Invaders rock Knoxville

Invaders use their take on the Fab
Four and other British staples to bring back memories and rock on.

We had the opportunity recently to hear a musical group, The Invaders, at the Downtown Grill and Brewery in Knoxville. The group performs British rock tunes from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. They have been playing area clubs for the past few years, drawing a local following. The band dresses in the 1960’s short British-style jackets, and several members sport Beatle haircuts.
The first set began with three numbers by the boys from Liverpool, including, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “I saw Her Standing There.” Next were pop and rock tunes by the Searchers, the Animals, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Manfred Mann. The audience sang along on several songs at the urging of the band. The 40-minute set also included a couple of Rolling Stones hits that set the stage for later.
After a break the band launched into a long run of heavy duty British rockers. Sonny Thrower, lead guitarist for the group, hit some fabulous licks in a Who tune, “Behind Blue Eyes,” that fired up the crowd. After slowing it down for “This Boy” by the Beatles, the band reached a higher gear as they hammered out a string of Who and Stones numbers. The loudest ovation came when “Satisfaction”, “Gimme Shelter”, and “Brown Sugar” were played in order to end the set. Being long time fans of the Stones, we were especially thrilled by this explosion of vintage British rock music.
I would recommend The Invaders to anyone that enjoys the older English rock songs. They appear regularly in clubs in Knoxville and Gatlinburg. Go and have a smashing good time!