How St. Patrick gets his groove back

So close to Mardi Gras and not quite on a weekend (though thankfully not a Lenten Friday — what would we do with all this corned beef???), there’s still plenty to do to celebrate the greenest icon, including a blowout at Peggy Kinane’s with Sister Hazel.

St. Patrick‘s reputation in Ireland shouldn’t be. Part of Irish identity is loathing British imperialism, yet here’s the rich son of a high-ranking, British-based officer importing a whole religion? (And how is his name Patrick if his parents were Calphurnius and Conchessa and he trained mostly as a priest in France?) The celebrations are more farcical: his original color was blue, the first parade was in New York, and it was illegal for pubs to do business in Ireland on 3/17 until the 1970s.

Our nitpicking over, bring on the bacchnalia! Peggy Kinane’s in Arlington Heights will go for broke for three days beginning the 17th, spending all their green on headliners Scythian, Sister Hazel, and .38 Special, with Ides Of March, Neverly Brothers, and 7th Heaven adding support. Uncle Fatty’s in Lincoln Park looks to put a stop to Peggy’s by opening at 9 a.m., and offering an open-bar package from noon until 4 a.m. on the 17th. Before you accuse them of being thoughtless and irresponsible, Mike & Joe will play at 2 p.m. before everyone’s hammered. Congress, which hosted Dropkick Murhpys in late February, have The Pogues on the 3rd and then Flogging Molly on the 11th and 12th; Kevin Flynn & The Avondale Ramblers play six city and suburban venues between the 11th and 19th; and The Tossers do one at Metro on the 18th.

— Steve Forstneger

Category: Featured, Stage Buzz, Weekly