Article & photos by: Linda Carlson
Cincinnati, OH – It’s March! February is in the rearview mirror, and Spring is just a few weeks away. There’s a sense of optimism, a feeling that a turn for the better is approaching. What’s a terrific way to feed into that spirit? An evening with the rowdy, lively Dropkick Murphys, of course!
This Massachusetts band masterfully brings Irish elements to rousing rock ‘n roll. Yes, this is a band that successfully incorporates instruments like the accordion and banjo into a complex layering of heartbeat-generating songs, one after the next. And the on-stage energy is infectious.
Dropkick Murphys is Ken Casey (lead vocals), Tim Brennan (guitars, tin whistle, accordion, piano, vocals), Jeff DaRosa (guitars, banjo, mandolin, vocals), Matt Kelly (drums, percussion, and vocals), James Lynch (guitars and vocals) and Kevin Rheault (bass).
An elevated platform set up in front of the stage allowed band members to come right up to the crowd, which they did frequently. Casey approached to fist-bump fans a number of times, and DaRosa gave invigorating performances with a gigantic smile, up close and personal.
Casey spoke frequently to the fans. He asked the Cincinnati crowd whether they were on the side of the working people before performing “Which Side Are You On?” Midway through the set, Casey worked the crowd up again, saying that at that moment it felt like the band was performing in a living room – things were too quiet! The crowd responded with cheers and things certainly got more lively.
The band’s boisterous set is below:
- Captain Kelly’s Kitchen
- The Boys Are Back
- Prisoner’s Song
- Blood
- (F)lannigan’s Ball
- Which Side Are You On? (The Almanac Singers cover)
- The Bonny (Gerry Cinnamon cover)
- A Few Good Men
- Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya
- Middle Finger
- The Wild Rover ([traditional] cover)
- Barroom Hero
- The Hardest Mile
- Smash Shit Up
- Good as Gold
- Out of Our Heads
- It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll) (AC/DC cover)
- Rose Tattoo
- The State of Massachusetts
- The Irish Rover (Joseph M. Crofts cover)
- Dig a Hole
- I’m Shipping Up to Boston
- Worker’s Song
The band promotes their charity fundraiser (www.claddaghfund.org), which, according to their website, grants funds to “charitable organizations that champion the needs of children, veterans and individuals suffering from alcohol and drug addiction.” Consider checking out the website and making a donation.
Two openers warmed the crowd. First on stage was Wyoming punk rock band Teenage Bottlerocket, formed in 2000 by twin brothers Ray (vocals, guitar) and Brandon Carlisle. Joining the band early on were Kody Templeman (guitar) and Miguel Chen (bass), with Darren Chewka (drums) coming on board in 2016 following the untimely death of Brandon.
More punk followed with The Menzingers, from Scranton, Pennsylvania. The band has had a consistent lineup since its 2006 inception, which is quite a feat, with Greg Barnett (vocals, guitar), Tom May (vocals, guitar), Eric Keen (bass) and Joe Godino (drums). With eight studio albums under their belt, the band is currently promoting their latest, Some Of It Was True, released in 2023.
This tour leg ends, appropriately, on March 17 (Saint Patrick’s Day, of course). Check the band’s website for stops near you, or for upcoming shows as they are announced.
Check the image carousel below for more photos from the night’s performances!