The Glory Of A Dropkick Murphys Tour

The LP – the band’s ninth full-length – is due out Jan. 6 through Dropkick’s Born & Bred Records. 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory was recorded in El Paso, Texas, and produced by Ted Hutt, who has also worked with Gaslight Anthem and Old Crow Medicine Show.  

“To me, the whole journey starts with the fact we actually agree to go – and then went – to Texas. Because we’ve never left home to make a record,” bassist/founder Ken Casey said. “As everyone’s lives have become crazier and busier with kids and families, it’s gotten harder to buckle down at home. We decided to leave Boston, go down to literally the middle of nowhere and lock ourselves in a room.”

An announcement from the band’s PR rep proclaims that with the 11-track album “the band carries on the tradition of rough and tumble storytelling – the kind of writing that never leaves fans wondering whether the band have lived what they’re singing about. … There are moments of ass-kicking Celtic punk attitude, ball-busting wisecracks, tear-jerking confessions, and the kind of upbeat words of wisdom that can be chanted loud and proud across arenas and stadiums worldwide.”

11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory includes a song playing homage to the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing, a track about a “clueless Masshole,” and a few tunes influenced by the band’s work with The Claddagh Fund, which Dropkick established to support addiction recovery as well as children’s and veterans’ organizations.

Pre-orders for the album are ongoing and include an instand download of the song “Blood.”

Following a trip to Europe in January and early February, the U.S. routing begins Feb. 21 in Bethlehem, Pa. The outing concludes with the band’s annual run of hometown shows during St. Patrick’s Day week.

Feb. 21 – Bethlehem, Pa., Sands Bethlehem Event Center
Feb. 22 – Columbus, Ohio, Express Live!
Feb. 24 – Clive, Iowa , Seven Flags Event Center  
Feb. 25 – Hinckley, Minn., Grand Casino Hinckley (Great Minnesota Taste-Together Brewfest)
Feb. 26 – Sioux Falls, S.D., The District
Feb. 28 – Kansas City, Mo., Uptown Theater
March 1 – Tulsa, Okla., Cain’s Ballroom
March 2 – Little Rock, Ark., Metroplex Live
March 3 – Robinsonville, Miss., Bluesville At Horseshoe Tunica
March 4 – Birmingham, Ala., Iron City
March 6 – Saint Petersburg, Fla., Jannus Live
March 7 – Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Revolution Live
March 8 – Lake Buena Vista, Fla., House Of Blues
March 10 – North Myrtle Beach, S.C., House Of Blues
March 11 – Washington, D.C., venue TBA (Shamrock Fest)
March 12 – Huntington, N.Y., The Paramount        
March 15 – Boston, Mass., TBA
March 16 – Boston, Mass., TBA
March 17 – Boston, Mass, TBA
March 18 – Boston, Mass., Agganis Arena
March 18 – Boston, Mass., House Of Blues Boston (after party with Pro Boxing)
March 19 – Boston, Mass., TBA

The band is bringing along The Interrupters and Blood or Whisky on select dates. Tickets go on sale Nov. 4. Visit DropkickMurphys.com for more information.