Dropkick Murphys, The Aggrolites, Haywire & Slugger Bring A St. Patrick's Day Style Valentine's Day To Their SOLD-OUT Show In Raleigh, NC

It was a Valentine’s Day show with St. Patrick’s Day vibes as the Dropkick Murphys stormed into town on night four of their “For The People… In The Pit” tour. The sold-out show at The Ritz in Raleigh, NC also brought openers Slugger, Haywire and The Aggrolites. Fans young and old packed the venue from wall to wall and from start to finish, the energy was off the charts.

Slugger took the stage first; a band which self-describes on social media as “100% Anti-Fascist Street Level Rock and Roll.” The venue was already relatively full and lead singer Tommy Ghiorso thanked the crowd for showing up early to catch them play. Their set was a hardcore mix of heavy pop-punk songs and though they may not have the popularity (yet) that their headliner does, they definitely gained some new followers that evening. Available from their merch booth was a shirt that bluntly says “Smash Fascism”, the sale of which supports local non-profits to help with immigration efforts. Tommy asked the audience, “How much can we take?” and proclaimed, “Now is the time. We need more than words.” The audience enthusiastically agreed.

Up next was Haywire, a hardcore punk band from Massachusetts who exclaimed, “New England forever!” And in true New England fashion, what better way to kick off their set than with a cover of Neil Diamond’s classic hit, “Sweet Caroline”. The crowd seemed to enjoy the brief respite after Slugger’s hard-hitting set, but it didn’t take long before the tempo kicked back up to high-speed with intense vocals to match. Lead singer Austin Sparkman, sporting a Haywire jersey with North Carolina’s 704 area code on the back, frequently leaned into the crowd with the mic, becoming one with the fans. Just as gracious as Slugger was, Haywire also thanked the crowd for showing up early. A relatively new band, they mentioned they’re used to playing 300-cap venues, and how incredible it felt to be playing at a venue of this size. After their impressive set, there’s no doubt that they’ll be able to fill venues this size on their own in the future.

Shifting the pace a bit, The Aggrolites from Los Angeles brought a mix of reggae and funk with a ska-punk vibe to the night. An experienced band with over 20 years on the scene, they operated like a well-oiled machine. The guitars, the keys, the drums – it all blended together so seamlessly. The crowd’s energy still high, they enjoyed a different type of vibe during this set. And not to be outdone by Haywire’s Neil Diamond cover, The Aggrolites threw in a few covers of their own as well. Lead singer Jesse Wagner asked concertgoers to cement themselves into their little 12-inch tile space (an exaggeration if you’d seen how tightly this venue was packed in) and groove with them. They serenaded with Franki Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and switched up the lyrics from walkin’ to stompin’ on Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”. The band’s tour manager even came out to join the party, accompanying them on the band’s own “Take ‘Em All.” Closing out their set, the audience gladly joined in for their a cappella part in a cover of The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down”.”

As the lights dimmed one last time before the headliner, the crowd roared with excitement. Then came the undeniable sound of the bagpipes. The fans went crazy as the anticipation reached its max. And then out came the Dropkick Murphys. For the entirety of the set, there was pushing, shoving, legs and arms flailing about, and a sea of bodies surfing their way across the packed venue. The Irish-American Celtic punk band has a lot of material to choose from after 30 years, and lead singer Ken Casey, in a Gilmore #18 Boston jersey, enthusiastically led the band through a performance that showcased their longevity. From their oldest album came “Barroom Hero” and “Boys On The Docks”, songs easily recognizable to those who have been there from the beginning. From their latest release, For The People, fans sang along to “Chesterfields and Aftershave”, a song inspired by and in tribute to Ken’s grandfather. The band has always been known to stand for the working class, and Ken said that it was time for them to “use their microphone”. He announced his support for progressive candidates trying to make a change and declared that he is sick of the “silver spoon bullies taking away our rights”. Following his political statement was another song from the aforementioned For The People, “Who’ll Stand With Us”. The crowd joined in with their chants over the chorus, fists pumped in the air, sharing in the hopefulness of the future. Their 23-song set concluded with fan favorite “I’m Shipping Up To Boston’, and one last song from their newest album, “The Big Man”, which had the crowd singing along as they soaked in every last second of this night.

From the floor to the balcony, the venue was packed with fans who’ve been around since the beginning, new fans coming with their parents, and a thousand people in between. There was a sense of belonging; the energy was just so infectious and everyone around you was singing along to every word. Dropkick Murphys are a band that sounds great when you hear the songs through your speakers at home, but seeing them live is truly an experience.

Review & photos by I’m Music Magazine Contributing Photographer KT Lafferty (Twelve07Photography)

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