Dropkick Murphys hit the stage at Alexandra Palace, and it was fucking rowdy from the start. I was drenched in thrown beer as the pit formed immediately, no questions asked. There was no fucking around trying to arch a look over the crowd and see where it was getting a bit violent. No, none of that. It was right down to business, and it felt good.
Dropkick Murphys
Alexandra Palace, London – 8 February 2025
Words: Theo A-Mullis
Photography: Antonio Giannattsio
Appropriately, they dove into The Boys Are Back, a great, raucous anthem. Some neo-Nazi group tried to use this song once, and the band not only offered to beat the notion out of them, but conveniently gave the deluded fascists a time and place.
That defiance against what is fucked in the world, be it Nazi scum, bastard billionaires or uncaring politicians is the essence of Dropkick Murphys, and it is felt right from the start of their set. If you don’t like it, the doors are large and well-marked. 
Prisoner’s Song was up, and it felt like the entire crowd knew the lyrics, as beer-soaked shouting in my ear was the way. This pit was wild, but it was damn near impossible to find the edge. I popped out for a breather, only to find myself body-checked into last week by a six-foot-eight giant. Ahh, well, such is life.
Of course, I had to dive back in for the cacophonous anthem (F)lannigan’s Ball. This is clearly a favourite, as the circle pit, while it could be defined as such, was a chaotic jumble of bodies and the occasional brave soul two-stepping on the world’s slippiest floor. The pit etiquette was solid as people looked out for each other. 
Into Union hymn Which Side Are You On? I was beginning to get the vibe that there was no one here to whom this band was new. There was anger in the crowd that matched the lyrics of the track. It really came to the fore as the crowd roared, “Will you be a lousy Scab?! Or will you be a man?!”
Lead singer Ken Casey spent almost the entire gig on the fence, leaning out into the crowd. It seemed he wanted to see everyone, to share the briefest connection, fist-bump and sing through the chorus. He would offer to mic to anyone who looked like they could belt it out. Going Out In Style clearly got a chunk of crowd-surfers up.
My favourite moment of the set had to be Ken Casey dedicating a track to the “three biggest c***s in the world – Elon Musk, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.” Damn fucking straight, although it could have been done with Vladimir Putin – I would not want him to feel left out.
This moment dove into the soul of Dropkick Murphys music: solidarity, protest and mischief. 
Other standouts were fan favourites The State Of Massachusetts, Rose Tattoo, and Worker’s Song, tales of loss, love and solidarity sung with Dropkick’s signature rowdiness. This does not take away from the emotional impact of their songs.
In State Of Massachusetts’s tragedy of loss and pain, Rose Tattoos’ story of lost love and Worker’s Song’s angry lament at the state of class struggle, Dropkick has an almost unique ability to make you feel the gravity of the lyrics while you shout them like a football chant. 
By the end, after recovering from the beating the pit gave me in I’m Shipping Up To Boston, I was sore and I was happy. I felt like I was in a hall of brothers, sisters, comrades and friends.
In today’s grim times, I really needed that.
Dropkick Murphys’ St. Patrick’s Day 2025 Tour kicks off February 26, 2025, in Huntington, New York and wraps with four Boston, Massachusetts, hometown shows on March 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2025.
Dropkick Murphys have chosen The Menzingers and Teenage Bottlerocket as support for most dates, with varying lineups for the special annual St. Patrick’s Day Weekend celebration in Boston.
Full details are on the Dropkick Murphys website.
