Sláinte! Bar Dust delivers Irish rock to Free At Noon ahead of St. Paddy’s Day
Get into the Irish spirit ahead of St. Paddy’s day with Bar Dust’s Free At Noon performance.
Bar Dust | photo by Max Bennett for WXPN
About a tenth of Philadelphia’s population shares Irish heritage, according to recent census data. But on Friday, everyone attending Free At Noon at World Cafe Live was Irish, as Philadelphia’s eminent Pogues cover band Bar Dust belted out Irish and Celtic rock tunes.
The seven piece — a bit of a supergroup consisting of members of Modern Baseball, The Menzingers, Darla, and Steady Hands — played to a packed room. And in the Irish spirit, many attendees were imbibing libations despite the early showtime.
While the band earned their fandom by covering The Pogues, they celebrated the release of their first EP, Bar Dust from the Studio, Vol. 1, at Free At Noon. The four-track, 13-minute release embodies the Irish essence and energy, two intangible qualities that, in about a week, will be claimed by many regardless of their actual heritage.
When they played Free At Noon on March 7, 2025, the setlist featured only covers, but Friday’s performance included their new material. Playing new material can garner mixed reactions from fans of most artists. However, attendees had nothing but positive words in their post-show glow.
And the release is just in time for St. Patrick’s Day on March 15, luckily a Saturday this year for those who plan to enjoy some tipples. On top of that, Bar Dust will head to Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia for a solo show on March 14. They’re shipping up to Boston for a proper St. Paddy’s day show, then heading back to the Philly area to play John & Peter’s Place in New Hope on March 17.