Stereoboard Tours of the Week – Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly - Tickets Onsale 9am Friday
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Written by Rob Sleigh
Now that a Pogues-shaped hole has been left in the world of Celtic punk following the band’s final Christmas tour at the end of last year, it seems that there are few groups around that could possible take their place as the reigning survivors of that particular genre. However, although Shane MacGowan may have slurred his last Fairytale of New York for the time being, the good news is that everyone’s favourite pretenders to the Celtic punk throne, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys, have both announced new UK tours this week.
The two US acts have both recently released brand-new albums in 2011 and each have now confirmed a set of UK dates for the near future. Boston’s The Murphys will be returning to our shores in early 2012 to bring their British fans a live taste of seventh album ‘Going Out In Style’, their first to enter the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. LA’s Flogging Molly, who are also celebrating a Top 10 release with their fifth album ‘Speed of Darkness’, will be playing here in November after some earlier dates at this year’s Reading and Leeds festivals. Both bands have spent the best part of the last 15 years playing the kind of Guinness-soaked folksy punk rock that is enough to get you jigging like a tanked-up Michael Flatley.
Dropkick Murphys were formed in 1996 near Boston, Massachusetts and released their debut album ‘Do or Die’ two years later, although several of the band’s original members have since left. Most notably of these is original vocalist Mike McColgan who, shortly after the release of ‘Do or Die’, left the group to fulfil his lifelong ambition of joining the Boston Fire Department, although he has since returned to music by founding fellow punk rockers Street Dogs. A few years ago, The Murphys were given the honour of supporting their heroes The Pogues on one of the band’s annual Christmas tours. Shane MacGowan even contributed vocals to one of the tracks on the third Dropkick Murphys album ‘Sing Loud, Sing Proud’. The band’s most recent album ‘Going Out In A Style’ also featured a number of well-known collaborators including The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, and Fat Mike from fellow US punkers NOFX.
Los Angeles-based Flogging Molly were formed in 1997 by the band’s Dublin-born frontman Dave King. King was previously known as the lead vocalist in metal band Fastway, who were formed in the early ‘80s by Motorhead’s Fast Eddie Clark and UFO’s Pete Way. Flogging Molly released their debut album ‘Swagger’ in 2000. Unlike fellow Celtic punkers Dropkick Murphys, who employed much more of hardcore punk influence in their music, Flogging Molly’s sound had more of the Irish folk quality that was closer in resemblance to that of their early heroes such as The Pogues and The Dubliners. Flogging Molly have released five albums to date, including their most recent effort ‘Speed of Darkness’ which, in addition to its huge success in the US, was also the band’s first to chart in the UK.
Dropkick Murphys UK Live Dates are as follows:
February 2012
Fri 3rd February - Roundhouse, London (£19.50)
Sun 5th February - O2 Academy Liverpool, Liverpool (£17.00)
Mon 6th February - Barrowland, Glasgow (£17.00)
Dropkick Murphys Tickets are onsale Saturday July 2nd at 9am priced from £17.00 for regional shows and £19.50 for London show.
Flogging Molly UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue August 23rd 2011 - Mandela Hall, Co. Antrim
Thu August 25th 2011 - Glasgow Garage, Glasgow
Thu November 3rd 2011 - Portsmouth Pyramids, Portsmouth
Fri November 4th 2011 - HMV Forum, London
Sat November 5th 2011 - Manchester Academy 2, Manchester
Sun November 6th 2011 - Waterfront, Norwich
Mon November 28th 2011 - Rock City, Nottingham
Tue November 29th 2011 - The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
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Dropkick Murphys were formed in 1996 near Boston, Massachusetts and released their debut album ‘Do or Die’ two years later, although several of the band’s original members have since left. Most notably of these is original vocalist Mike McColgan who, shortly after the release of ‘Do or Die’, left the group to fulfil his lifelong ambition of joining the Boston Fire Department, although he has since returned to music by founding fellow punk rockers Street Dogs. A few years ago, The Murphys were given the honour of supporting their heroes The Pogues on one of the band’s annual Christmas tours. Shane MacGowan even contributed vocals to one of the tracks on the third Dropkick Murphys album ‘Sing Loud, Sing Proud’. The band’s most recent album ‘Going Out In A Style’ also featured a number of well-known collaborators including The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, and Fat Mike from fellow US punkers NOFX. 
