Europe done. The Rumjacks wrapped Balkans-to-Baltics with Vilnius (23 Sep), Riga (24 Sep) and Tallinn (25 Sep)—and the calendar barely blinks. Next up: Flogging Molly’s Salty Dog Cruise, 25–30 Oct aboard the Norwegian Jewel out of Miami, then a four-night US southeast romp before Japan.
Continue reading The Rumjacks: US Southeast Then JapanTag Archives: The Rumjacks
Liptons Orphan: Pain Management
Frankie McLaughlin — the brilliant ex-Rumjack bootboy behind Liptons Orphan — has released a stark new single on Bandcamp. Pain Management, out September 18, started life as a personal scrap Frankie kept in the drawer. Friends pushed him to let it into the light, and he timed the first socials blast around World Suicide Prevention Day 2026.
Continue reading Liptons Orphan: Pain Management
The Rumjacks: Balkans to Baltics Curtain Call
Sydney’s Celtic punk road dogs The Rumjacks are slamming the boot on their Balkans-to-Baltics European club run this week. Vilnius hits Mello tonight (23 September), Riga’s Melnā Piektdiena tomorrow, then first-time Estonia on Friday at Tallinn’s Paavli Kultuurivabrik with local openers Tabloited.
Continue reading The Rumjacks: Balkans to Baltics Curtain Call
Liptons Orphan: Dressin’ Scottish / Drinkin’ Irish / Talkin’ Rubbish
Strap in for a creamer from a Celtic punk legend! Frankie McLaughlin, the broken glass gargling punk poet formerly of The Rumjacks, unleashes his solo debut under the Liptons Orphan banner with Dressin’ Scottish / Drinkin’ Irish / Talkin’ Rubbish. This 10-track beast is a raw, rollicking ode to folk-punk mayhem, all songs written and performed by Frankie himself (bar a cheeky cover of Matt McGinn’s “3 Nights & A Sunday”, McGinn was a Scottish folk singer/songwriter who also wrote The Foreman O’Rourke covered by The Rumjacks). It’s like The Rumjacks—same fiery spirit, but stripped down to one man’s unfiltered fury, combining band bombast and intimate, acoustic-tinged brawls that hit harder than a Glasgow kiss.
Standouts? “The False Ailsa” kicks off with blistering bagpipes and galloping punk rock. “Awright Wi’ Me” dives deep into gritty storytelling, a slow-burner with its anthemic chorus that sticks right in your head. “Curley the FkN Ghost” is a pure jig-punk sing-along, while the title track explodes like The Clash crashing a pipe’n’drums convention.
If you love classic Rumjacks, this album will make you very happy.
https://liptonsorphan.bandcamp.com/album/dressin-scottish-drinkin-irish-talkin-rubbish
The Rumjacks: Dead Anthems
The Rumjacks are back with their sixth album, Dead Anthems, the second full-length with Mike Rivkees barking at the helm – the Boston bhoy who jumped aboard the ship Rumjack for 2021’s Hestia and gave the band a new lease of life after the departure of Frankie McLaughlin. Produced by Mike Rivkees with Pete Steinkopf from The Bouncing Souls co-producing, Dead Anthems got a crisp, punchy sound that still keeps the raw Celtic-punk grit we love.
Kicks off with “Come Hell or High Water,” a immigrant tale you’ll be roaring along to in no time, then barrels into the frantic “They Kick You When You’re Down.” Ken Casey from the Dropkick Murphys lends his growl to “Cold Like This,” a ode to New England winters. Standout for me is “An Irish Goodbye on St. Valentine’s Day” – catchy as hell, with that bittersweet sting of love slipping away in the pub haze.
Compared to Hestia, that fiery return album, Dead Anthems tightens the screws: sharper hooks, bigger production, and a good mix of full-throttle punk with some thoughtful slower burns. The back half, like “Eye for an Eye” and the closer with its Ska undertones, “Some Legends Never Die,” adds real depth without killing the momentum. It’s a cracking listen that keeps The Rumjacks right up there with the best in Celtic-punk. Grab a pint, knock it back and give Dead Anthems a spin (loud).
