I’ve seen some great bands on back-to-back Fridays in Chicago. First, Dropkick Murphy’s at the Aragon Ballroom on February 22. This was my seventh or eighth time seeing the American-Celtic punk bank from Boston (technically Quincy) and they never seem to disappoint. The band is best known for their “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” track from the movie The Departed, but these guys are no one-hit wonders. The best way to describe their shows is a crazy night at the pub, with audience singalongs, bagpipers, Irish dancers, and just pure unadulterated joy in the revelry and camaraderie of a Dropkick show. Although their shows are never the same because of their vast catalog, they do follow a familiar pattern each time. Before the band takes the stage, the audience starts chanting for them: “Let’s go Murphy’s!” over and over again. The lights go down, the bagpipers or a beautiful Irish woman’s voice starts (or sometimes a combination of both), and then the band takes the stage. They deliver an energy-packed set each time, inevitably ending in audience members joining the band onstage for the final songs of the night. Every show of theirs is a blast and even if you do not like this genre of music, I would encourage anyone to attend at least one show and they could end up hooking you for life.
The following Friday, March 1, I saw The Gaslight Anthem at the Riviera Theatre, a band I’ve been desperately wanting to see since they released The ’59 Sound in 2008. The New Jersey band’s music and lyrics clearly have a Springsteen-esque influence (not surprising considering they share the same home state), with the Boss joining them several times on tour to collaborate on the song, “The ’59 Sound.” The band injects a substantial dose of punk in their music, with other influences including The Misfits, The Ramones, The Clash, The Replacements, and Pearl Jam. The band have since released American Slang in 2010 and Handwritten in 2012, and they seem to be getting better with age. They definitely blew away my already-high expectations at the Riviera show, with their songs sticking in your head for days. One of the best shows I’ve seen in a while and I cannot wait to see them when they come around again.
A couple of clips from both shows below.