8. Dropkick Murphys
Twitter/Dropkick MurphysYou know what to expect with Boston's finest purveyors of whisky soaked rock, and the Dropkicks rarely fail to deliver on their manifesto of barn-storming, tub-thumping anthems that call heavily back to the old-country and a beer-swilled ideal of mythical masculinity. There's something visceral about the band's raucuous vocals and chest-beating that insists you be proud of wherever and whenever you're from, even though their brand is particularly Irish and particularly Boston. Inevitably the high-point came with "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" the brilliant opening score to The Departed though it was a shame that there was no place for Spicy McHaggis among the self-certified fight songs and bar anthems. Still, a great set, and a great band.