It is a Boston tradition to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day bigger and better than anywhere else in the United States. So, to help kick off the festival-filled weekend were the legendary Dropkick Murphys. The Quincy, Massachusetts, natives grew up just 27 miles south of Boston. To celebrate the holiday, the punk band opened their first of four shows at the MGM Music Hall in Fenway.
Dubbed the “For The People…In The Pit” St. Patrick’s Day Tour, saw the band play 27 dates. The Dropkick Murphys were joined by support acts Aggrolites and Haywire. But for the Friday, March 13, show, the bill was stacked with Haywire, The Showcase Showdown and The Vigilantes. Fans of the punk rock scene in Boston knew right off the bat that this show was special. All four bands had ties to the Boston and greater Boston music scene.
The Vigilantes kicked off the show first. Singer Jasper McGandy strutted out and stated, “We are The Vigilantes and we are from Watertown, Massachusetts.” The crowd clapped with thunderous applause. The Vigilantes had the shortest set of the night, but they made the most of the time they had. They carried their punk attitude from the moment they started the first song, “Only Way,” until their last, “Together Forever.”
The Dropkick Murphys deployed a catwalk at the front of the barricade that McGandy used to his advantage. He set the tone for the other acts. He walked all over it and allowed the fans to sing some of their favorite tunes. During their second-to-last song, “Where Eagles Dare,” McGandy accidentally unplugged his microphone. Despite that hiccup, the rest of the band plunged on and put on a terrific first set.
The Vigilantes Are:
Jasper McGandy – Lead Vocals
Fernando Strohmeyer – Lead Guitar/Background Vocals
Jeff DaRosa – Bass Guitar/Background Vocals
Patt Melzard – Drums
Setlist:
1. Only Way
2. Outlive You
3. No Destiny
4. Another Stranger
5. Tragic Tale
6. Too Old To Work
7. To You, My Friends
8. Where Eagles Dare
9. Together Forever
Up next on the bill was Haywire. This band was the newest of all four, having formed two years ago. When the band took the stage, they were accompanied by “Sweet Caroline,” blasting over the speakers. Singer Austin Sparkman picked up where McGandy left off but took it to a whole new level. Sparkman ran, jumped, leaped and sprinted all across the stage, leaving no stone unturned. While Sparkman was all over the stage, the other band members all stayed put near their microphones. The interesting thing about the band is that they’re so new and are so underrated and underground; not much is known about the band members, except for Austin Sparkman and guitarist Tommy Hines. The bass player, the other guitarist and the drummer are still fairly new to the band.
Setlist:
1. Haywire
2. Summer Nights
3. Boston Boot Boys
4. Poser Disposer
5. Clocktower Place
6. New England Forever
7. Love Song
8. Always By My Side
The third act of the show was a special one for fans. For the first time in 26 years, Showcase Showdown took to the stage for a one-off reunion show. Their careers weren’t as glamorous as some of their counterparts. They only lasted for about seven years from 1993 to 2000. But, as they took to the stage, the audience appreciated these legends of punk returning to the stage for one night only.
From the moment that the quartet plugged in and played, you could tell how appreciated they were for this moment. For the moment to play for a massive audience, past their prime and still have fans sing, mosh and crowd surf to their music. Despite taking a 26-year hiatus, the band was still tight and in rare form. The band took one last photo together and declared, “We will see you again in 2085.”
Showcase Showdown Is:
Albert Genna – Lead Vocals
Victoria Arthur – Bass Guitar / Background Vocals
Steve Maxwell – Drums
Tom Cloherty – Guitar / Background Vocals
Setlist:
1. Duty Free
2. They Saved George The Third’s Brain
3. Ancient Chinese Secret
4. Fat Actor
5. Bob Barker Is Innocent
6. Bombs Away!
7. Bouffant Headbutt (Shampoo Cover)
8. Police, Police
9. 213
10. Oi Oi Deacon
11. Rip ‘Em Off
12. Merry Christmas I Fu**ed Your Snowman
13. Tonight, Tonight
14. Another Emergency
3. F**k You, Norway
By 9:30 p.m., there was a noticeable anticipation in the air. The hometown crowd had been waiting up to three and a half hours since the doors opened for their local heroes to lay siege next to the legendary Fenway Park. The minute the houselights dimmed, the energy in the theater rose, and the minute Campbell Webster blew into his bagpipes, the crowd went crazy.
This was not the first time fans had a look at lead singer Ken Casey. During Haywire’s set, Casey came out to perform a duo with Sparkman. But, fans had reacted as if they had not seen the Massachusetts native in a very long time.
What makes Casey a gentleman is that throughout the night, he would help fans who were body surfing get out of the crowd, safely on the opposite side of the barrier and even let them sing a verse or two. Throughout the night, Casey commanded his microphone like a septor while the catwalks at the front of the stage were his thrones. There’s a great intimate feeling between how close the band gets to their fans and allows them to be part of the show.
At one point, the band stopped in between songs to recognize and thank all the union members who helped put this show on. It was a beautiful moment of recognition from the band. Also, throughout the night, the band took time to reminisce on old concert venues they used to play and help fans stroll down the memory lane of 30 years. That created another intimate moment as the band recognized some of the diehard fans who had been with them from the beginning.
It would not be a Dropkick Murphy’s show without the band playing fan favorites like “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” “Rose Tattoo,” and “The Boys Are Back.” But, they also unveiled newer tunes like “Citizen I.C.E” and “Who’ll Stand With Us?” These songs are off their new record. These songs were also greeted with open arms from the audience, who also raised their fists with the band.
When the band was wrapping up their set, there was an intense anticipation of “I’m Shipping Up To Boston.” Casey called it “A song you all might know,” which got the fans screaming. Casey and the rest of the band didn’t even need to yell the chorus; the crowd was loud enough. Hearing a song that is so closely tied to a city and community, in the very city it was written about, will always be bone-chilling and spectacular to hear.
It will be hard for the band to top Friday’s show. Friday marks the first of four shows in Boston. The Dropkick Murphys are Boston’s band and the hometown crowd on Friday welcomed them back in a huge way. The sold-out show signaled three things: St. Patrick’s Day has hit the city, spring is coming and the spirit of punk and rock and roll is alive and well.
The Dropkick Murphys Are:
Ken Casey – Lead vocals
Tim Brennan – Guitars / Tin Whistle / Accordion / Piano / Vocals
Jeff DaRosa – Guitars / Banjo / Mandolin / Vocals
Matt Kelly – Drums / Percussion / Vocals
James Lynch – Guitars / Vocals
Kevin Rheault – Bass Guitar
Campbell Webster – Bagpipes / Uilleann Pipes
Setlist:
1. Barrom Hero
2. The State of Massachusetts
3. Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding
4. The Boys Are Back
5. Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya
6. The Gang’s All Here
7. Pipebomb on Landsowne
8. Caps and Bottles
9. Caught In a Jar
10. Boys on the Docks
11. Never Alone
12. This One’s for You (The Trouble Cover)
13. Which Side Are You On? (The Almanac Singers Cover)
14. Who’ll Stand With Us?
15. The Dirty Glass
16. God Willing
17. Forever
18. Citizen I.C.E
19. The Man Behind the Wire (The Barleycorn Cover)
20. Rose Tattoo
21. Worker’s Song
22. Only The Strong
23. I’m Shipping Up To Boston
24. I’m The Big Man
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in the Boston, Massachusetts area. I am always looking for the next concert to attend.