Flatfoot 56

Flatfoot 56 originated in Chicago in 2000 when siblings Tobin on vocals and guitar, Justin on drums, and Kyle Bawinkel on bass launched the Celtic punk band. Starting as a basic punk trio, the group expanded into a forceful Oi! rock ensemble influenced by Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys once Highland piper Eric McMahon and mandolin/guitar player Brandon Good joined the lineup.

The debut album Rumble of 56 appeared in 2002, followed by Waves of War the next year. Knuckles Up from 2004 registered the strongest sales to date, and the 2007 release Jungle of the Midwest Sea together with 2010’s Black Thorn reinforced the band’s position as one of the style’s most energetic and compelling standard-bearers. Three songs placed on the FX series Sons of Anarchy further increased Flatfoot 56’s profile.

For the sixth album Toil, issued in 2012, the musicians recalled producer Johnny Rioux, who had guided the prior LP, resulting in motivational blue-collar anthems plus a punk version of the classic hymn “I’ll Fly Away.” The band then turned to crowdfunding from its supporters to finance the subsequent record, Odd Boat, which arrived in summer 2017.