It has almost become an annual tradition for the punk rockers of Dropkick Murphys to perform in our capital. They have long outgrown AFAS Live and are now regular guests at the Ziggo Dome. Naturally, a stop in Amsterdam couldn’t be left out of their European tour.
Text: Sanne de Vos | Photos: Ashley Oomen
At exactly 9:25 PM, the lights go out, and phones shoot into the air to capture the first moments of the concert. What follows is a long intro featuring Sham 69’s The Kids Are United blasting through the speakers. The intro drags on so long that Dropkick Murphys seems to lose momentum early in the evening. But then, suddenly, the band is on stage and wastes no time before striking the first chords. During the opening track, Captain Kelly’s Kitchen, it indeed feels like they’ve lost the momentum. Fortunately, they follow up with The Boys Are Back, sending the first beers flying through the crowd and prompting the first crowd surfer to make their way to the front.
Lost & Found
Dropkick Murphys’ no-nonsense attitude is further emphasized by frontman Ken Casey, who hands back a wallet that was thrown onto the stage to its rightful owner. Immediately after, more wallets—and even phones—are tossed onto the stage. These concertgoers will have to pick up their belongings at lost and found after the show, as the band has limited time to play more than 20 songs. This might also explain the lack of interaction with the audience. Ken Casey mainly connects with fans in the front row, only briefly acknowledging the crowd in the stands towards the end of the show.
They may have outgrown AFAS Live, but they still don’t manage to fully pack the Ziggo Dome. The standing area is sold out, and about three-quarters of the first ring is filled, but the entire second ring is closed off. The audience in the stands remained seated for most of the concert. Occasionally, hands went up to clap along, but it wasn’t until Rose Tattoo that the first tentative dance moves appeared in the stands. Meanwhile, the crowd on the floor regularly received cues from the stage to start a mosh pit. A real mosh pit never fully materialized, but the first ten rows remained a swaying, bouncing mass throughout the entire concert. Towards the end, smaller mosh pits started to emerge halfway through the venue.
No Fuss with Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys aren’t about extravagance. Their setup includes only a minimalistic light show and a large screen at the back, displaying different versions of their logo for each song, occasionally interspersed with footage of a sports match. For over an hour and a half, they power through their 29-year repertoire. After the closing track, Worker’s Song, they quickly wave to the crowd before leaving the stage one by one—no bow, no encore. Dropkick Murphys doesn’t surprise, but they do exactly what they do best: delivering solid, no-frills music.
