pogues-st-patricks-day-1988
Cheers, Shane!

5 amazing live videos you can stream for St. Patrick's Day while you’re home and every show is cancelled

UPDATE: For 2021, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, and Murphy’s Law are all doing St. Patrick’s Day livestreams.

PREVIOUSLY:

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and there are literally no shows happening due to the coronavirus outbreak. But if you’re already jonesing to see a show, or just need a brief distraction from the insanity of the world right now, thankfully there’s YouTube which has an amazing array of live footage from throughout the history of pop music, from clips from concert films, TV performances and other pro-shot footage, to tons of fan-shot video from shows. Given the day, we’ve picked a few of our favorite St. Patrick’s Day-appropriate concerts. Watch below.

The Pogues ‎– Live At The Town And Country Club, London, St. Patrick’s Day 1988

Having recently released their third album, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, The Pogues celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at London’s Town And Country Club and brought along a number of their friends, including Kirsty MacColl (who duetted with Shane MacGowan on “Fairytale of New York”), Joe Strummer for a version of “London Calling” and The Specials’ Lynval Golding to sing “A Message to You and more.” It was a one-of-a-kind night that only The Pogues could’ve pulled together, ending with a audience sing-a-long of “Wild Rover.” What a show.

Dropkick Murphys @ Avalon Ballroom – St. Patrick’s Day, 2002

This is the first time in 24 years that Dropkick Murphys won’t be playing a concert (to a live audience) for St. Patrick’s Day, but don’t forget you can stream their audience-free show live at 7 PM ET today. While you wait for that, revisit this full set from their heyday. This one was in 2002 (and released as an album), right in between the releases of fan-fave albums Sing Loud, Sing Proud! and Blackout, and Dropkick were on fire all night. The footage is a little grainy, but the endless energy has no trouble coming across.

Flogging Molly @ Greek Theatre – 9/12/2009

Before you stream Dropkick later, dive into this great concert film by another of Celtic punk’s most all-time iconic bands, Flogging Molly (who have also played every St. Patrick’s Day for over 20 years). Flogging Molly’s live shows never fail to be a blast — they’ve got tons of musicians on stage, really nail the balance between punk energy and traditional instrumentation, and it’s impossible to be in attendance and not have a good time. Even on a screen from the comfort of your own home, the power of their show comes across.

Update: Flogging Molly also shared a fireside acoustic video for St. Patrick’s Day.

The Undertones – Live on Follies, 3/29/1980

One of Northern Ireland’s greatest bands, The Undertones played powerpop with punk energy and, in 1980 when this Belgian TV performance was taped, had a never-ending supply of angsty love songs at the ready. Follies catches them at the height of their powers, ripping through 10 songs in about 25 minutes, including “Hard Luck,” “Teenage Kicks,” “Jimmy Jimmy,” “My Perfect Cousin,” “You Got My Number,” “The Way Girls Talk,” “More Songs About Chocolate and Girls” and the title track from their soon-to-be-released second album, Hypnotised.

Thin Lizzy @ Dublin’s National Stadium, 1975

One of the greatest and most influential rock bands of all time was born in Ireland in 1969. Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott sadly left this earth at the young age of 36 back in 1986, but thankfully video footage like this exists so we can all study up. Filmed at Dublin’s National Stadium in 1975, this massive concert was released as a DVD in 2012, but can be watched here and now (in two parts) thanks to the magic of YouTube.

For more of our favorite live videos, go here.