By Madeline Kerins
Quite possibly the best way to describe the relationship between the Dropkick Murphys and their fans is that of a sports team and its most loyal fans. It could be the way they chant “Let’s go Murphys!” at the top of their lungs in anticipation for the band’s set. It could also be how on any given night, in any given city, the fans in the crowd are dressed from head to toe in orange, green, white; emblazoned with shamrocks, tattoo flash and looking as if they could be transposed onto the streets of New York City for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. The energy level at a Dropkick Murphys show never fails to disappoint; the endorphins begin to rush as soon as their signature opening song, a rendition of “The Foggy Dew” plays, much an entrance song for a team about to take the field or the court. And for a band that has such a love and adoration for the teams of their hometown, Boston, they would probably find the comparison endearing.
For their first return to New York City since this year’s World Series, the Dropkick Murphys received more than a cordial welcome, selling out all three of their consecutive Irving Plaza shows. With New York fans hungry for Irish punk rock, it’s needless to say that the first show was absolute insanity. Openers Icepick, Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed’s latest venture, met mixed feedback from the fans. Following Icepick was H2O, a New York “hardcore” band who worked the crowd but knew that they could never attain their undivided attention-the Guinnesses had absorbed itself and only the sound of bagpipes could revive them from their Extra Stout comas.
As the band took the stage, they plunged right into their traditional opener, “For Boston,” also the theme song of the Boston Bruins. One thing fans seem to love about Dropkick Murphys is that while their setlist constantly changes and adapts to new albums, singles and events, there are certain staples that every show begins and ends with. The main set list, which lasted about 40 minutes, spanned their almost 10 year career as a band, ranging from 1996 to brand new tracks appearing on their upcoming album. They prepared a montage of Red Sox footage to accompany their last single, “Tessie,” and despite the crowd’s diverse composition-Red Sox, Mets and Yankees fans-it went over well.
Dropkick Murphys have never been shy about reaching out to their fans and making them feel a part of the “family.” Even though their popularity and fan base have expanded exponentially in the past few years, the Dropkick Murphys have managed to maintain a close knit relationship with all their fans. So when a fallen U.S. soldier’s last request was to have the Dropkick Murphys perform at his funeral, they not only obliged but recorded a brand new version of his request-“Fields of Athenry.” The old Irish folk song, which the Murphys have recorded and covered live thousands of times, took on a much more solemn and somber tone when performed this time around.
After recovering from some hidden shed tears, the Dropkick Murphys tore their loyalists through several more tracks before calling all women onto the stage for “Spicy McHaggis Jig,” a lovingly satirical tribute to the Dropkick Murphys’ late bagpipe player. The girls remained on the stage for a final jaunt before the encore, “Kiss Me I’m Shitfaced;” the crowd mimicked their actions as all of Irving Plaza linked shoulders and embraced the exaggerations that often come along with having one pint too many.
Finally, after a brief break, the Murphys returned for one last explosion, their traditional encore of “Boys on the Docks”, “T.N.T,” and “Skinhead On The MBTA.” With half the crowd onstage, guitarist Mark Orell on the shoulders of one fan, and lead vocalist Al Barr on top of the audience, Dropkick Murphys partied their way back into the New York fans who love them so.
The Dropkick Murphys played an energetic Irish punk rock show at Irving Plaza.