Taking their musical cues from British Oi!, American hardcore, and traditional Irish music, Boston's Dropkick Murphys are--believe it or not--a rowdier, drunker version of the Pogues. The Murphys formed in the late 1990s as more of a straightforward punk band, but through the years began incorporating traditional Irish folk instrumentation and melody into their unruly sound. With songs about working-class troubles, street-tough solidarity, and the joys to be found at the bottom of a bottle, the band became popular with traditional punk crowds as well as any committed late-night reveler. Their song "Shipping Off to Boston" was featured in the 2006 Oscar-winning film THE DEPARTED, and introduced the band to the largest audience of its career.
































