On November 19, Susie’s hosted The Rippers, a country-rock band featuring Andover alum Sam August ’10. The performance was largely interactive, creating a positive and fun atmosphere that helped students de-stress from a busy week.
“We just like to feel the crowd, no set list, look around the room and make sure that people get engaged, and try to get everybody involved, because there’s lots of different people, so we want everybody to feel like they are part of it,” said August.
After performing for four years, The Rippers have formed a tight bond. Despite not performing for a year before this weekend, they had no doubt they would pull it off. According to member Rob Pagnano, the band trusted that their united presence, with an enthusiastic audience, would compensate for their lack of rehearsal time.
“We just wanted to feel the energy of each other, and of the audience. We winged a few things today, but we’ve been playing together so long that we can do that and it ought to go well. We went in with no set list, and focused our attention on making sure everybody was engaged in one way or another. Even though there are so many people in the crowd, we want everybody to feel like they are a part of the experience,” said Pagnano.
To ensure maximum engagement from the student body, The Rippers performed beloved classics so the crowd could sing a long. More importantly, they invited audience members up on stage, singing anything of their request. For August, this was the highlight of the night, as it also allowed him to transcend barriers between himself and the younger generations.
“Getting the kids up onstage and singing is hilarious. It’s a lot if you never know what you’re gonna get, and that element of just winging things make it a lot more fun,” August said. “I am a lot older than the students, so for us to actually be able to connect with young people is a very cool thing. In a way, it’s like we’re all just hanging out together, that barrier sort of disappear,” said August.
Fans of country and rock genres were particularly enthused by this performance. Kaliah Fortune ’26 shared that the concert allowed her and her friends to embrace their love for country, channeling passion through their voice.
“We’ve been listening to a lot of country lately as it’s been getting colder, so getting to see a live performance like this was amazing… It was so much fun to sing along to all the classics, and the best part was being able to get up on stage and be a part of the music… My favorite song they performed is definitely ‘Before He Cheats’ because it felt like everyone in the audience knew it word for word,” said Fortune.
Many students shared a similar sentiment, appreciating the Rippers’ ability to bring authentic rock and country music to campus. For Phia Cutler ’26, their personalities shined through in their performance, making it all the more memorable.
“Their energy is probably what stuck out to me the most… A lot of the time, when artists or groups come to perform, students aren’t really drawn to them because they don’t bring the right attitude. With The Rippers, though, they really embodied the spirit of people who just love music and love to perform for others,” said Cutler.
As the night drew to a close, August reflected on how special it was to be back at Andover, performing in front of the next generation of students. For him, Saturday night wasn’t just another show — it was a celebration of where his musical journey had begun, and how far he had come since then.
“I really have nothing but great things to say about this place. I figured out that I wanted to do music when I was here. So I started a band with a few of my buddies in the dorm, and we competed in Battle of the Bands. Some of my first times playing were on this very stage, so I feel like I’m right back where I started, which feels so surreal,” said August.
