Dropkick Murphys have announced they’ll release a 12” vinyl split LP with recent tourmates Haywire titled New England Forever. The Boston-based bands–who got to know each other while touring Europe together last fall–each recorded three original songs as well as a cover version of one of each other’s songs for the 8-song LP. Haywire recorded Dropkick Murphys’ “The Boys Are Back” and Dropkick Murphys recorded Haywire’s “Always By My Side.”
Are Dropkick Murphys the most talked about band right now? Maybe you’ve seen or read frontman Ken Casey’s no-holds-barred interviews with The Atlantic,Rolling Stone,The Telegraph, The Beat with Ari Melber and The Daily Show, where he’s vocalized his strong stances against the Trump administration and his support of immigrants, human rights and workers rights. Maybe you saw the video for the band’s recent release “Citizen I.C.E.” in which they draw attention to the tragic killings in Minnesota, or saw that Ken joined Boston labor unions at an anti-I.C.E. rally this month. There was also a good amount of attention when former D.C. Metropolitan Police officer Michael Fanone wore a Dropkick Murphys T-shirt during a tense exchange on Capitol Hill.
New England Forever will be available exclusively at shows during Dropkick Murphys’ February 9 – March 17 For The People…In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour with The Aggrolites and Haywire supporting on most dates. The U.S. trek culminates March 13, 14, 15 and 17in Boston with Dropkick Murphys’ annual run of hometown dates during St. Patrick’s Day week, which brings together DKM fans from around the globe.
The track listing for New England Forever is as follows:
Side A (Dropkick Murphys):
1. Citizen I.C.E. (feat. Haywire)
2. Only The Strong
3. Solidarity
4. Always By My Side (Haywire song)
Side B (Haywire):
1. New England Forever (feat. Dropkick Murphys)
2. Hang Up The Telephone
3. The Henchmen
4. The Boys Are Back (Dropkick Murphys song)
Dropkick Murphys’ “Citizen I.C.E.” is a reimagined version of their 2005 song “Citizen C.I.A.,” recorded in late 2025. DKM recently previewed the song on social media, with a video drawing attention to the tragic killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
Dropkick Murphys may be a hot topic right now but this is who they’ve always been. Since 1996, Boston’s punk rockers have stood up for what’s right and championed the underdogs. Last year, the band really drove this home as they released their most poignant album yet, For The People, appropriately released on July 4. Made for times like these, the songs show courage and confidence, with the band speaking up against the injustices happening in the United States, with the strength and power that harkens back to the band’s earliest roots. The first single and video, “Who’ll Stand With Us?” set the tone, encouraging unity and an urgent call to action to stand up against division and inequality. It’s messages like these that led to Ken being named MassHumanities’ Massachussetts Storyteller of the Year this fall and the band hailed as a “Voice of the Year” by Rolling Stone France.
Ken and Dropkick Murphys do more than just put these sentiments on record; they also put their thoughts into action. This year, they took part in the Unite for Veterans. Unite for America. Rally on the National Mall on the anniversary of D-Day. Ken also spent time in Ukraine to help deliver humanitarian aid and spoke about that experience here. Over the years, Dropkick Murphys have also appeared on picket lines in support of unions and continue to be a voice for the people. On February 26 they will bring their message to Omaha on the For The People…In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour, part of their annual February and March trek that culminates in hometown shows in their beloved Boston.
On February 26 they will bring their message to Omaha on the For The People…In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour, part of their annual February and March trek that culminates in hometown shows in their beloved Boston.
The band will be supported by The Aggrolites and Haywire on the For The People…In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour, the latter of whom they’ve worked with on a special split EP that will be sold exclusively on these tour dates.
