• the217
• Music
• Irish punk

Related Media

What: The Tossers
Where: Highdive
When: March 16
Cost: $12

Related Artists

• The Tossers's Profile »

Related Venues

Highdive »
Address: 51 Main St. Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 356-2337
Show on map

Anyone who can trace their bloodline back to the Emerald Isle knows there are few things more synonymous with being Irish than whiskey and conflict. And there are few mediums that more perfectly capture the impassioned essence of the Irish than Celtic punk music.

One of the main ideas behind punk rock music is not only that it is anti-establishment, but also that it conveys an important message. Sometimes that message is simply that music does not have to conform to the mainstream.

At other times, punk acts as a conduit through which its creators and its fans can affect social norms. Or at least they have a shared platform where they can discuss social change that needs to happen. Conflict is a cornerstone of punk rock music; progression rarely happens as the result of everyone politely getting along.

Set to a background of wicked fast drums, with angry guitar riffs and lyrics often yelled more so than sung, punk music is invariably laden with emotion.

Slower Irish music often waxes nostalgically about lost or unrequited love, tragedy and a general sense of longing and despondence. The ballads of the Irish also often wander into political territory, addressing issues like war, religion and poverty.

Happier themes in Irish music include melodies honoring a very celebrated heritage, as well as ditties devoted to sharing a pint with friends. Loud, drunken anthems conjure images of dark bar rooms where satisfied patrons wave their beer mugs in unison as they slur the words to their favorite tunes.

So when two fiery genres like punk and Irish music collide in an explosion of traditional and nontraditional instruments and a storm of emotion, a genre of music emerges from the wreckage that is totally unique in its style, set apart even from the two genres that spawned it.

Those who have heard Celtic punk music know that it cannot be adequately described to anyone who has not. Furthermore, anyone who has experienced a live Celtic punk show knows that even someone who rocks out totally hard to the recorded version of it just has not quite gotten the full experience.

Created in the 1980s when punk music had been around for at least a decade or two, Celtic punk is generally attributed to a band with English and Irish roots called The Pogues. They brought the sounds of their Irish heritage into their punk rock music and made a whole new genre with which audiences could very closely identify.

Initially, the defining element of Celtic punk was that it set traditional Irish songs to a punk musical background. As the genre evolved, this remains a part of the music, but it is no longer the only defining element. New songs written specifically within the genre marry the history of Irish music with the energy of punk rock.

With the emergence of bands like Dropkick Murphys, Flatfoot 56, Flogging Molly and The Tossers, Celtic punk has become deeply rooted into the American music scene. And — although it seems almost like an oxymoron — in the past five or ten years, the genre has even become somewhat mainstream.

However, despite their soaring popularity, most Celtic punk bands remain true to both their Irish and their punk beginnings. They unabashedly look to their heritage for inspiration and unapologetically confront important issues that the world regularly faces today.

The Tossers, a band from Chicago, does a particularly admirable job of striking the balance between Irish and punk rock music. Their blend of thought-provoking lyrics, an abundant mix of instruments and impeccably done vocals make them a compelling contender for a spot in the top Celtic punk groups around. Of course it doesn’t hurt that they really know how to write a good drinking song, as any Celtic punk band worth their weight in whiskey should.

Irish heritage is an intricately woven, very rich history that goes far beyond the stereotype or parody of the “fightin’ Irish.” A foolproof way to gain a broader understanding of that, or any, heritage is to delve into its music. While traditional Irish music is great, Celtic punk is also one of the best ways to fully experience the lush emotion and history of the Irish — best served straight up, no chaser, with a room full of your closest blokes.