Dropkick Murphy's, Big D And The Kids Table and more at Congress Theater (2008)

Congress Theater (Chicago, IL, USA)

Dropkick Murphy's, Big D And The Kids Table, Everybody Out
I know that some of you will be thinking what the hell is this report […]
By Dimitris Kontogeorgakos
March 12, 2008

I know that some of you will be thinking what the hell is this report doing in the METAL TEMPLE? Well hold your horses and think what a wonderful relation Heavy Metal has to the Punk scene. It's not only the outrageous attitude that shocked the community but the really dirty sound from bands like SEX PISTOLS or MISFITS that influenced many Metal bands (you know who they are). So, after I cleared this out let me talk about the latest DROPKICK MURPHY'S sold-out concert in Chicago, IL.

The band from Boston, Massachusetts have been on a most successful North American tour where almost all gigs are sold-out and of course this also applied in the Chicago concert hosted at the Congress Center. After I bought myself a really cool t-shirt (no I did not buy a green one!) I enter the arena of the venue. If I am not mistaken this is actually a theatre that can host more the 2500 standing and seated fans. The show started right on time with EVERYBODY OUT entering the stage. By that time only 1_3 of the audience was there and thus the music was coming with some echo; but hey this Punk and the sound quality does not really count. Despite some technical difficulties the band performed in a high mood eventually warming up the pretty young in age audience. The band's frontman was relentless and was moving up and down the stage (and sometimes off stage) proving that their supporting tour with the MURPHY'S has given them the enthusiasm and the chance to perform in large venues. There was a vintage atmosphere (and some punks in the audience) during their performance that made me smile thinking of bands like THE CLASH or SEX PISTOLS during their prime time. After half an hour the band left the stage after having received a warm applause that they surely deserved it!

The venue was almost full when the six members of BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE got on stage. I thought that I would watch another Punk band but instead I got an almost Reggae treat with minor Rock additions. This band uses a saxophone and a trumpet sounds among other funky elements that create a party-like atmosphere. Well, to be honest their music did not touch me at all even though they had an honest and vigorous on-stage performance. To my surprise the audience knew most of the songs and actually followed them during pretty good performance that had a very good sound.

The crowd start shouting ...let's go MURPHY'S... after the very last musical notes from the BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE. After 30 minutes the Punk, Celtic influenced folk band took over the stage after a short Irish traditional song. The atmosphere was electric and actually had elements that I missed in the shows that I have already attended; and that is the sweat, the kicking and screaming and the intense crowd surfing at a packed arena. The boys were in top mood performing songs like Famous For Nothing, God Willing and the banjo driven The State of Massachusetts from their latest album spreading waves of enthusiasm in the already ecstatic crowd. The atmosphere was excellent and after I got myself some blurry photos I joined the pit and got lost among the relentless fans that were singing their lungs out. The band continued with impressive stamina with more famous songs like Workers Song (excellent one), a punk version of Amazing Grace where some additional bagpipes joined them on stage (I think they must have been from a traditional band or something like that), the party like Captain Kellys Kitchen where all were dancing. During the ballad Kiss Me, I'm A Shitfaced the band invited more the 30 ladies on stage giving a nice finishing touch in the night 😉

Don't expect me to remember all the songs that they performed during the two hours gig but I can surely say that I enjoyed and danced (with some ladies to be honest) Flannigans Ball sung the melodic lines of Fairmount Hill. On-stage came a guest singer whose I cannot remember the name or her band (sorry for that) while a traditional all ladies dancing party filled the stage giving a celebration atmosphere since the St. Patrick's day was near. The show ended with more than 40 fans on-stage singing and dancing as the band was performing the groovy Citizen C.I.A.
I don't have to mentioned that I enjoyed the show since you should have got it by now. On my way out I bought myself the vinyl version of their latest album (you should check it out) as well as the 7'' single The State Of Massachusetts to go with! Apart from the photos found below here's the video clip for my favorite The Warrior's Code.

(photos by me)

EVERYBODY OUT

BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE

DROPKICK MURPHY'S

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