Dropkick Murphys

By Katheryn Harrington

Wow, what a night at Paristown Hall! First off, this was not my first time seeing Dropkick Murphys, so I already knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. As per usual, Dropkick Murphys brought their brand of Irish-Bostonian-punk thunder, and Paristown Hall was packed with a sea of fans wearing a good mix of green Ireland t-shirts and patch jackets, as well as the unmistakable combo of machine fog and vape clouds swirling in the air, almost giving the lovely appearance of a light Irish mist.

As soon as “If the Kids Are United” kicked in, the lights dipped, and the crowd was absolutely in sync, as any true group of punk fans would have been. Things really kicked into high gear when “The Boys Are Back” hit the speakers, nobody was chill after that. Lead singer Ken Casey and banjo wizard Jeff DaRosa kept bouncing between the stage and the platform in front of the crowd, sharing the mic with eager fans.

And speaking of no chill, Ken Casey got the circle pit rolling with “Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight,” which led to two heroic souls shielding my cameras amidst the chaos as I grabbed photos of the crowd-thanks, gentlemen!

A full-blown Irish party erupted when they covered “The Irish Rover.” I even saw a few folks dance a jig in front of me. But the highlight of the night? Hands down, Ken Casey starting a ladies’ mosh pit during “Rose Tattoo”. Many of us in that pit actually had rose tattoos and waved them around as we moshed.

The moment came many had been waiting for, when those first few notes of the banjo began to play “Shipping Up to Boston.” Phones hit the air, voices soared, and the entire crowd chorused back, “I lost my leg!” It was chaotic and fantastic, and all in all, it was a wild night of shenanigans, great music and great fans. If you haven’t caught Dropkick Murphys in concert, I can’t recommend them more.