Marathon Music Works hosts some of the most amazing fan-driven shows due to the smaller venue size and the ability to appeal to a wide range of artists. The bands can interact and feel the energy in the room while still making the venue feel like it’s the largest stadium in the world. Having Dropkick Murphys announce they were having a show here quickly got everyone’s attention. I spoke to a family that drove from Houston to see this show because they tried to hit as many as possible for this tour. One of the first things I noticed when I entered the venue was that the place was already filling up well. Typically, the opener has a small crowd, but this venue definitely had something different in the air tonight. Maybe it was all the Guinness that was flowing. The place filled early even before The Scratch went on.
The Scratch has come to entertain us from Perrytown, Dublin in Ireland. This energetic 4-piece acoustic band knows how to entertain an audience and get them fired up for the night with their high-energy riffs for their set. The Scratch has delivered multiple sold-out shows and festivals, also releasing multiple EPs and singles since 2018 with crowd favorites like Get It Right Up, Punisher, Cunla, and Flaker. 2020 was a big year for them as they released their debut album ‘Couldn’t Give A Rats’. I had never heard of them before but after this night it’s going on my playlist. This is one of those bands to check out their socials and homepage.
The Scratch Homepage, Spotify, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X
Current Members:
Conor Dockery –guitar, backing vocals
Cathal McKenna – bass, backing vocals
Daniel Lang – Cajon, percussion, lead vocals
Jordan O’Leary – guitar, lead vocals
Setlist:
Cheeks
Excuse
Hole in the ground
McAlpines
Sally
Another Round
THE SCRATCH
The first thing that I always think of when I hear Pennywise is a certain freaky-looking clown. Don’t worry. Even though they took their name because of this character in 1988, the band Pennywise looks nothing like him. Starting in Hermosa Beach, CA, Pennywise has seen the world in their travels and released 12 full-length studio albums! Pennywise is currently working on a new album that they started in 2020. The raw talent and energy 
that lead singer Jim Lindberg exudes on stage with the punk rock type vocals that ignites the masses into mosh pits and crowd surfing. A few singalongs of Stand by Me and Fight for Your Right were also there. The last song, The Scratch, joined Pennywise on stage and stage dove into the crowds to do a bit of crowd surfing themselves. Yes, there is proof because it was captured in a picture ( above )
Current Members:
Fletcher Dragge – guitar, backing vocals
Byron McMackin – drums, backing vocals
Jim Lindberg – lead vocals
Randy Bradbury – bass, backing vocals
Setlist:
Peaceful Day
My Own Country
Straight Ahead
Same Old Story
My Own Way
Violence Never Ending
Fuck Authority
Fight for Your Right
Pennywise
Society
Stand by Me
Bro Hymn
PENNYWISE
If you have never seen a live performance of Dropkick Murphy, you have no clue what you are missing with this Celtic Hardcore Punk band from Boston since 1996. Dropkick Murphy got their name from Dr. John “Dropkick” Murphy, an American professional wrestler who operated the Bellows Farms Sanatorium/Alcohol detoxification facility. It’s kind of a cool nugget of info. From the first moment Dropkick Murphy steps on stage, there is constant energy all over the stage from lead singer Ken Casey jumping and working the entire stage and jumping onto the rails, engaging the crowd every moment he can. You can see the true enjoyment Ken is having from the constant ear-to-ear grins and smiles he displays. Something new was constantly happening on the stage with the members of Dropkick using different instruments like bagpipes, mandolin, tin whistle, and the best rock-sounding banjo and accordion I’ve ever seen. Even had a past member help for 2 songs. Rick Barton energetically played with the songs “Barroom Hero” and “Road of the Righteous.” At this show, about a dozen kids were scattered along the railing. Ken made it a point to politely ask the crowds to let their energy go wild and enjoy the show but to please refrain from crowd surfing to help keep the future rockers safe. Everyone cheered and was happy to comply. The comradery that I felt at this show, with nothing but strangers singing along and embracing the music, was amazing. The final song “Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced”, Ken encouraged everyone to meet their fellow humans around them and come together as one. I’ve never seen this many people in a group turn into an ameba and sway to a song in unity. Go check out their newest album “Okemah Rising”. This is their twelfth studio album, which was released in May of 2023.
Current Members:
Ken Casey – co-lead vocals, bass
Matt Kelly – drums, bodhrán, backing vocals
James Lynch – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead guitar
Tim Brennan – lead guitar, accordion, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, piano, keyboards, backing vocals
Jeff DaRosa – banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, rhythm guitar, keyboards, piano, harmonica, tin whistle, backing vocals
Setlist:
For Boston
The Boys Are Back
Climbing a Chair to Bed
Middle Finger
Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya
Barroom Hero
Road of the Righteous
Caught in a Jar
Skinhead on the MBTA
The State of Massachusetts
The Body of an American
Rose Tattoo
T.N.T.
Captain Kelly’s Kitchen
I’m Shipping Up to Boston
Cadence to Arms
Do or Die
Worker’s Song
Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced
DROP KICK MURPHY’S
I also wanted to take a moment to discuss one of the charities Dropkick Murphy is involved with. The Claddagh Fund, founded by Ken Casey in 2019, supports community-based non-profits, with a focus on children’s and veterans’ organizations and programs that support alcohol and drug rehabilitation in cities across the country and around the world. Go check it out here for yourself.
Lastly, don’t forget to check out the Livestream event on March 17th at 9 pm ET for a part of the ST. Patrick’s Day Mayhem. You can only purchase the tickets at this site. https://veeps.events/dropkick-murphys
If you missed this opportunity, there are still plenty of chances on this tour. Check out which one is closest to you…