For much of their lengthy career, Dropkick Murphys have been punk\u2019s populists.<\/p>\n
Granted, the band\u2019s politics do tend to swing left. They\u2019re blue collar, defiantly pro-union, and in 2013, bassist Ken Casey famously used his instrument to physically remove<\/a> a Nazi from the stage. But coming up in Boston\u2019s hardcore scene, the band \u2014 which plays The Sylvee on Feb. 20<\/a> \u2014 existed in a grey area. For one, they were older than many of the other bands. And they weren\u2019t afraid to talk about things that are generally considered somewhat un-punk.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone else was playing anti-police songs; we had a song called \u2018John Law\u2019 about a good cop,\u201d Casey recently recalled to Billboard<\/em><\/a> about the band\u2019s early days. \u201cWe hated a lot of cops too, but I grew up with cops and knew there was another side.\u201d<\/p>\n From punks to jocks to my own 60-something father, everyone can find something to love about Dropkick Murphys. Casey is the band\u2019s lone original member, but drummer Matt Kelly has been with Dropkick Murphys since 1997. (He\u2019s second in tenure.) Kelly has seen the band change shape over time, from a feverishly beloved cult act to an international force. Their songs pop up everywhere from major sporting events to Oscar-winning films.<\/p>\n In fact, with the obvious exception of the bagpipes, his propulsive drumming may be the Dropkicks\u2019 most critical instrument. It puts a consistent through-line into a group that pinballs from Celtic folk to hardcore punk seemingly on a dime.<\/span>\n