Concert Reviews
“This weekend makes us a better band because we have to play so many songs. Thanks for giving a s—t.”
Dropkick Murphys, with The Vigilantes, Haywire, and Showcase Showdown, at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, March 13, 2026.
Dropkick Murphys once again came in swinging Friday night, kicking off a rollicking weekend of pedal-to-the-metal shows celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.
Reveling in the glory of their 30th anniversary and yet another weekend of St. Paddy’s Day shenanigans, the band wasted no time in getting things going. With three openers under their belts already, the crowd was raring to go as frontman Ken Casey launched into the opening lines of “Barroom Hero.”
The crowd’s intensity might have come as a bit of a shock to a less-experienced group, but Dropkick Murphys are about as seasoned as Boston-based performers get. Pouncing on the explosive energy, they barreled right into fan favorites such as “The State of Massachusetts” and “The Boys are Back.”
MGM Music Hall at Fenway has been the home turf for the band’s St. Patrick’s Day concerts for a few years now, and Friday’s show proved that it’s a stage they’re fully comfortable on. Casey once again proved his mastery at keeping a rowdy crowd together, leaping out onto the stage extensions and leaning in to sing along with fans.
Looking back on three decades as a band, Dropkick Murphys gave time in the spotlight to songs old and new. This included a run of three back-to-back tracks — “Caught in a Jar,” “Boys on the Docks,” and “Never Alone” — from their 1998 album “Do or Die.”
“This weekend makes us a better band because we have to play so many songs,” Casey said. “Thanks for giving a s—t.”
It was also during this run that Casey foreshadowed the more overt politics that came into full force in the second half of the band’s set. Dropkick Murphys have always been vocal, especially about their support for immigrants, but the past year’s crackdown from the Trump administration has only amplified their response.
“I wanna send this one out to the children and grandchildren of immigrant parents,” Casey said before launching into “Boys on the Docks.”
The band then paid tribute to fellow Boston-based punk band The Trouble with a cover of their song “This One’s For You.” Perhaps playing a string of older songs left Dropkick Murphys reminiscing, but that sentimentality didn’t last long.
“There’s a dementia-ridden pedophile in office starting wars,” Casey bellowed. “F–k that!”
Casey’s cries prompted an eruption of cheers from the audience as his bandmates catapulted into “Who’ll Stand With Us?,” the lead track off the latest Dropkick Murphys album, “For the People.” The band first debuted the song during last year’s St. Patrick’s Day shows and gave it the acoustic treatment soon after at Boston’s “Hands Off!” rally in April 2025.
In keeping with past years, union member and Lizzie Borden and the Axes frontwoman Heather Fahey joined Casey on stage to perform “The Dirty Glass” as a duet. Fahey’s appearance revealed just how many crowd members had been at past St. Patrick’s Day shows, and fans who recognized her gave a hearty welcome.
“Forever” made space for a rare solemn moment in an otherwise bombastic set. However, Casey seemed to understand that these moments being so few is what makes them so precious.
“We weren’t planning on playing this one, but y’all look like a bunch of sensitive bastards. And someone requested it,” he joked.
As any seasoned Dropkick Murphys fan would know, moments like these are typically the calm before the storm. “Forever” was no exception, as it was immediately followed by “Citizen I.C.E.,” a fiery protest against U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“It’s time to wake up, Boston!” Casey called. “F–k ICE!”
The song is an updated version of their 2005 track “Citizen C.I.A.” and was released earlier this year to protest the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. The band bolted through the blistering cut as the song’s lyrics and footage of ICE arrests played behind them on stage.
At barely over a minute in length, the breakneck speed and raucous chanting made it the hardest-rocking song of the night. Being joined on stage by Austin Sparkman, frontman of the Boston-based hardcore punk band Haywire, certainly helped.
“Citizen I.C.E.” is the lead single from “New England Forever,” a split EP by Dropkick Murphys and Haywire. It officially releases on streaming March 17, but it was available early on vinyl at Dropkick Murphys shows starting Feb. 9.
The band squeezed in a few more fan favorites to close out their main set, including “Rose Tattoo” and “Worker’s Song,” but the rapid pace of some songs left them with extra time on their hands. To make sure they used every minute they had, they added a live debut of “Only the Strong” from “New England Forever” to the start of their encore.
Though fans seemed to enjoy “Only the Strong” enough, there was a sense that they would’ve preferred to hear one of the classics that got left on the table, such as “Tessie” or “Kiss Me, I’m Sh-tfaced.” While Dropkick Murphys shouldn’t hesitate to play new material, one of those tracks would’ve certainly hit harder, especially in Boston on St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
After that, it was time for the anthem everyone had been waiting for. Two decades after it became Dropkick Murphys’ biggest hit, “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” still fires up crowds like no other song.
While it would have been a perfect closer, the show didn’t end there. The band made sure to go out with a bang by playing “The Big Man,” a song practically made for moshing.
“Let’s get that circle going!” Casey shouted as the crowd released the last of its pent-up chaotic energy.
Once again, Dropkick Murphys proved that they know Boston crowds like no other and kicked off the weekend in fine style. With four more shows on the way this weekend, Friday’s performance showed that the band still has local loyalty at a time when Boston needs it most.
Dropkick Murphys were led in by an all-star lineup of Boston-based punk bands, including The Vigilantes, Haywire, and Showcase Showdown. Each band built on the next and perfectly set the tone for the night.
The Vigilantes and Showcase Showdown, both underground acts from the 1990s, came out of retirement after decades to support Dropkick Murphys. Haywire, on the other hand, is a much newer act, but they certainly had the chops to stand alongside the others.
Setlist for Dropkick Murphys at MGM Music Hall at Fenway, March 13, 2026
- Barroom Hero
- The State of Massachusetts
- Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding
- The Boys Are Back
- Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya
- The Gang’s All Here
- Pipebomb on Lansdowne
- Caps and Bottles
- Caught in a Jar
- Boys on the Docks
- Never Alone
- This One’s For You (The Trouble cover)
- Which Side Are You On? (The Almanac Singers cover)
- Who’ll Stand With Us?
- The Dirty Glass
- God Willing
- Forever
- Citizen I.C.E.
- The Men Behind the Wire (The Barleycorn cover)
- Rose Tattoo
- Worker’s Song
Encore
- Only the Strong (Live debut)
- I’m Shipping Up to Boston
- The Big Man
Dropkick Murphys return to MGM Music Hall March 14 and 15; and play House of Blues, March 17. More details at dropkickmurphys.com.
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