Radicals’, which from the opening notes throws the crowd into a full singalong that doesn’t really let up until the very end. On bass, Matt Freeman is captivating. The iconic solo on ‘Maxwell Murder’ still floors you and the energy is unrelenting. Approaching this show, it was easy to forget just how many hits Rancid produced over the years, with some even being left off (this reviewer was slightly disappointed not to hear ‘Red Hot Moon’).

There is space for Indestructible’s ‘Fall Back Down’ which elicits a great sing along from the, by this point, rather inebriated crowd. And on closer ‘Ruby Soho’, the band showed that you don’t need a lot of pageantry to put on a great headlining show in a big ol’ stadium. All you need are classic songs and a crowd on your side. And in this case, Rancid certainly had both.

ALEX SARYCHKIN

Title track ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ is two and a half minutes of rocket powered glory, misleading in its simplicity between an intense burst of distorted guitar and that classic Matt Freeman independent bass. Most astoundingly is that vocalist Tim Armstrong and guitarist Lars Frederiksen seem to have regained their singing voices which had got lost along the way in the last few years; Frederiksen’s rock-gargling tones have reverted back to the purity of the late nineties and Armstrong is no longer mumbling like that guy you hear in Wetherspoons at 10am. ‘Don’t Make Me Do It’ is a blow to the head via the ears and easily the fastest and trashiest tune in their current roster, and ‘Devil in Disguise’, despite being a throwback to Rancid’s passive aggressive moralising present in older songs like ‘Fall Back Down’, is a rhyming singalong with that sunburst guitar that opens the clouds.

Many of the songs are painfully short on this release, but it’s a deliberate tactic. Armstrong and co have gone back to the formula of their first two albums of very quick bursts of rage, like contained explosions and this works for them. Take ‘Live Forever’, probably the most quintessentially Rancid track on the album. It’s one minute twenty two seconds of euphoric nihilism, a monologue apparently about a day in the life of a band on tour, with the occasional incomprehensible lyric (“Kiss the boogieman” for instance) and this sheer spirit of moving forward and giving yourself over to the craziness of the world.  

‘Prisoners Song’ deserves an entire book on its own. Three of the four members take a verse each, with Armstrong’s a love song, Frederiksen’s a celebration of standing up strong and Freeman’s an ode to the power of union membership. “Stop and pray for a while before everything goes wrong,” sings Armstrong in a melodic moment that send your soul back to the innocent and shining days of the early noughties. The attempts at innovating Rancid’s sound have not worked but the band seem to be rejoicing in their roots, the street punk graffiti urges that drove them as young men. ‘Eddie The Butcher’ has a full on Freeman bass noodling intro and that speaker effect on the spoken parts which popped up regularly on ‘…And Out Come The Wolves’, signaling to the world that the band are back on track and have reclaimed their identity. “We’ve got to stick together regardless, we’ve got to do what we think is right, hear our out…,” begs Armstrong on ‘Hear Us Out’, perhaps hoping for forgiveness from the fans after some of their more experimental songs over the years. 

If you’ve been keeping the flame of hope alive that Rancid still have another brilliant album in them, and that long-awaited run of UK tour dates will be as good as the mists of nostalgia will have you believe, then your faith was justified. While their contemporaries like Green Day have turned into bloated stadium rock, Rancid has returned to the formula that made them a genre and era defining band and we’re the richer for it. Let the chords of ‘Road To Righteousness’ ring out and that thundering rhythm section beat the cynics into submission, Rancid are back with a vengeance. 

KATE ALLVEY

With that in mind, ‘Title Holder’, the opening track of The Interrupters ‘Fight The Good Fight’ deals with just that. Taking all the hard times, overcoming them and moulding them into something positive. Anthemic, bouncy and chock full of delicious two-tone, the LA ska-punk band open their third album in four years with energy and spirit. For those who haven’t checked them out up till now, think the vocal prowess of Brody Dalle and the ska-punk of Rancid. With all the darkness and ominous feelings in the world, who am I to turn down the light that is exceptional two-tone punk?

