Dropkick Murphys have never sold out, but will play another sold-out show in Spokane
It’s not easy recalling particular cities, since life on the road for bands is often a blur.
Ken Casey, however, has vivid memories performing in front of a capacity crowd at the Knitting Factory in November 2009.
“It was our first time we were in Spokane,” Casey said, while calling from his suburban Boston home. “I remember walking onto the stage and it was packed and the fans were so receptive and into it. It literally made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
“Whenever we play Spokane, it’s a special show and I’m not just saying it. The fans there stand out since they always support us. Whatever venue we play there is always packed with people who want to have a great time. We don’t see that in every city.”
Well, the Dropkick Murphys show Sunday at the Spokane Tribe Casino, is sold out. Expect a lengthy fiery set from the Celtic-punk rockers. There’s no band quite like the Dropkick Murphys who meld hardcore, Celtic and folk instrumentation. The band has never sold out by jumping on any sonic bandwagon.
“We never tried to be like anybody else,” Casey said. “We’re just us and that’s OK since you can’t chase trends. If you do that, you’ll lose yourself. I don’t want to look in the mirror and have no idea who the person in front of me is. We’re never going to be playing huge venues but that’s OK because we’re a niche band.”
The group’s rollicking and unruly sound has great appeal. It was always just a matter of their incendiary songs having a platform. The group, which also includes drummer Matt Kelly, vocalist Al Barr, guitarist James Lynch, multi-instrumentalists Tim Brennan and Jeff DaRosa, started receiving notice when the group revamped the Boston Red Sox anthem “Tessie.” The Dropkick Murphy version was the theme song of the Sox World Series title run and was featured in the film “Fever Pitch.”
The anthemic “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” became the band’s signature song after it was used prominently in Martin Scorcese’s 2006 classic “The Departed.”
“We’ve been fortunate to get that exposure,” Casey said. “What’s cool is that a lot of the fans who jumped on board with those songs back in the day, bring their kids out to our shows. That keeps us in business.”
When Casey, 54, returns to a city he makes sure the set list is different than it was the last time the band played.
“We don’t want to repeat ourselves,” Casey said. “It won’t be the same experience anyone in Spokane had the last time we were there.”
After releasing a pair of acoustic albums with Woody Guthrie’s lyrics, 2022’s “This Machine Still Kills Fascists” and 2023’s “Okemah Rising,” the Dropkick Murphys are working on their 13th album and fourth release in as many years.
“What drives us to continue to release albums is that if you don’t do that you and your music become stale,” Casey said. “When you stop making music your creativity dries up. I like mixing the new stuff with our catalog.
“We’ll still play our old songs. I’m all for that, but you have to keep challenging yourself.”
While growing up in Boston during the 1980s, Casey admired local bands that pushed the creative envelope, such as the Pixies, Jerry’s Kids and Gang Green.
“Those groups had a huge impact on me,” Casey said. “The Boston scene then was amazing. You had locals and then you had bands come out of the colleges. It was such a fertile scene that it made you want to start a band.”
Casey formed the Dropkick Murphys in 1996 and never looked back.
“This band has always been my focus,” Casey said. “Some guys left, but the group just doesn’t continue. It keeps evolving.”
When Casey isn’t on the road, he focuses on his children, who range in age from 14 to 22. His middle child will open for the Dropkick Murphys in Bozeman.
“My son is a DJ and so he’ll do that date with us,” Casey said. “It works out, since he goes to Montana State, where he majors in skiing. I would have brought him to Spokane since it’s not that far from Bozeman, but that would take him away from class and skiing.”