Dropkick Murphys

Casual observers will be forgiven if they think Boston-based “Celtic punks” Dropkick Murphys are a one-hit wonder. The band’s “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” seemed omnipresent after its inclusion in 2006 Irish gangster flick The Departed, popping up in various commercials and an inspired Departed-themed episode of The Simpsons. But Dropkick Murphys have nearly two decades of music-biz dues-paying under their belt, including rotating band membership, hard years on the Warped Tour and countless road trips with like-minded crews like the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Evolving from a Southie quartet into a seven-piece capable of breaking into traditional Celtic sounds and aggressive punk thanks to the presence of bagpipes, mandolins and tin whistles, Dropkick Murphys have much more to offer musically than many of their pub-rock peers.