Dropkick Murphys

James Joyce is best-known as an Irishman, despite being one of the greatest authors of the 20th Century. Everything he wrote was infused with his heritage and the struggles that came with such a life, and such is the same for the Dropkick Murphys — a bunch of Americans of Irish descent out of Massachusetts who are probably more Irish than most Irish people today. Their "Celtic punk" — which pretty much means classic punk married to Irish folk sounds — proclaims the glory of family, the working man, unions, and, of course, being God's beloved Irish. It makes you want to jump up and down, drink while doing it, throw a couple of punches, and then drink some more. In fact, that's what you should expect from the crowd at a Dropkick Murphys concert — along with line dancing, or at least attempts at it by the inebriated. You should also expect bigger crowds than you're used to — that is, if you're a fan — since Martin Scorsese's use of their "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" as one of the main themes of Oscar-winner The Departed stirred up a legion of new fans. The song is also being used as the theme to the Discovery Channel's reality show Lobster Wars, but we doubt this will help sell tickets.