Photos & Review By: Carissa Dugoni
There was a charge in the air as fans poured into The Backyard, an outdoor venue right next to the California Expo Grounds. On a warm Sacramento evening, the stage became a gathering spot for punk fans of all ages. Parents with little kids, teenagers just discovering live shows, and longtime punks who’ve been around since the beginning all came together for a lineup that promised nostalgia and fresh energy. The Mainliners, Bad Religion, and Dropkick Murphys did not disappoint.
By the time Dropkick Murphys stormed the stage, the crowd was buzzing. Formed in 1996 in Quincy, Massachusetts, the Celtic punk band has built a reputation for rowdy anthems that celebrate working-class life and Irish pride. They opened with “Who’ll Stand With Us?” from their new album For The People, and the energy instantly went through the roof.
From there, it was a mix of new material and classics. “The State of Massachusetts,” “Going Out in Style,” and “The Boys Are Back” had the pit bouncing. Ken Casey kept the crowd close, reading signs and laughing with fans, even taking on a request to play “Good Rats,” a song he admitted he’d never sung live before.
Later in the night, Casey asked the crowd to throw an arm around whoever was next to them, whether they knew them or not. As the band broke into “Rose Tattoo” and “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya,” the entire venue moved together like one big family. Of course, no Dropkick Murphys set would be complete without “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” which shook the place before the band wrapped with “The Big Man,” a rowdy toast to friendship and chaos.
Bad Religion, one of punk’s most respected and influential bands. Formed in Los Angeles back in 1980, they’ve built their reputation on sharp lyrics about politics, religion, and society, backed by soaring harmonies that helped define melodic punk.
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