Singalongs, Sweat, and Solidarity: Dropkick Murphys Blow the Roof Off
What a night!
As the last strains of Sham 69’s ‘The Kids Are United’ gave way to Yma o Hyd, the lights dimmed and the packed Great Hall of Alexandra Palace came alive as Dropkick Murphys, bathed in green light, exploded onto the stage and proceeded to blow the roof off with a set packed full of Celtic energy, punk passion and politics.
‘Captain Kelly’s Kitchen’, ‘The Boys Are Back’ and ‘Prisoner’s Song’ were the perfect openers and saw the crowd lose their minds as pits formed and the surfing started.
Lead singer Ken Casey had the audience in the palm of his hand from the off as he sang from the barrier and engaged with the mass choir in front of him, even holding his mic out to those near him.
It seemed that every single person there knew every word of every song, and it made for a fantastic atmosphere.
Fan favourite ‘(F)lannigan’s Ball’ kept the energy up and the moshing going, while union song ‘Which Side Are You On?’, the first of a handful of covers, left no-one in any doubt as to where their politics lie – as if they didn’t already know! The political messages kept coming with Casey calling Elon Musk, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu the “three biggest c***s in the world”. Cue another gigantic roar from the crowd.
Dropkick Murphys showed us just what incredible musicians they are as they blasted through a career-defining set that included highlights such as ‘The Warrior’s Code’, ‘Bastards on Parade’, ‘Rose Tattoo’ and a spectacular singalong in ‘The Irish Rover’.
Tim Brennan and Jeff DaRosa cycled through an impressive number of instruments including guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo and accordion while Matt Kelly locked everyone in from behind the kit.
As the gig drew to a close, with ‘I’m Shipping Up To Boston’ and ‘Until the Next Time’, – which saw Casey once again at the barrier, fist-bumping the front rows – the Ali Pali crowd know they had witnessed something special.
In these turbulent political times, it does one good to jump around, sing along and feel solidarity with a large group of people, and the Dropkick Murphy’s provided the perfect soundtrack.
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Singalongs, Sweat, and Solidarity: Dropkick Murphys Blow the Roof Off @ RockNews
