Dropkick Murphys Channel The Spirit Woody Guthrie

Dropkick Murphys are out touring to promote their latest release, “This Machine Still Kills Fascists”. It’s a collaboration of sorts with the late great Woody Guthrie. Woody was always the voice of the common man, speaking up for workers’ rights and the plight of the downtrodden. That has always been an underlying theme for Dropkick Murphys albums so this project is natural for them. This is by no means a release of cover songs. The band has taken the words of Guthrie and put them into their own songs. “This Machine Still Kills Fascists” is a revved-up acoustic tribute to one of the most highly regarded American folk troubadours.

Opening the show was fellow Bostonian, Jesse Ahern. Being in downtown Providence, RI on a Friday night, folks were slow in getting to the venue. The house was perhaps half full for his set. It’s a shame because Jesse’s performance was a fitting start to the evening. His music has the same music for the masses sentiment as that of Guthrie and Dropkick Murphys. He has an unpolished presence that reflects his genuineness and adds to his appeal. Jesse will be opening for the whole tour so do yourself a favor and get to the show early. You won’t regret it!

Next up was country singer/songwriter Jaime Wyatt. Wyatt has a rich and soulful voice that blends seamlessly with her minimalist musical accompaniment. All she needed to show musical prowess was her acoustic guitar augmented with an electric guitar. She showed that stripped-down country music can be just as powerful as the full band arena country acts that garner huge crowds. She bares her soul singing about the trials and tribulations that we all deal with, and worse. Her songs are odes to the tough life that she has lived and clawed back from. Like Ahern, Wyatt is on the bill for the entire tour so as noted, get to the venue early!

The house was full. Now came the moment everyone was waiting for. Dropkick Murphys hit the stage! As with their latest album, this tour is billed as an acoustic experience. This reviewer has seen the band do a few acoustic songs during past tours but never a full set. In the past, they pulled out bar stools and sat and strummed. Thus, I thought we would be in for a night of mellow music that was driving home the preachings of Guthrie. I could not have been more wrong! They kicked the night off with the raucous “Ten Times More” and there was no looking back.

Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium is a seated venue but that did not detract from the “spirit of the Murphys”. The band did not sit stoically, nor did their beloved fans. Frontman Ken Casey prowled the stage perhaps even more so than normal, perhaps as a way to quell the fears of a “boring acoustic show”. The band played their acoustic instruments with the same wild abandon as they brandish their electrified gear. There were the usual instrumental change-ups. Tim Brennan put down his guitar to pick up his accordion or stand behind the upright piano. Jeff DaRosa likewise put down his guitar to pick up his banjo or mandolin. There was one instrumental departure from the norm, no bagpipes. All the same, that band-defining instrument was barely missed. Sadly, singer Al Barr is still on hiatus from the band as he cares for his ailing mother.

The stage was set up in a much more extravagant way than usual. There was a large illuminated portrait of Guthrie holding his guitar with the inscription “This Machine Kills Fascists”. The front of the stage was adorned with a pair of skull vases with rose bouquets. Brennan’s piano and Matt Kelly’s drum kit also had skull and flower arrangements. Also present were a number of religious items. Floor lights shone upwards on a pair of large crucifixes and a couple of Madonna statues. It was an interesting juxtaposition to the way the country is moving away from a religious-based society. It’s not my position to surmise the reason for the stage embellishments. It’s certainly fair to say, Dropkick Murphys have never bowed to outside pressures. They are true to themselves and their beliefs. That’s what keeps their fans loyal and constantly returning to their live shows.

As the tour has just started, many of you will have a chance to see this unique Dropkick Murphys concert experience. See below for dates and hopefully, there will still be tickets available for you.