First single, ‘She’s Kerosene’ bounds in as a triumphantly reflective piece. A meditation on a previously narcissisticly abusive relationship, it spells out the ability to rise up and see the beauty within oneself. “I really hope when people listen to that song, it helps them feel empowered to leave a toxic relationship,” says singer Aimee Interrupter, and she’s absolutely right. It’s an uplifting fight song. Fight for yourself if no one else will.

And if there’s people to help you fight, bring them along. Cue ‘We Got Each Other’, a blistering song of unity and family featuring punk legends Rancid. With Rancid guitarist Lars Frederiksen, bassist Matt Freeman, drummer Branden Steineckert and guitarists/album producer Tim Armstrong all pitching in on some of the versus as well as the chorus, ‘we don’t have much but we got each other’ it rings honest and true.

The riff and melody of ‘Broken World’ is built around a riff handed down from Billie Ray Armstrong during The Interrupters’ tour with Green Day, which is surely the first ska-punk song he’s had a hand in. And with a sing-a-long chorus, it’s the track that will inevitably get live crowds skanking together.

The stand out is ‘Gave You Everything’. Hard hitting and powerful, it shows the real range Interrupter has to her voice. Emphatic, potent and soaring, it’s the anti-love song of the record. The realisation that, come the end of a relationship, there’s nothing to do but accept you’ve given everything to make it work and it’s time to move on. Throughout the chorus, there’s an expectation that Interrupter will hit a higher note than she does. Almost baiting us into disappointment, she hits it perfectly following a key change and adds a gravitas to the track that wasn’t necessarily missing but creates an extra layer.

The album closes with ‘Room With A View’ a eulogy to the death of a loved one. It’s pensive yet lively. Reflective, yet fun. As a culmination, the record ends in the way it starts: intense, enthusiastic and, above all, fun. It’s clear they’re attempting to provide some solace and security to the disillusioned. Music gets people through a lot, it’s a connective medium that can help anyone, even those feeling alone. It’s a beautiful escape. And for that, The Interrupters have nailed their intentions. They keep fighting the good fight, in our ears and by our sides.

ANDY JOICE

10 Songs that inspired Giants

https://open.spotify.com/user/punktastic-spotify/playlist/6EThAFIsj9kNQuqTMs89bj

Alexisonfire – ‘Drunks, Lovers Sinners and Saints’

Alexisonfire have always been a massive influence for this band, but I remember seeing them open their set in The Lockup tent at Reading Festival 2006 and it changed my life. The way it just explodes into the most anthemic chorus ever still gives me chills.

Go It Alone – ‘Rapture’

Everything about this band ruled. The guitar tones and lyrical content alone tops any hardcore band of today in my opinion, but it’s the sheer ferocity of the fast punky parts straight into the breakdowns that inspired our writing from an early point right up to writing for our debut album.

Comeback Kid – ‘Final Goodbye’

I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone that we love this band and take a huge influence from them. Touring with them was the greatest honour, they are the best dudes and the sickest live band in the game, almost 20 years into their career. Beast of a band.

Verse – ‘Old Guards, New Methods’

‘Aggression’ was one of the first hardcore records I heard that made me think about pushing the boundaries with songwriting. The melodies achieved in these songs are lush, whilst still being part of a record that sounds aggressive as fuck.”

Bad Religion – ‘Big Bang’

Tony Hawks’ Pro Skater games were the best games of our childhood; the soundtracks introduced me to so many different styles of music. I saw Bad Religion play this year and they killed it. They’re the grandads of hardcore punk and no one does it better.

Rise Against – ‘Collapse (Post Amerika)’

A massive influence on our songwriting and my singing from day one, this band will always be one of my favourite bands. They were one of the first bands I listened to where their lyrics meant something more.

