Dropkick Murphys / Only Crime

live in Providence (2004)

Brian Shultz

This annual carnival/festival my school holds apparently includes a concert at each one. Two of the bands they managed to snag this year were Only Crime, the recent Fat signing, and the Dropkick Murphys.

Although most of you are already in the know, I'll remind everyone that Only Crime contains Russ Rankin (Good Riddance) on vocals, Aaron Dalbec (Bane, Converge) and Zach Blair (Hagfish, Gwar) on guitars, Donivan Blair (Hagfish) on bass, and Bill Stevenson (Descendants / All, Black Flag) on drums. With only a dozen or so people watching, and even less interested, the entire band still put forth a half-hour of energetic hardcore. There're occasional hints of melody in the songs but nothing to register a "melodic" sticker, and a consistency in the tempos and feel that bring the Bane influence to mind. Stevenson was a menace on the percussions, and Rankin hopped around joey-like leading the charge. As a whole, the band seemed unusually cohesive and tight considering they haven't been together all that long.

The Murphys had played several college shows in the last few weeks with overall mixed reactions and I was unsure how mine would respond. But as the band took the stage to thunderous cheer and applause following a short chant of "Let's-Go-Mur-phys!", all worries ceased. As soon as Al's gravel said hello to our city and the band ripped right into the raucous rendition of "Boston Ashpalt," the pit surprisingly ensued and pointing fingers clipped the afternoon air. For the next hour, the band incited sing-along after chant-along, an ethereal environment under the tent. After all, Dropkick has said in interviews "We need that eighth member of the band: the audience." Besides some complaints about the lack of cuisine creativity in the catering from a culinary college and asking us if we want some rock and roll preceding their AC/DC cover, there was very little in-between banter, and it seemed like they got in as many songs as possible. There were songs from the entire discography, per usual. Among mic sharing gang vocals, the dead-on flute part in "Heroes of Our Past," Al often leaning over the wide-open barricade to stick the mic into the crowd to give them their chance, it really was just a feel-good atmosphere. Things were capped off with a great cover of "Teenage Wasteland."

There really shouldn't be a need for anyone to be told the good time that can be had watching the Murphys perform, so let this act as a timely reminder.

Set List

BOSTON

FINN McCOOL

HEROES (dead D)

OUTCAST (dead)

RATS (dead E)

BLACK (dead/PAUSE)

WALK (dead)

ROCKY (RING)

BURIED

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JAR (DEAD)

DARCYS (RING)

BASTARD RING A

GAUNTLET

BAR/BOYS

LONGWY/BABA

VELVET

SPICY

KISS ME X2

BOYS

BABA

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