If It's Too Loud...

I've been meaning to see The Mary Wallopers live ever since discovering them. The Irish folk-punk band has played Boston a few times over the past few years, but it just has not worked out for me so far. It finally did this past weekend, and might have been the least 4/20 thing to do in Boston on Saturday night. Playing as a seven piece that included a drummer, whistle player, and a pipes player, The Mary Wallopers took the stage of The Middle East in front of a rabid fanbase. They played a mix of originals, covers, and traditional Irish folk songs in their own folk-punk style. The crowd knew virtually every word and scream-sung just about every song. Songs like "The Rich Man and the Poor Man" and "The Blarney Stone" are both traditional songs that The Mary Wallopers have made their own. It was also a great mix of rowdy songs and quiet ones, hitting every possible mood.  At one point in the set, all three singers (Andrew Hendy, Charles Hendy, and Sean McKenna) a...

Doing Anything this Weekend? is a feature here at If It's Too Loud... where we feature some live shows in and on the far outskirts of the Boston area. Our main rules are that they have to be reasonably priced shows that you can attend last minute. They'll feature If It's Too Loud... approved bands, and we'll provide event links when possible. If you're looking for last minute plans this weekend, we recommend: April 19 Rock & Roll Rumble Semifinals featuring Other Brother Darryl, Roser, Looking Glass War, and The Ghouls at Sonia, Cambridge, MA Linnea's Garden, Church and Puppets, and Sorry Mister at Koto, Salem, MA Bodega, Boston Cream, and Big Bliss at The Rockwell, Somerville, MA The Collect Pond, Perennial, Battlemode at Lizard Lounge, Cambridge, MA Monchella featuring Tysk Tysk Task, Neck Dive, Roaches, and The P.A.'s at Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA  April 20 Hard in the 'Head II featuring The FU's, Cuidado, The Modern Faces, and Cou...

Photo by Sorcha Frances Ryder "The Idler" is one of three original songs on The Mary Wallopers upcoming album. This one lands more on the folk side of folk-punk, as it's just Sean McKenna on vocals and acoustic guitar. That doesn't mean the Irish band are getting soft for this single. "The Idler" is one of the most biting and vicious songs of the year and attacks landlords, the clergy, the taxman, and xenophobes. You can just hear the venom dripping off of this song, and others should take note of how folk-punk can be done. The Mary Wallopers are more punk on this one than most bands playing what is considered punk nowadays.  Sean McKenna says of the band's new song: “The song was written in response to the scapegoating and vilification of ordinary people just doing what they need to do in order to keep struggling through life, rarely harming anyone. Meanwhile those in positions of power, the ones who often create or uphold such situations, are held in h...

Photo by Sorcha Frances Ryder It's always great to hear Irish folk/punk outside of March. The latest from The Mary Wallopers, aka "The Clancy Brothers meets The Dead Kennedys," is everything we want from the genre. "The Blarney Stone" is very traditional Irish folk, but with an odd pop sensibility and the attitude and edge of punk. The choruses are basically gang vocals, albeit (mostly) sung and not shouted. This one is just pure fun, if you're into the genre. Even if you're not, "The Blarney Stone" is still worth a listen as The Mary Wallopers truly know what they're doing. The Mary Wallopers say of their new single: “The Blarney Stone is a famous monument in Ireland. It’s said if you kiss it you get the gift of the gab. More business minded Irish people over the years have made their own blarney stones charging unsuspecting tourists for a kiss, this is their story.”  You can watch the video for "The Blarney Stone" below. Irish R...

Photo by Sorcha Frances Ryder Irish folk punk can be a bit hokey at times, but when a band nails it, they just nail it. The Mary Wallopers are actually Irish, which is always a plus. The band they get compared to the most is The Pogues, and once you hear their latest single, you'll understand why. "Wexford" is a very traditionally Irish song, but it still has just enough of an edge to it to be considered punk. It's a ballad, and a beautiful and traditional one at that, but the song still has that punk thing going for it. It's not even a Mary Wallopers original, but a traditional Irish song written by Pecker Dunne. Still, they make this song sound like their own, imbuing the song with enough emotion to make it feel completely personal. Andrew Hendy says of the new single: “The song was written by Pecker Dunne, who was a travelling musician. He brought so many songs into circulation over the years he played, you’ll have heard the Dubliners playing a lot of his songs...