Rancid – ‘Fall Back Down’

Literally the song is about your friends and good people around you having your back and being there for you. No one knows quite what it is like to be in a band, unless you’re in a band. Working hard for nothing, with only your mates and your music to keep you going; that’s how that song speaks to me. That, and c’mon, that bass line, that keys line. It’s a damn good song and that album shaped my perception of what music could be. Blah blah blah it’s only a cliche cause of how damn true it is.

Underoath – ‘Breathing In A New Mentality’

Loads of people prefer this band’s earlier material to their new records, but I always thought they got better with every record. The drums on this album are absolutely insane and were a big influence on our debut album.

Bane – ‘Some Come Running’

When I first heard Bane they had already been a band for 10 years and to hear the passion and message they still had in their music was definitely inspiring. They didn’t care about going from playing their local to a stadium it was all about the music. Geezers.

Incubus – ‘Pardon Me’

The mixture of music style and lyrics, relating to what was being said, opened my eyes to a lot of stuff going on in the world and on a personal level. Incubus influenced a lot of my ideas and style in the way I write lyrics.

‘Trouble Maker’ is a good pin in the corkboard for where the band are right now. While the sound may not deviate too far from the old formula there is a definitive stride that Rancid carry which doesn’t give you the chance to do any less than smile. The tales of growing up in Berkley, chasing the ‘Beauty In The Pool Hall” and running riot across the world age really well.

‘Ghost Of A Chance’, the lead single from the record, summarises the tone of the album. It’s made for bouncing halls of sweaty punks, uncompromising and true to what the band is. ‘Say Goodbye To Our Heroes’ is more of the same, an ode to the legends that have sadly departed. A catchy chorus, a raucous singalong and a strong guitar lead allow this song to be a standout.

Yes, at times the album can sound a little dated and yes, there’s nothing cutting edge and new. But what do you expect when you step foot into your local record store and pick up that deep red album cover and scenic backdrop? Did you want something groundbreaking? No. Did you want some pogo-jumping singalongs to belt out at the top of your lungs the next time you see them? Yes.

By no means is this record a stain on Rancid’s history but don’t expect anything that is going to change the course of music. The band have done what they needed to do and nothing more; they’ve created something to soundtrack running in a big circle as fast as possible. ‘Trouble Maker’ has that in spades.

WILLIAM SCOTT

The record will be released this Friday 9th June via Hellcat Records and Epitaph Records. You can pre-order it here.

The band will also be playing the following UK and Irish shows with Green Day this summer.

JUNE
28 BELFAST Ormeau Park
29 DUBLIN, IRE Royal Hospital Kilmainham
JULY
01 LONDON Hyde Park
03 SHEFFIELD Arena
04 GLASGOW Bellahouston Park

This is the third track to be released from their upcoming ninth album, ‘Troublemaker’, which is set for release on the 9th June via Epitaph Records and Hellcat Records. You can pre-order it here.

The band will also be playing the following UK and Irish shows with Green Day this summer.

JUNE
28 BELFAST Ormeau Park
29 DUBLIN, IRE Royal Hospital Kilmainham
JULY
01 LONDON Hyde Park
03 SHEFFIELD Arena
04 GLASGOW Bellahouston Park

The track is taken from their upcoming ninth album, ‘Troublemaker’, which will be released on the 9th June via Epitaph Records and Hellcat Records. You can pre-order it here.

The band will also be playing the following UK and Irish shows with Green Day this summer.

JUNE
28 BELFAST Ormeau Park
29 DUBLIN, IRE Royal Hospital Kilmainham
JULY
01 LONDON Hyde Park
03 SHEFFIELD Arena
04 GLASGOW Bellahouston Park

This follow up to 2014’s ‘Honor Is All We Know’ will be released on the 9th June on Hellcat Records and Epitaph Records. You can pre-order it here and listen to the first single, ‘Ghost of a Chance’.

The band will also be playing the following UK and Irish shows with Green Day this summer.

JUNE
28 BELFAST Ormeau Park
29 DUBLIN, IRE Royal Hospital Kilmainham
JULY
01 LONDON Hyde Park
03 SHEFFIELD Arena
04 GLASGOW Bellahouston Park