Saint Patrick’s Day weekends mean several things to those in Boston, corned beef, Guinness Stout, and most important, The Dropkick Murphys are in town! The weekend festivities include four days of shows with various opening acts changing from day to day. Saturday has the bands playing a midday show and then the House of Blues hosts a boxing match in the evening which is promoted by Murphys Boxing, founded by DKM’s Ken Casey in 2014. During the match The Murphys play an acoustic set to the delight of all.
This year’s matinee show was opened by the British Oi! band Blood & Glory. For the uninitiated, British Oi! is a sub-genre of punk which tries to bring together punks, skinheads, and other working-class youth. While some Oi! bands have been associated with hate and racism, Booze & Glory are anti-racist but don’t overly broadcast politics their music. Formed in 2009, Blood & Glory have released 4 full albums and several EPs with their latest album, Chapter lV being released in 2017. The band put on a high energy performance which got the already enthusiastic crowd frenzied. Bassist Chema Zurita bounced around on stage and called for the audience to form a circle pit aka rotating mosh pit for the uninitiated. Of course, the audience complied which fueled the already fervent band. As they were the first band, their set was not lengthy which left their fans, both old and new-found, longing for more. As this is their 10th anniversary, keep your eyes out for more tour dates to come.
The Devil Makes Three were next up and they took the show in a different, but enjoyable, direction. The Devil Makes Three is an Americana style band featuring a stand-up bass and banjo which gives them a backwoods folky feel. They played a set with more up-tempo songs than a standard folk band might play but that was no doubt a product of “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” The crowd responded favorably to the prolific band. Formed in 2002, they have released 8 albums which include 2 live recordings. They released their latest, Chains Are Broken, in the Fall of 2018. In April, they will be joining the Dropkick Murphys on their tour of Ireland and the UK then performing several nights in Europe before heading back to traverse the US. Make sure you catch them as their songs are thoughtful both vocally and instrumentally.
Finally came the moment the sold-out House of Blues was waiting for, The Dropkick Murphys hit the stage! For the uninitiated, there is nothing like a Dropkick Murphys performance but when you get to see them on their home turf of Boston, you are witnessing something magical. For over twenty years DKM has been performing their Celtic punk for their loving hometown fans and returning home at the end of a tour rejuvenates the boys like a shot of adrenaline in the arm. The stage was dark, then the lights lit up Jeff DaRosa as he walked out alone, playing his banjo to the beginning of The State of Massachusetts and the crowd roared. The rest of the band came charging out and there was no turning back, the party had begun in earnest!!! Next up was their song “The Boys Are Back”, and their loyal fans were indeed grateful that they had returned.
Their set consisted of a good mix of songs throughout their history. When they play 4 days in a row, they are careful to not repeat too many of the songs as many fans are there for all four shows. There were a few cover songs mixed into their set that afternoon. Hearing the Murphys’ take on other peoples’ songs is always something special. They covered the Pete St John song, “Fields of Athenry” which tells the tale of an Irishman during the Great Irish Famine in the 1840s who is sent to Botany Bay penal colony for stealing corn to feel his family. A very powerful tale of heartache and lost love. Others that were covered were “Peg O’ My Heart”, The Pogues’ “Body of an American” and rousing rendition of the Boston anthem, “Dirty Water” by the Standells.
The show had several familiar sights for those who have seen the DKM spectacle before. During several songs, a troupe of Irish Step Dancers came out on stage to perform with the band. Adorned in black with red sashes, these young ladies always give the show a wonderful Celtic flare. Also familiar is the great stage invasion that takes place at the end of the show. A large number of fans storm the stage to sing with the band who they’ve come to feel like kindred spirits with. Confetti drops on the free-for-all as many pull out their phones to take the inevitable on-stage selfies with band members and other fans.
If you have never seen a Boston performance by the Dropkick Murphys do yourself a favor and make it a point to do so in 2020. It’s more than a mere concert! Words can’t fully describe the feel of the crowd and they love they have for DKM. Top that off with the obvious excitement that the band has when they play across the street from the grand lady of major league baseball, Fenway Park, and you have something you’ll want to repeat over and over and over.
Photos and review by Rich Russo
Boston House Of Blues Set List 3/16/2019
- The State of Massachusetts
- The Boys Are Back
- Sunshine Highway
- Going Out In Style
- God Willing
- Curse of a Fallen Soul
- Upstarts and Broken Hearts
- The Gang’s All Here
- Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya
- Blood
- Buried Alive
- The Gauntlet
- The Fields of Athenry
- Barroom Hero
- Peg O’ My Heart
- Time to Go
- Tessie
- Rose Tattoo
- Good Rats
- Your Spirit’s Alive
- Out of Our Heads
- Dirty Water
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