Images: Dropkick Murphys, The Insurgence April 19, 2013 at the House of Blues

Given last week’s tragic events at the Boston Marathon, the April 19 Dropkick Murphys show at the House of Blues Las Vegas seemed especially cathartic. Just two hours prior to the show beginning, news broke that the second bombing suspect was captured. And after a great opening set from Seattle thrash metal punkers The Insurgence, Dropkick opened with “For Boston,” uniting the packed crowd in celebration of the strength of one of America’s greatest cities.

The majority of Dropkick’s set focused on their newest album Signed and Sealed in Blood. New songs such as “The Boys are Back,” “Rose Tattoo,” and “End of the Night” all fit in their setlist as if they were long-time classics. 2011’s Going Out in Style was well-represented with the title track, “Peg O’ My Heart” and “The Hardest Mile,” and we were also treated to older cuts “Skinhead on the MTBA,” “The Workers Songs,” and of course, crowd-favorite “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.” I was a little disappointed not to hear more from my favorite Dropkick record, The Meanest of Times, but was still really pleased with the setlist overall.

Dropkick has raised over $150,000 for victims and families affected by the Boston Marathon by selling a special-edition “For Boston” t-shirt. If you’re a Dropkick fan and want to contribute, you can buy the shirt here.

-Aaron Mattern | https://www.flickr.com/photos/akmofoto/