Gig Review

Dropkick Murphys
Face To Face, [Spunge]
Birmingham, Academy
16th April 2010
             
                            
Dropkick Murphys      Face To Face    [Spunge]

              
[Spunge] are a pop punk band, the music is upbeat and melodic, but it’s fairly simple stuff to listen to, and it works, but it's not my particular cup of tea, as I don't find the songs particularly engaging. Ego was fairly good and known by some in the crowd, although the cheer came from the back of the room, along with some light hearted heckling! For an opening band, the crowd seemed really into then and alive. The songs while catchy all seem very repetitive and it seems all very boring even though it really shouldn't be!

Face to face, somewhat legends to the punk scene and to some in the crowd and someone in security as it happens too. Heavier punk rock from face to face, more simple music, again I don't really feel too engaged yet again. Many cheers of face to face from the crowd, and some as engaged as I am! The drumming is decent and it's nothing complex, the guitar riffs are repetitive with little change from song to song it all feels very samey, I'm not really that interested as it's not very catchy or a satisfying listen but there was lots of crowd participation and some of the crowd had a good time, just wasn't to my taste, but that's not important.

Dropkick Murphy’s, a band I've waited far too long to see, and they didn't disappoint either, not many gigs descend into a party atmosphere, must be all the skanking! Playing some of my favourites in the first few songs and it flew by so quickly, The State Of Massachusetts, Sunshine Highway and Famous for Nothing was pretty awesome, Celtic Punk you gotta love the sound! It’s dirty, folkish, and catchy as hell with some memorable riffs and drum beats and plenty to sing and for some to fight too as well! The vocals are brilliant, Al and Kens voices so very gruff, that Boston accent giving them there unique sound, it’s hard not to like it! A surprise was on The Dirty Glass with the appearance of female vocalist Stephanie Dougherty, top draw! Other notable songs and favourites, The Auld Triangle, Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya, Captain Kelly's Kitchen and Kiss Me, I'm Shitfaced, in which some of the female crowd are allowed on to the stage, good times for the fans, at this point it feels like party in the o2 Academy tonight. Into the encore, my all time favourite I'm Shipping Up to Boston was included among some classics an favourites of mine, Bar room Hero, Skinhead on the MBTA and set closer, Boys on the docks in which some of the male members of the crowd make it on to the stage, and it fills pretty fast, all you need is a bar up there and it would descend in to a top piss up! Great atmosphere tonight, good times and great music, not a bad way to spend a Friday night!

[Spunge] 3/5
Face To Face 3/5
Dropkick Murphys 5/5

Review By Robert Lawrence

 Dropkick Murphys


Tim Brennan
James Lynch
Al Barr
Ken Casey
Matt Kelly
Scruffy Wallace
Jeff DaRosa
Seth Cohen

 Face To Face


Trever Keith
Chad Yaro
Scott Shiflett
Danny Thompson

 [Spunge]


Alex Copeland
Damon "Des" Robins
Chris "Jarvis" Murphy
Jeremy "Jem" King

 Band Related Links
Dropkick Murphys Myspace
Face To Face Myspace
[Spunge] Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?