Boston to Berkeley Tour
For once, I am not talking about myself being in both Boston and Berkeley. I only went to the Berkeley show. The Dropkick Murphys and Rancid, however, named their co-headlining tour after the cities they are proud to be from.
Before even making it into the Greek Theater, I was stopped by a security guy at the entrance.
Him: “Were you front row right side for Green Day?”
Me: “I was!”
Him: “I remember you.”
Every damn time.
I made it in the venue about halfway through the second opener, the Selector. I had no trouble finding one of my Idiot friends, Alma, on the barricade, so I joined her and managed to snag a spot in the front despite getting there late.
The Selector was alright. They weren’t my favorite and didn’t hold my attention all that well, but they were really talented so I’ll give them that.
The Bouncing Souls opened on the East Coast run of the tour, so I kinda wished we had them. I’m also not super familiar with them, but I have some friends who are super into them, so it would’ve been nice to check them out. Oh well.
It was still light out when the Dropkick Murphys came out. It’s Rancid’s hometown show, so obviously they’re closing out the night, but technically the Dropkick Murphys are headlining too, so the fact that it was not dark at all… Weird.
I’ve seen them once before, on St. Paddy’s Day when I lived in Boston. I really do like them, I just don’t know a ton of their music. It felt kinda weird seeing them here, in my new home, after seeing them in Boston years ago. I’m not sure why.
There was a black curtain that got pulled before they started playing and they had awesome graphics behind them. For example, the lyrics to “Blood.” That was pretty great, because I don’t know the song, yet I was still able to sing along regardless.
There were two drunk annoying women behind me who wouldn’t leave me alone for like…the entire show. A third girl behind them told me there would be space if this one woman wasn’t shoving me so much, but I honestly didn’t even notice it was just her until she pointed it out. Well then.
Dropkick Murphys had a lot of energy. Dude kept jumping toward the barricade. Seeing them live just reminded me that yeah, I really do like them.
They talked about how they thought they’d just play some shows in New England until Rancid helped them get bigger by signing them to Hellcat Records. Aww. Those feels.
The crowd was super rough even during them. My original thought was that it would be bad during Rancid because they’re from here, but when it was this rough for Dropkick Murphys, I changed my mind and hoped that a lot of this crowd would leave before Rancid came on. They did not. This was one of my more squished barricade experiences. It was pretty awful, but I wasn’t about to give up my spot before Rancid.
The Lonesome Boatman
The Boys Are Back
The Gang’s All Here
I Had a Hat
Rebels with a Cause
Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya
Prisoner’s Song
Blood
Barroom Hero/Do or Die/Never Alone/Boys on the Docks
Curse of a Fallen Soul
Out of Our Heads
Rose Tattoo
The State of Massachusetts
Going Out in Style
Shipping Up to Boston
They brought a bunch of girls (and a few dudes too) onstage for the last song. I didn’t want to get picked, because again, I’m here for Rancid. I’m not losing my barricade spot. Luckily they didn’t even try to take me out, because the girls that went were more than willing.
I saw the same guy crowdsurf about 15 times throughout the night and somehow he STILL managed to get a spot on the barricade before Rancid. How?! The hell?!
As I unfortunately figured, the crowd was even more nuts for Rancid. It’s a hometown show. And it’s fuckin Rancid.
The annoying drunk women disappeared after Dropkick Murphys and I foolishly thought there was no way they’d make it back.
Woman: “I was just getting a drink.”
Me: “I’m squished, can you not?”
Her: “If I let go [of the barricade] they’re gonna push really hard.”
Me: “There’s already no space! I’m just trying to stay on my fuckin feet!”
Of course as soon as she finagled her way to the barricade, the shoving all stopped, because they were literally only shoving her because she was being an asshole. Gotta love it, man.
Then of course I had a wrist in my rib all night. And at one point she put her arm completely in front of me, like holding onto me on the barricade? I was fed up and finally told security to get her off me.
“I don’t know her!”
I don’t think security actually did anything, so that’s cool. Ya know.
I’m gonna stop dwelling on assholes now.
Rancid opened up with my favorite song of theirs, “Radio.”
I took zero videos of my own during their set because it was way too hectic up there. I definitely moved like two barricades over while they played. I was gripping on for dear life and all of a sudden would find myself past another one. Really?! How?!
“Kevin Seconds better sing me ‘99 Luff Balloons‘ later.”
Rancid still has a lot of energy considering they’ve been a band for 25 years now. Shit. Tim kept jumping toward the barricade too.
Tim dedicated something to his brother Jeff, who works at 924 Gilman.
Me to Alma: “Oh hey, we know him!”
Radio
Roots Radicals
Journey to the End of the East Bay
Maxwell Murder
11th Hour
Nihilism
East Bay Night
Dead Bodies
Ghost of a Chance
Telegraph Ave.
Old Friend
Where I’m Going
Salvation
Bloodclot
It’s Quite Alright
Buddy
Fall Back Down
Time Bomb
Encore (with Dropkick Murphys):
Cretin Hop (Ramones)
If the Kids Are United (Sham 69)
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
Take Em All (Cock Sparrer)
I love Rancid so much. I haven’t listened to their new album yet, so I definitely goofed there. Apparently “Buddy” is Lars’s favorite song from the new album. Noted.
Their whole performance was crazy epic. Especially the encore. I loved all the mic sharing between bands. Ugh.
