Winding their way back home to Boston for their annual week of St. Patty’s Day shows, the Dropkick Murphys will be warming up on the road with a string of dates that includes the 9:30 Club on March 9. This is the tenth year the Murphys have put on their hometown holiday throw down and in celebration of the milestone, they have released a new live DVD/CD from last year’s blast, aptly titled “Live on Lansdowne.” Vocalist Al Barr took a minute to talk with On Tap about the coming tour.
On Tap: Tell me about gearing up for all these shows that you have coming up.
Al Barr: It’s kind of like the rehearsal before the performance. We used to, in the beginning when we started doing the multiple nights, we would kind of screw ourselves and just not do any playing, aside from practicing … and by the third or fourth night we were ready to call it … to kill ourselves. We find that when we tour into the shows, we’re all kind of machines, oiled up and ready to go, so once we get to the Boston shows, we’re home. It’s just like it’s the home stretch and we’re a well-tuned machine by the time we get there. It’s going to be a good time. We’re doing seven [shows] in six days again this year and it’s going to be, y’know, residency at the House of Blues (laughs) so it’s going to be a good time.
OT: So, you head out and then you kind of wind your way back home. That’s perfect.
AB: Yeah, I know. It is. It’s worked out the last few years that we decided to do it. I want to say we were in Europe or something and we came back and we had the St. Paddy’s Day shows in Boston and we were like “WHOAH…is it me or was that just so much easier than it’s been in the past?”
OT: You’ve got [opening band] Larry and His Flask…I’m not really sure I know who they are, so uh…
AB: Yeah, I don’t either (laughs). No, just kidding. I want to say they played on one or two of the shows we did on a past tour and everybody seemed to like them. They’re very likable guys and they’re a good band so it’s all about giving the newer bands a shot anyways. That’s how we got to where we are, y’know. Bands like the [Mighty Mighty] Bosstones said “Let’s give this band a shot.” Those are the kinds of things that I think go a long way with the band. If you’re going to be in there for the long haul, you don’t know unless you try it, but you’ve got to start somewhere.
March 9 at 7 p.m. with opening bands Strung Out and Larry and His Flask.
9:30 Club: 815 V St., NW, DC; 202-265-0930; www.930.com.
[googleMap name="9:30 Club" width="770" height="235" mousewheel="false"]815 V St., NW, DC[/googleMap]
