They’re to blame for possibly the most unmistakable, catchy riff ever crafted in Irish punk music. Not only has the Dropkick Murphys “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” intro served as the theme song to “The Departed”, but it’s riled up crowds at sporting events across the country, including Boston Celtics’ NBA games and Buffalo Bandits’ lacrosse games.

At 6 p.m. tonight, local opener Snapcase handles the opening set before Dropkick Murphys claims the Outer Harbor stage between 8 and 9 p.m. The Buffalo News’ Jeff Miers talks about what a rare opportunity it is to witness the Buffalo-based opener, as Snapcase’s electric shows have been increasingly sparse in number.

Tickets are $35 with $10 in fees if you order in advance, and tickets will also be available at the door. The Outer Harbor is located at 325 Fuhrmann Blvd., Buffalo, and there’s more details about the concert series presented by FunTime After Dark here.

Just last week, Dropkick Murphys announced that their next studio album, “Signed and Sealed in Blood,” would be available in January 2013. The new release comes out only a year and change after 2011 record “Going Out in Style.” According to bassist Ken Casey, who spoke with Billboard.com last week, the two albums will differ dramatically.

“[The upcoming album is] just us having fun and making the most catchy, singalong kind of songs we can. It’s not that the last album wasn’t fun. It was. ‘Going Out in Style’ is one of the records I’m most proud of, of anything we’ve done. But it gave me a couple migraines along the way, getting through that because everything was so connected. This time we cut loose.”

Between Girl Talk, Edgefest featuring Three Days Grace, Evanescence and Chevelle, and now Dropkick Murphys, the trio of Outer Harbor shows has invited popular acts to a previously-desolate space along Buffalo’s waterfront. That’s progress, homes.