Dropkick Murphys get their Irish up

For reasons obvious and not so obvious, the Dropkick Murphys and Neil Diamond have become unofficial court composers for the monarchy known as Red Sox Nation. Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," of course, is said to be a paean to a shared hallucination by Bill "Spaceman" Lee and Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd of the Feminine Ideal.

The Murphys' song "Shipping Up to Boston" has a clearer thematic connection. Indeed, the Dropkickers are about as Boston/Irish-centric as you can get without being named Ted Williams Butler Yeats, and it's only appropriate they're out on a St. Patrick's Day tour that brings them Saturday into the Mohegan Sun Arena.

In that whole spirit, on Tuesday, the band is releasing "Going Out In Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition CD," an expanded version of last year's "Going Out In Style" - including a live disc recorded last fall at two soldout Fenway dates. Expect this Sun show to similarly rock supremely.

- RICK KOSTER

Dropkick Murphys, 7 p.m. Saturday, Mohegan Sun Arena; Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls open; $25, floor section is standing general admission; mohegansun.com