The musicians have changed a bit, and only vocalist Ken Casey currently remains from the original lineup the Dropkick Murphys began with in 1996. Co-vocalist Al Barr is on hiatus, and has been since 2022, but hopefully, he isn't gone for good. Still, the part of the band that always made them great has stayed true.
That is, of course, the attitude and the persistence to be true to themselves. Dropkick Murphys are Celtic punk, with the emphasis on the latter word. Are there some guitar and banjo solos? Sure, but not extended pieces. The Murphys aren't a metal band, after all.
All of that was on display at the Signal, a 2,000-person venue in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The floor is standing-room only, with some seats above and to the sides. People have a right to sit where they want, of course, but if one wants a fully immersive Dropkick Murphys show, one, if physically able, has to be on the floor.
Dropkick Murphys deliver the goods at the Signal in Chattanooga
Mosh pit? Of course. Cramped conditions? Obviously. That has always been a part of metal and punk that is underrated. Accidental injuries might happen if you are in the pit, but ultimately, there is a oneness. It's a collective rage, and mostly a celebration. The music doesn't divide; it brings together.
Did everyone at the show at the Signal agree with the Murphys' politics? Not likely, but one going to a gig knows what they are getting: A band that is open about its views, and appreciative of its fans.
With the Dropkick Murphys, some of the songs you hope to get will be delivered. "The State of Massachusetts," The Boys Are Back," and Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya" are among the first songs in the set. They came after Casey asked the crowd if it wanted a toned-down show or a punk concert. He was convincing in his asking, but there was no chance the former was going to occur.
The band was propulsive, unrelenting energy for nearly the entire show, with only "The Green Fields of France" reminding us that when it comes to making great music, the Dropkick Murphys are untalented. The beauty of the song about fallen soldiers is not completely unrelated to the band's other tunes. Again, it's about community, and knowing that even if others hold different beliefs, we are all in this together.
Just don't expect Casey and his mates to keep their views on Donald Trump and Elon Musk to themselves. The Dropkick Murphys aren't fans, and they deliver that view with NSFW language. "Citizen I.C.E.," for instance, is a new song that brings the message clearly; the song is a slight adjustment from 2005's "Citizen C.I.A."
In a tight hour and a half, the Dropkick Murphys were everything one could hope they would be in Chattanooga. While leaving, one fan was heard to say, "I've been to tons of shows at the Signal, and nothing was quite like this one." One likely won't be, unless the Murphys come back sometime soon. They were one of the best live punk bands two decades ago, and they still are.