Rockin’ the Kilts on St. Patty’s Day

As you may remember, we’ve been unpacking our time in South Boston where sang with the band, drank some golden ales, spied on some priceless works of art and smashed some lobster and chowder. All of it, leading up to the reason we were there…to catch the parade and mosh with the locals at the Dropkick Murphys concert at the MGM. Join us this week for an amazing time where we’re acting like locals and rockin’ the kilts, on St. Patty’s Day.

The Pre-Game

Since our hotel, the Cambria, was right on the parade route, we knew we’d need a strategy to get brunch and a good spot to watch it go by. I thought we could get donuts around the corner and watch the parade from the seats in the lobby of the hotel. I am, a bit…practical. Thankfully, Stephen is MUCH better at planning and landed us seats at the Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant – voted #1 brunch place in 2023!

We had to stand in an outdoor queue at 8am to get a table. As it turns out, we are too old to stand in line outside a bar but a restaurant…is obviously a whole different story. It was cold and a bit windy but the promise of egg bene and brews, kept us JUST warm enough.

The Plan B

Though the Lincoln Tavern advertised that the same band we saw the night before would be performing, we didn’t know they wouldn’t be starting until 2pm. So moved on the plan B…watching the parade with a cups of coffee from the comfy seats in the hotel lobby.

The Parade

The St. Patty’s funtivities started right outside the window so I was able to stay warm and cozy until the whole thing was about to start.

I had expected a drunken, rowdy crowd but from where we watched, it felt much more like a joyous, neighborhood party. While most parades have elaborate floats and marching bands, this one had squadrons of first responders, neighbor groups and pipe bands.

Food Stop and a Stroll to the Concert

Once the parade was over, we “kilted” up and made our way over to the MGM Music Hall. Since we hadn’t had a bit since the magnificent brunch at the Lincoln and were about to be on the floor for hours at the concert, a food stop seemed prudent. It turns out that all the people who were only in South Boston for the parade had the exact same idea and every place was packed. Lucky for us, we found a small table at Otto’s Pizza. You may not know this about me, but getting a seat in a crowded place is one of my super skills.

MGM Music Hall

We had VIP tickets to the event, which gave us early entry and access to the rooftop bar. Though it was a bit a chilly for a crowd, the view was spectacular and they had Sam Adams on draft.

We were the first people in the door and got right up to the stage. As other super fans filled in around us, they let us know that when the rest of the people filled in on the floor, we would be crushed against the rail for the duration of the show. Since they seemed knowledgeable and earnest, we took their advice and headed to the back of the floor.

The concert started with Irish hip hop trio, Kneecap. The music was catchy but their accents were so thick, I could only make out the swear words.

Next up is a band from California called, Pennywise. They were like the west coast version of the Dropkick Murphys. Or as Ken Casey, from the Murphys said, the Dropkick Murphys are the east coast version of Pennywise.

The headliners came on around 9pm and the crowd pressed in to get as close as they could. Each number seemed more popular that the last and the entire audience sang along. Their set ended with “Shipping Up to Boston” and a shower of confetti.

It was a very happy St. Patrick’s indeed!

The Last Morning

Our last morning in Boston, it was too cold to do any outdoor activities so…we said goodbye in typical Irish fashion. That’s right, we had a couple pints. First stop was the Union Oyster House, one of our perennial favorites. We met THE NICEST bartender, who not only gave use corn bread for the flight home but also told us about an unusual landmark that was just around the corner – the Boston Stone.

Although he said it was used as the epicenter for measurements to Boston, Wikipedia says it ain’t so. But regardless of it’s origin, we’d been by this alley many times and NEVER noticed this hidden gem..

Our last stop before heading home was the Green Dragon, Tavern, one of the oldest bars in Boston. Though we expected the same hospitality as the Union Oyster House, everybody seemed to have a touch of post St. Pat’s blues.

Until Next Time

We, however had no post St. Patrick’s Day blues, because rather than heading home, we were heading out for our next adventure. We hope you’ll join us again next time for a quick trip back to Las Vegas for a stay at the Palazzo, giant martinis and singing frogs! If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to get the latest right to your email and curated content just for our insiders! You can also see what we’re up to in real time on Instagram at The__Travel__Oracle! Until next time!