Music

Dropkick Murphys turn London a deeper shade of green

There really is no punk rock party like a Dropkick Murphys party as the Boston seven-piece blow the roof off the O2 Academy Brixton.

The chanting of  “Let’s go, Dropkicks!” fills the room at London’s O2 Academy Brixton. The crowd is fired up and ready to, largely thanks to firecrackers performances by supports Skinny Lister and Slapshot. And when the drums kick off there’s no holding back the energy that’s unleashed on the venue as it is drowned in green. With the Dropkicks’ recently released album 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory it comes as no surprise The Lonesome Boatman features as their opening song. But it does its job well. More than well. The celtic serenading tin-whistle and intense drums set the scene for the show, only to be topped by the song’s catchy choral melody. And we’re off.

With nearly two hours full of anthemic tunes and celtic punk rock, the Dropkick Murphys prove once again why they’re one of the best around. Each song is filled with stories of friendship, drinking and Boston, their home. And all that cloaked in Irish togetherness and a few traditional Irish songs, I Had A Hat and The Wild Rover.

The Dropkicks are known for their stage parties and tonight is no exception. For the encore the stage quickly fills with die-hard fans, band shirts and signs included, and the party finds its climax with The Boys Are Back, Kiss Me I’m Shitfaced and Skinhead On The MBTA. Front man Ken Casey effortlessly makes the nearly five thousand cap venue feel like a small pub gathering with friends.

And they send the crowd on their merry way with Until The Next Time’s “we all had a good time and we’re sad to see it end”. It couldn’t be more true this evening. One thing’s for sure, after more than twenty years the punk rockers from Quincy show no sign of slowing down and we can’t wait for them to come back to London town. Until next time, boys!

Be the first to know when Dropkick Murphys are back in town by adding them to your favourites on Ticketmaster.co.uk.