Flogging Molly played a free show at the University of Washington campus back in (I think) 2006. I took my kids who at the time were teenagers (they’re 18 & 22 now). When FM came on stage, I couldn’t resist the lure to go to the front of the stage to watch in the throngs of the mosh pit. Said teenagers stayed back where it was safe. So what’s wrong with this picture where the 50-year-old mom goes into the mosh pit while the teenagers stay in the back in relative safety? Ok, so that’s not all. My husband works at the UW and at the time worked in a building that was right next to where the stage was set up. He ended up working a double shift that day, but during a break came out to watch them play for about a half hour (the whole family is huge FM fans). When the show was over, my kids and I headed home, but my husband was still working. When he came home he told me how the band was standing outside their bus and the bass player asked him if he’d like to come have a beer with them. Now, this bodes well for the band that they’d invite the common worker to come have a beer with them. BUT, get this. My husband turned them down saying he was just too tired. I looked at him aghast. He turned down having a drink with Flogging Molly on their bus? I don’t care if you worked a double or a triple shift. Turning down having a drink with the coolest band around is grounds for divorce. I’ve never quite forgiven him and I’ve definitely NOT let him live it down.
Flogging Molly are not only an intelligent band, singing about the oppression of the working stiff, they put on a fabulous live show. The outstanding musicianship of Flogging Molly combined with the awe inspiring vocals and charisma of singer Dave King make Flogging Molly one of the best live acts in the business. At a time when mainstream music is giving us banal acts like Lady Ga Ga, and U2 wannabes like Cold Play, it’s refreshing to have a band like Flogging Molly who combine traditional Irish music with rock and play it with a punk attitude. I urge everyone to listen to the songs posted here and go back and listen to older songs like Drunken Lullabies. They are unique in a musical world where everything now sounds alike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plfVQV-klZo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDwlGbEcJ6Y
