Originally published in Verbicide issue #7

On March 15, 16, and 17 of 2002, Dropkick played three separate shows at the Avalon Ballroom in Boston to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Guess who missed all three shows? That’s right, me. Yes, I am a poor, pitiful bastard; a dastardly and disdainful New Englander. Seeing Dropkick live is as New Englandy as foliage and Fenway Park, and to see this Celtic punk rock clan performing on St. Patrick’s Day…well sir, you can see why they released this as a live album. Hometown fans + Irish celebration = the most raucous, rowdy, rocking performance ever. And what’s more, this is not merely a recording of just one of the three shows, but a cornucopia of songs performed over the extent of the three days, totaling 26 tracks in all. Yes friends, 26 tracks.

The album opens with — what else — the BC fight song “For Boston,” before breaking into pure mayhem with the classic “Boys on the Docks.” Dropkick is on target with every song selected for this release. We have “The Gauntlet,” “Finnegan’s Wake,” “Gang’s All Here,” “The Torch,” and “Wild Rover.” There are the adopted classics such as “Forever” and “Which Side Are You On?” and new, apt covers of CCR’s “Fortunate Son,” the Bruins’ theme, “Nutrocker” aka “Nutty,” and the most amazing performance of “Amazing Grace” you’ll ever hear. We have a Dropkick-ized version of “Dirty Water,” an ode to Boston, and the lads close out this CD with “Skinheads on the MBTA.”

If you are Irish, punk, or from Boston, you’ll love this CD, and if you’re not, you’ll wish you were. If you like tin whistles, union labor anthems, bagpipes, and mosh pits, what are you waiting for?

(Hellcat Records, 2798 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026)