Three Rock Veterans On Tour Together

Three bands with a total of 77 years of existence are on the road together and they are just as energetic as ever! Dropkick Murphys, Clutch, and Hatebreed are traversing the highways and byways of the US. They are bringing America a conglomeration of music genres that appeal to all. The music is diverse making the audience equally as diverse. Headbangers, hard rock enthusiasts, and Celtic punk fans are all brought together under one roof. Music Madness attended the opening night of this incredible tour at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Mass.

Amigo The Devil opens this tour. His sardonic wit and biting humor make for an interesting start to any show. ATD is a solo act who accompanies himself with either guitar or banjo. Yes, I said banjo. His banjo playing is not like that of the great banjo pickers such as Earl Scruggs or Ralph Stanley. He strums it as if it were a guitar rather than picking it giving the instrument a different twist. His lyrics are often dark while being humorous and often heartbreaking. “I Hope Your Husband Dies” is a tale of a love for a woman married to a less than favorable person. While gut wrenching in it’s delivery, it takes Amigo the Devil to put it in a way that brings out a smile through the tears.

Up next came Connecticut’s kings of metalcore, Hatebreed. Those who are familiar with Hatebreed know that this is their 25th year in the business. Those in attendance who weren’t familiar with them would not have guessed their longevity was that great. Singer Jamey Jasta looks and moves like a man half his 42 years of age. His constant smile was infectious. The rest of the band didn’t move about as Jamey did but they worked just as hard. The set was short but it contained a good cross section from the band’s lengthy history.

Jamey mentioned how happy he was to have his band on tour with Dropkick Murphys and Clutch because that’s the only way they could play in most of Massachusetts. The band has been banned in most of the state due to a common misconception that they incite riots amongst their fans. A mosh pit formed during their set but there was no out of the ordinary violence. Moshers were certainly well behaved. The band certainly encouraged the pit with both actions and their music but never did they encourage pushing the boundaries. Let’s hope the bans are lifted soon so the Connecticut rockers can play in their neighboring state!

The longest running band on the tour took the stage next. Clutch is a 29 year veteran hard rock band out of Maryland. Like Hatebreed’s Jasta, Clutch’s lead singer Neil Patrick Fallon defies his age. He prowls the stage in a sometimes animated manner and growls fiercely as he does. Many in the crowd were in attendance to see Clutch and their roars made that point clear. Clutch responded to being placed between Hatebreed and Dropkick Murphys with an all out wall of sound. From the opening strains of “Passive Restraints” to the closing notes of “Electric Worry” both the band’s and their loyal faithful’s energy level remained high. Clutch won over those who were there to see other bands without a doubt. Their professionalism and hard edged sound made it tough to not be won over!

Up next were the local favorites. Boston’s Celtic punk rockers, Dropkick Murphys are the youngest band on the tour logging in a “mere” 23 years as a band. DKM might be the most widely known band on the tour thanks to National Anthem appearances during some key Boston Red Sox games and having their song, “Shipping Up To Boston” featured in the blockbuster movie, “The Departed”. After a brief instrumental, “Cadence To Arms” they hit the stage with “The Boys Are Back” and it was clear that they were ready to rock. Once again, Ken Casey has turned over bass guitar duties to longtime stage tech, Kevin Rheault. This allows Casey to roam freely with fellow singer Al Barr. Both of them love their fans as they frequently hop off the stage and stand at the rail and deliver vocals as their adoring fans sing along.

Their opening night set was full of songs that are standard fair to many of their shows. However, there were a couple of surprises that they pulled out of their hat. They performed a killer Clash-like version of the Bobby Fuller Four classic, “I Fought the Law”. They also paid tribute to another longtime Boston favorite, The Cars. The band dedicated their song “Just What I Needed” to the late great singer, Ric Ocasek. Missing from the set was their encores of “Kiss Me I’m Sh*t Faced” and “Skinhead on the MTBA”. Fear not, their legendary stage invasion still took place. A crowd of loyal fans hoped up onto the stage to end the show to a rousing version of “Until Next Time”.

This tour is and epic collection of amazing bands and it is not to be missed! It runs through October 15th and ends in Seattle, Washington.

For tour dates, click here —- DKM Tour Clutch Tour Hatebreed Tour