LIVE REVIEW: Dropkick Murphys, Gogol Bordello, O2 Academy Glasgow, 06/02/2025
Photo Credit: Andy Davies
Upon arrival at Glasgow’s Academy venue, a healthy line of fans stretched down the street, eagerly waiting to enter. While the Academy may not be what you’d call intimate, its 2,500-capacity feels far more suited to a Dropkick Murphys gig compared to the band’s previous performance in the massive 14,000-capacity OVO Hydro arena back in January 2024. There were only two bands on tonight’s bill, which was a welcome change for a mid-week gig on a cold night. However, “cold” was the last word on anyone’s mind once things got going inside…
First up, folk-punk heroes Gogol Bordello, wasted no time warming up the huge crowd with their wild mix of punk rock. They’ve earned a dedicated fanbase over the years, and it’s an impressive sight to see an opening band command such a presence in a large venue, but Gogol Bordello made it seem effortless. The crowd lapped up every moment, with a constant circle pit and crowd surfers flying over the barrier. At one point, there were ten band members onstage, including an accordion player, all contributing to the mayhem. It was an absolute spectacle, the perfect way to get warmed up for the headliners. Hopefully, we’ll see the band back in Glasgow soon for their own headline show. You just know that in a smaller venue, it would be absolute carnage.
As the lights dimmed, a medley of Sham 69‘s If the Kids Are United and Sinéad O’Connor’s Foggy Dew filled the venue, setting the perfect tone for what was to come. The Dropkick Murphys burst onstage to a huge Glasgow welcome, and within seconds of opener Captain Kelly’s Kitchen, the entire dancefloor was bouncing and singing along. Frontman Ken Casey grinned ear to ear, quickly making his way into the crowd to hand out the microphone, raising the stakes as the rest of the band worked the vast Academy stage, pushing the energy levels through the roof.
The Boys Are Back followed and set the tone for the rest of the set with its anthemic chorus. Over two thousand fans jumped and sang every word in unison, creating a beautiful sight. Jeff DaRosa, who plays a variety of instruments for the band, couldn’t resist joining the front row, playing alongside the crowd and lapping up every moment. Ken Casey has truly grown into an absolute force of nature. With regular singer Al Barr on hiatus, Casey has stepped up as the band’s frontman, and it’s clear he’s made the role his own. He connects with the audience in a way that most frontmen can only dream of. Watching him, it’s obvious he loves being in this position and the crowd feeds off his energy.
The band delivered a strong twenty-four song set, with three covers thrown in for good measure. There were nods to the band’s early days, with tracks like Flannigan’s Ball and Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya, which no doubt kept the old-school hardcore fans in attendance happy.
The band closed up the main part of their set with a triple whammy of Rose Tattoo, a cover of The Irish Rover before wrapping things up with a seismic rendition of Until The Next Time. As if the night couldn’t end on a higher note, the band came back onstage and took the roof off the venue with I’m Shipping Up to Boston and the grand finale of Workers Song. An incredible performance by one of the most important bands in punk rock history. Until next time…
Written By: Andy Davies
