The Chicago White Sox aren’t the only icons to come out of the city’s South Side. For 17 years, the rambunctious Irish revelers known as the Tossers have seen their popularity grow, winning new fans with every joyous and boisterous live performance of their unique Celtic sound…and with every new album. The latest of which is called, ironically enough, Agony.

Agony is the latest step in a long and fruitful journey for The Tossers, whose members were largely born and raised in an Irish Catholic enclave on Chicago’s South Side. It was the perfect environment for the creation of their distinct blend of Celtic folk songs and punk rock fury. The band’s name, whose roots can be traced back to Shakespeare, can means a variety of things— commode, drunk, or the currency of Britain rejected when the Irish established their independence in the 1920’s.

Whatever the definition, there’s no debating the heartfelt authenticity of their music. Using traditional instrumentation comprised of mandolin, fiddle, tin whistle and banjo, and beefed up with guitar and drums, The Tossers play with a furious edge that teeters between rage and raucousness. Favorite sons of the Windy City scene, the Tossers possess an unparalleled work ethic, playing “anywhere, anytime, for anybody, with anybody,” as banjo player Clay Hansen declares. It wasn’t long before they graduated from the pubs and taverns of Chicago’s South Side to concert stages with the likes of Shane McGowan, Dropkick Murphys and Stiff Little Fingers.

Although their name may be irreverent, their music certainly is not. The heart of their distinct sound is derived through the melding of traditional Irish and Punk Rock roots. Combining traditional instrumentation of mandolin, fiddle, tin whistle and banjo with amphetamine fueled guitar, bass and drums, the Tossers play with a furious edge that teeters between rage and raucousness.

With over 15 years of the music grind behind them, the Tossers are a staple in the Celtic Punk and Folk scenes. Currently the band has five full length albums, the newest of which is “Agony” their second release on Victory Records.

While their live shows are fueled with a little bit of blood and sweat and a whole lot of whiskey and beer, their albums are dedicated to musical elegance and provocation. Possessing the ability to masterfully employ stark tempo changes from the brink of the insane to the solemness of an Irish ballad, the Tossers are an act that does not disappoint in print or in person.

Never afraid to take on new challenges at any venue for any audience the Tossers have had an eclectic past playing with acts such as the legendary Pogues, Spider Stacy (solo), the Popes, the Dropkick Murphy’s, Stiff Little Fingers, Black 47 and Flogging Molly.

CHECK OUT:

• Official Site

• PUNK NEWS: The Tossers

• IRISH PUNK INTERVIEW: The Tossers