Summer of Discontent Tour
Dropkick Murphys & Bad Religion
with The MainLiners
Ovation Hall, Atlantic City
8-15
Dropkick Murphys and Bad Religion brought their Summer of Discontent Tour to Atlantic City on August 15th, performing at Ocean Casino’s Ovation Hall with The Mainliners joining them for the night. The Asbury Park stop of the tour had been partially rained out, preventing The Mainliners from playing and limiting Bad Religion to a short 35-minute set. This time, fans who attended both shows finally got the full experience.
The Mainliners opened the night and immediately set the pace. Their style carried that raw SoCal punk edge, with flashes of Suicidal Tendencies and Circle Jerks. They had no problem winning over the crowd and getting everyone moving, a strong reminder of how good a proper opener can be at building momentum for the night.
Bad Religion followed, and while there isn’t much left unsaid about them after decades of influence, they continue to prove why they’re one of punk’s most important bands. Their setlist blended songs from across their career, including You Are the Government, Generator, Atomic Garden, Sorrow, and My Sanity. They played for about an hour and twenty minutes, sounding as sharp and relevant as ever. Last year they hit the road with Social Distortion, and this year they’re teamed up with Dropkick Murphys. Getting to see two legendary punk acts back-to-back is becoming a trend worth celebrating, and it leaves you wondering who they might share the stage with next.
Closing the night, Dropkick Murphys came out to huge applause and wasted no time unleashing their trademark mix of grit and energy. The last time they were in Atlantic City was at the 2023 Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival at Bader Field, but this show felt like a bigger moment. They mixed in songs from their newest record For the People, which already stands strong on its own, but hearing those tracks live gave them even more weight. Of course, they also delivered on the crowd favorites: Going Out in Style, The Boys Are Back, Barroom Hero, and as the encore, their undeniable anthem I’m Shipping Up to Boston. Their set also stretched past an hour and kept the audience locked in the entire time.
The Summer of Discontent Tour wraps up on August 17th, but the music doesn’t stop there. Both Bad Religion and Dropkick Murphys are set to appear this fall at Riot Fest, giving fans another chance to see two of punk’s most enduring bands still delivering at the top of their game.
Dropkick Murphys
Bad Religion
The Mainliners
