It’s a beautiful thing when two punk rock legends come together for a tour like Bad Religion and Dropkick Murphys have this Summer, and their co-headline tour made a stop at Everwise Amphitheater in Indy recently.
After The Mainliners opened things up with an energetic set that had the feel of a house show on steroids, Bad Religion took the stage for a 24-song set that encapsulated their entire career. They didn’t talk much and opted to let the music speak for itself, showing exactly why they’re the punk legends that they are.
Singer Greg Graffin sounds just as good now as he did in the 80’s and the band had fun with each other during the entire set, almost like no time had passed in their 40+-year careers.
Normally, the Dropkick Murphys play the Egyptian Room when they come through Indianapolis, and they’ve done so every year or so for decades, which is why singer Ken Casey was floored that there were so many great places to visit in town. “We usually stay at the same block of town every time we’re here!” he joked.
They Murphys’ set was a true walk down memory lane- as they made sure to play songs from way back to the first song they ever wrote up to tracks from their most recent record- For The People and the band reminisced the entire time.
Halfway through the set, Casey decided the mosh pit wasn’t rowdy enough so he invited anyone in the lawn who thought they could throw down harder, to come down into the pit and show everyone how it’s done.
As the lawn started to flood into the lower pavilion, security stepped in and refused to let the fans down, so Casey laid down on the stage and refused to play another song until security stepped back and let the fans down.
As the music started back up, the fans began dancing around the pavilion and down into the pit and the party continued.
Toward the end of the set, Casey spoke out, saying that the band has always stood up for the working man and for immigrants, and that they’ve always been outspoken about this, which is why he was shocked when half the fanbase was upset when the band recently spoke out politically.
He continued, saying that they’re always gladly to physically fight Nazi’s, “especially the one in the god damn White House!”
The entire show felt like a celebration of unity and punk rock. It was a night where you could come, be yourself, party and have a great time. If you ever wondered what a St. Patty’s party in an Irish pub or Boston bar is like, a Dropkick Murphys show is as close as it gets.
-Reggie Edwards