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Concert Thu Mar 13 2008
Review: Dropkick Murphys @ Congress Theater
Hey Chicago, are you Irish? Catholic? A fervent soldier of all things punk? If so, there's is no question you were at the Dropkick Murphys show last night at the Congress Theater. Dropkick has been tearing the roof off Chicago for upwards of 12 years now, and by the looks of it many of their fans have been right there with them along the way. This all goes in to the proof for one basic fact about the Dropkick Murphys: They are very, very good at what they do.
Openers Big D and the Kids Table enjoyed a good time despite the slight clash between Big D and Dropkick fans in the pits. While the poor, skinny ska kids tried earnestly to skank in circle pits, they were more often than not quickly knocked to the side by a spinning, flailing, beer-belly looking for a hardcore mosh. Mild territorial conflicts aside, only a few bruised noses could not prevent the kids from enjoying the brass-colored, feel-good tunes of Big D.
The Dropkick Murpheys started out with an intense energy that refused to die down. Filling it with a solid collections of songs, a majority from the later eras of the band, as well as promotions for their new album, The Meanest of Times, released this week, the band met their Guinness-filled fans with a mastery that was complete punk rock. Likewise, the pits never stopped moving and the audience showed their thanks for this early St. Patrick's day celebration with fist pumping and crowd rocking. Just another sold-out show for the Murphys on this tour that is scheduled to end on the ultimate St. Patrick's Day show in Boston, the band pulled out a bagpipe brigade for holiday treat, and irish step dancing never seemed so hardcore until an act of irish step dancers accompanied one of the most enthusiastic songs of the night, "Shipping Out to Boston". Fans rushed the stage for the last song of the encore and it was impossible to escape the feeling of such a communal celebration of music. The 12-year relationship demonstrated at it's finest last night goes to show that not only are the fans 100% into the show experience, but the Dropkick Murphys are there 100% for their fans.
