LIVE REVIEW: Jim Bob, Interrobang‽ @ Anarchy Brewery, Newcastle (27.03.26)

Image: Jim Bob by Lee Fisher

Interrobang‽ emerged a little over a decade ago, a burst of wiry post-punk energy and thoughtful lyrics that tackled politics, middle-age and how to tackle politics when you’re middle-aged. Essentially a duo – Dunstan Bruce (ex-Chumbawamba) and Stephen ‘Griff’ Griffin (ex-Regular Fries) – they were a remarkable live proposition and released a great debut album but then ‘life’ happened in various ways (jobs, COVID, the usual) and things ground to a halt. Now they’re back and they’re very, very different but also kinda the same. And here they are supporting Jim Bob (once – decades ago – half of Carter USM) on a few dates.

Dunstan is a born showman – he was a showman in Chumbawamba, he was in Interrobang‽ phase one and, unsurprisingly, he was in his stage show and movie – and here he is now, in his suit painted to look like a Palestinian flag, remonstrating and testifying and just urging us on. Griff – mod-sharp and preoccupied with his table of kit and his looped guitar – has picked up some of Dunst’s music hall mannerisms and they’ve become a fantastic double act, egging each other on, laughing at each other’s mistakes, jumping on the spot like the kids from Kriss Kross.

Interrobang‽ is a much more electronic proposition this time around – tracks are built around speeches, around samples, around proper boom-bap hip-hop beats – with Griff working his looping magic with his guitar as Dunst runs his vocals through an effects unit but mostly gestures and works the stage and hits you with a flurry of ideas and challenges. The crowd look a little confused at first – an Interrobang‽ show is a lot, very quickly – but as Dunst waves a copy of Laura Bates’ Men Who Hate Women before they play recent single Manosphere, as he brandishes his placards (‘WE’VE GOT TO RETHINK EVERYTHING’), as he throws his heart and soul into the life-affirming Love It All, they start to get it. And you see them working out if they can buy any Interrobang‽ merch after they’ve bought all the Jim Bob merch. Another crowd won over.

Carter USM were a big deal to me three-and-a-half decades ago but I’ve paid scant attention to either of them since and – full disclosure – I was here to see Interrobang‽ anyway. But wouldn’t ya just know it, Jim Bob’s set was something of a revelation. Firstly, it was far from being another crowd-pleasing heritage set – only about a third of the songs tonight were Carter numbers, and the crowd sang along as fervently to the solo stuff as they did to Prince In A Pauper’s Grave and Bloodsport For All. Jim Bob’s still a charming, funny, strangely youthful looking chap and his band – a five-piece assemblage of London indie-underground royalty (including, for two nights only, the magnificent Charley Stone) – were great, bringing new life to the old Carter songs. Turns out they sound just as good with an actual band rather than just a tinny backing tape and two slashing guitars. I found myself enjoying a moment or two misty-eyed nostalgia and you’ve got to admit, Only Living Boy In New Cross is a legitimate banger.

Image: Interrobang‽ by Lee Fisher