Dropkick Murphys 2024 St. Patty's Day Tour

“You Got to Fight. For your Right. TO PARTY!”

The mosh pit goes crazy on “TO PARTY” as we scream along to Pennywise covering the popular Beastie Boys song “Fight for your Right.” Bodies slam into each other as we shove and ricochet in a circle. On March 1, 2024, I attended my first rock show and saw The Scratch, Pennywise and Dropkick Murphys play in Columbia, SC. I was a bit nervous as none of my friends who are veterans of rowdy punk shows were able to attend with me, but the show ended up being an incredible experience. All three bands put on an amazing show, and I was impressed at how communal the crowd ended up being.

Opener one: The Scratch

I did not know that The Scratch was opening for Dropkick Murphys until the day of the show, so I went into their performance mostly blind. I was pleasantly surprised at how intense and fun their set was, as their studio recordings did not prepare me for how their low and rumbling drumming would shake my chest as I felt the shockwaves graze my hair. Although they were by far the tamest band playing, that did not stop them from putting on an exhilarating performance. Although a chance to see The Scratch will be rare for most readers, as they mainly tour in Europe, I cannot recommend seeing this band live enough and was grateful that they could make it to the States to perform near me.

Opener two: Pennywise

I am not really a fan of Pennywise, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed their set. Much of this enjoyment came from the crowd’s energy, as I was clearly in the minority with my indifference toward their music. Pennywise’s aggressive in-your-face style was fun to experience since we were in the standing section and the crowd was lively and energetic. The mosh pit got a bit aggressive for my weight class and experience level at times, but I had fun physically

experiencing the aggression and chaos of punk rock for myself. The highlight of Pennywise’s set for me was unarguably their previously mentioned Beastie Boys cover, which was fun to experience in such an energetic crowd.

Headliner: Dropkick Murphys

When I purchased my ticket, the openers had not been announced yet, so Dropkick Murphys was the sole reason I attended this show. I had heard from friends that Dropkick Murphys was good to live, but no one properly prepared me for what an amazing show they put on. Their Celtic-punk style was exhilarating to experience in person, and the crowd in and around the mosh pit had all become good yet anonymous friends by the time Dropkick Murphys came on stage. By this point, I had begun to get the hang of the chaotic rock show crowd and had a blast singing and moshing and hugging with other Dropkick Murphys fans. The high energy of the crowd during Pennywise continued into the headliner but was less aggressive and more fun—except possibly during “Barroom Hero,” which featured a fast and aggressive, albeit fun, pit. The band was kind enough to invite a kid onto the stage to sing “Rose Tattoo” in celebration of her ninth birthday, and the entire crowd sang “Happy Birthday” for her. Seeing Dropkick Murphys was a blast, and I enjoyed every second of their set.

I cannot express how much fun I had at the Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick’s Day Tour, and I have the soreness to prove it. Even if you are not normally into the chaos of punk rock, seeing Dropkick Murphys live is an amazing experience; they are just plain fun. Do not let the physical aggression I raved about in this article scare you away from the joys of seeing this Celtic rock band live next time they tour near you: you can always book a seat or stand away from the mosh pit if you just want to enjoy the lively and upbeat music of this incredible Bostonian punk band.