The Rins are striking their own chord in New England’s scene
Erin MacKenzie, vocals for The Rins, performing at Punk In The Park in Worcester, Massachusetts (September 27, 2025) – Photo by Ryan Reid
Last month, I caught up with Erin MacKenzie of The Rins just after their set at the Worcester stop of Punk In The Park, where they kicked off the day as the first band on the bill. Opening a festival stacked with punk legends is no small task, but The Rins wasted no time setting the tone for the day with their mix of ska and punk influences welcoming the early crowd.
Before The Rins, Erin was a member of The Doped Up Dollies, the Boston-area trio known for their blend of ska, soul, and reggae, paired with a nostalgic aesthetic. When the pandemic hit, live music paused and so did that project. But in the quiet aftermath, collaboration found its way back. Erin reconnected with Stephen Barton, son of Dropkick Murphys founding member Rick Barton, and what began as tossing around loose ideas evolved into their nine-track debut album, Heavy Heart, released in June 2024.
Erin still works behind the salon char as a hair stylist, balancing the creative and the practical like so many in the scene.
Photo by Adam Peterson
With steady bookings at local venues and festivals, The Rins aren’t chasing a rigid schedule or a commercial formula. The band meets once or twice a month to write, record, and shape new material. Their Instagram shows fewer than 2,000 followers, a humble reminder that the musicians holding up local scenes often have real jobs and real lives offstage. At the end of the day, follower counts don’t mean a damn thing when you’re playing to a full room and fans are singing and dancing to your music.
Erin still works behind the salon chair as a hairstylist, balancing the creative and the practical like so many in the scene. It’s not easy pursuing your passion in an unrelenting economy, a sometimes chaotic dance between art and everyday life. So when the opportunity came to open Punk In The Park, the group was all in. Standing on stage in their home state, surrounded by friends and familiar faces, was a very much a full-circle moment for this local band.
Guitarist Stephen Barton performing at Punk In The Park in Worcester, Massachusetts (September 27, 2025) – Photo by Ryan Reid
The Rins plan to keep their momentum alive and are already working toward the release of their second album, expected next summer. Until then, the band remains open to touring and continuing to help grow the local ska and punk scene.
I planned to grab a few photos later in the day with the entire band, but festival duties took over like they always always do. But between sets, I spotted Erin here and there — laughing with friends by the vendor tents, chatting with with other bands, just existing in the present. That’s the unspoken part people don’t see, but it’s where you feel at the heart of the scene the most.
Bonus Track: Shoutout to Erin’s friend Britteny Rose, owner of Mall Goth Trash, who gave us a quiet corner behind her tent to hold our interview. She offers an amazing selection of handmade and upcycled alternative apparel, based out of Rockland, Massachusetts
Photo by @burger.snaps