The For The People…In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour shows are as follows. All shows are with The Aggrolites and Haywire unless otherwise noted:
| Date | City | Venue |
| Mon., Feb. 9 | Portland, ME | State Theatre |
| Tue., Feb. 10 | Montclair, NJ | The Wellmont Theater |
| Thu., Feb. 12 | Pittsburgh, PA | Stage AE |
| Fri., Feb. 13 | Port Chester, NY | The Capitol Theatre |
| Sat., Feb. 14 | Raleigh, NC | The Ritz |
| Sun., Feb. 15 | North Myrtle Beach, SC | House of Blues |
| Tue., Feb. 17 | Dallas, TX | House of Blues |
| Wed., Feb. 18 | Houston, TX | House of Blues |
| Thu., Feb. 19 | Austin, TX | ACL Live at The Moody Theater |
| Sat., Feb. 21 | Chattanooga, TN | The Signal |
| Sun., Feb. 22 | Charlotte, NC | The Fillmore |
| Tue., Feb. 24 | Chesterfield, MO | The Factory |
| Wed., Feb. 25 | Tulsa, OK | Cain’s Ballroom |
| Thu., Feb. 26 | Omaha, NE | The Admiral |
| Fri., Feb. 27 | West Des Moines, IA | Val Air Ballroom |
| Sun., Mar. 1 | Denver, CO | Mission Ballroom |
| Tue., Mar. 3 | Chicago, IL | The Salt Shed |
| Thu., Mar. 5 | East Moline, IL | The Rust Belt |
| Fri., Mar. 6 | St. Paul, MN | Palace Theatre |
| Sat., Mar. 7 | Milwaukee, WI | Panther Arena * |
| Sun., Mar. 8 | Louisville, KY | Old Forester’s Paristown Hall |
| Tue., Mar. 10 | Norfolk, VA | The NorVa |
| Wed., Mar. 11 | Springfield, MA | MassMutual Center * |
| Fri., Mar. 13 | Boston, MA | MGM Music Hall at Fenway ◊ |
| Sat., Mar. 14 | Boston, MA | MGM Music Hall at Fenway (matinee) ∆ |
| Sat., Mar. 14 | Boston, MA | MGM Music Hall at Fenway ◊ |
| Sun., Mar. 15 | Boston, MA | MGM Music Hall at Fenway ◊ |
| Tue., Mar. 17 | Boston, MA | Citizens House of Blues † (SOLD OUT) |
| * Hockey game performance – no opening acts | ||
| ◊ with Haywire and additional support TBA | ||
| ∆ Claddagh Fund matinee mini-show – no opening acts | ||
| † Support TBA | ||
Dropkick Murphys proudly remain Boston’s rock ‘n’ roll underdogs turned champions. Since 1996, the boys have created the kind of music that’s meant to be chanted at last call, in packed arenas, and during the fourth quarter, third period, or ninth inning of a comeback rally. Their celebrated discography includes four consecutive Billboard top 10 album debuts (Turn Up That Dial, 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory, Signed and Sealed in Blood, Going Out In Style), along with 2005’s Certified-Gold album The Warrior’s Code featuring the double platinum classic “I’m Shipping Up To Boston.” Whether you caught a legendary gig at The Rathskeller (The Rat) under Kenmore Square, found the band by taking the T to Newbury Comics to cop Do Or Die in ’98, discovered them in Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award winning The Departed, or saw ‘em throw down at Coachella (or one of hundreds of other festivals), you’ve become a part of their extended family.
Dropkick Murphys’ music has generated half-a-billion streams, they’ve quietly moved 8 million-plus units worldwide and the band has sold out gigs on multiple continents. Dropkick Murphys’ official charity, The Claddagh Fund, has raised millions of dollars to support non-profit organizations that are focused on children, veterans and addiction recovery. In 2020, the band was one of the first to embrace streaming performances, starting with their Streaming Up From Boston St. Patrick’s Day virtual performance. It was followed by their landmark Streaming Outta Fenway livestream, which drew more than 5.9 million viewers and held the #3 spot on Pollstar’s “Top 2020 Live Streams” chart. Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick’s Day Stream 2021…Still Locked Down, was #1 on Pollstar’s Livestream chart for the week ending March 22, 2021, logging over 1 million views.
Dropkick Murphys returned in 2022 with their first-ever all-acoustic album, This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Dummy Luck Music / Play It Again Sam), and seated theater tour. This Machine Still Kills Fascists–and their follow-up album Okemah Rising–breathe musical life into mostly unpublished lyrics by the legendary Woody Guthrie, curated for the band by Woody’s daughter Nora Guthrie. Dropkick Murphys’ current album For The People rises to its moment: an expression of humanity at a time of relentless dehumanization, a promise of hope in an era fueled by fear-mongering, a declaration of solidarity in an age of disunion, a defiant rebuttal to the charlatans and demagogues who seek to divide us for their own power and profit.