The Rumjacks / Flatfoot 56 split EP
I love the idea behind split releases. They allow bands to share each other’s audience. Here we have two of the more established bands on the Celtic-punk scene splitting some vinyl. Australia’s The Rumjacks and Flatfoot 56 from the US. Since this EP is an Australian release I’m guessing this is more an introduction of Flatfoot to fans down under then The Rumjacks to the US.
Both bands contribute three tracks here with The Rumjacks kicking off on side 1 with the hooligan-ish Celtic punk of “Whitecaps”. The catchy “Fifth Ward Firestone” is more of the same. The side closes with a version of the old music hall standard “What Was Your Name in the States?” The flipside finds Chicago’s Flatfoot 56 initially with a little bit more of a laid-back groove on “Mud” before ramping up the energy. Tracks 2 and 3, “Sorry” & “Trouble”, are the bagpipes and punk rock growling vocals that Flatfoot 56 is best known for.
The best of 2021
Best album
#1 The Peelers: Down and Out in the City of Saints
The best band in the whole Celtic-punk universe and another great album.
#2 Ferocious Dog: Hope
Hope is FDs breakthrough into the big time.
#3 The Dropkick Murphys: Turn Up The Dial
A nice back to form album. No surprises but we don’t want or like surprises from the Murphys.
#4 The Rumjacks: Hestia
Still fighting strong after the messy departure of original vocalist, Frankie.
#5 Blaggards: Blagmatic
Blagmatic may have taken a while but it was worth the wait.
Best new band
The Dead Rabbits: 7 Ol’ Jerks
Not exactly a new band but new to Shite’n’Onions. Pure Celtic-punk.
Best acoustic solo album
Finny McConnell:The Dark Streets Of Love
I’ve always said Finny is a first class song writer.
Best Celtic-punk zine
London Celtic Punks
Well written and always new content. The go to news source.
https://londoncelticpunks.wordpress.com/
Best Celtic Punk memoir
Celtic Punk Superfan (Recaps & Reflections Chapbook, 2002–22)
by Michael Croland
Special shout out
Trouble Pilgrims: Blood, Glass & Gasoline
The Rumjacks: Fall 2021 European
The Rumjacks: Hestia
The Rumjacks new release, Hestia, is easily the most anticipated Celtic-punk release of 2021. After the drama of original vocalist, Frankie McLaughlin, being booted in April, twelve months ago and his replacement by American, Mike Rivkees, of Mickey Rickshaw fame, the entire Celtic-punk world has been waiting to hear this album.
I’ve been listening to Hestia a lot since it dropped last month as I wanted to give it a fair and not rushed review. So, how does it sound? Like The Rumjacks of old – aggressive Celtic-punk, though maybe a slightly cleaner sound then before. The album burst out of the gate, with the speedy, Naysayer and continues in a fast paced, aggressive style (with more than the occasional Ska undertone) that we are accustomed to from The Rumjacks.
And how about Mike? He is stepping into big doc martens. Now, I’ve seen Mike live fronting Mickey Rickshaw and he’s a great front man. His vocals aren’t as distinctively hard lived as Frankie’s (which I really liked) but they fit right into the songs on Hestia. Mike is a fine replacement for Frankie and hopefully he can get them to the next level – whatever that means.
Shite’n’Onions Celtic-punk podcast #117
Podcast #117 feature Greenland Whalefishers from their new album Based On A True Story
The Skels – When The Devil’s Whore Arrives
Greenland Whalefishers – Friend-Enemy
Black 47 – James Connolly
The Rumjacks – I’ll Tell Me Ma!
Handsome Young Strangers – Limejuice Tub
Greenland Whalefishers – K Says
Greenland Whalefishers – Darkness
Hugh Morrison – Passing Place
Hugh Morrison – Dance Hall Girl
Finn’s Fury – Auld Triangle
The Mahones – It’s Gonna Be Alright
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