Review and Photos by: James Pappaconstantine
Show photos HERE 
I found out about the band Flogging Molly by complete accident. While researching information to help me decide on a new guitar amplifier purchase, (I had been led to Satellite Amp’s from a friend of mine, Brian Forsythe, who plays guitar for KIX and Rhino Bucket.) I found out Flogging Molly guitar player Dennis Casey also used Satellite amps. (Satellite is a little boutique amp company out of California, making quality hand wired amps, the way they used to be made during the 50’s, 60’s and into the 70’s) My research not only introduced me to my new amp, but also to a cool band. Flogging Molly reminded me of Boston’s Dropkick Murphys. Both bands hit the scene on opposite coasts about the same time 1996 – 1997. Both have that Celtic punk sound, that employee’s violin, accordion and banjo along side of guitars, bass and drums.
Opening the show was Lenny Lashley, helped out by a few of his friends to fill in the sound. His material reminded me of what maybe the Dropkick Murphys might have sounded like when they were first putting the band together. It wasn’t polished like the Dropkicks or Flogging Molly, but it had a similar punk element with a touch of the Irish thing.
Next up were San Diego’s own, The Drowning Men. The Drowning Men have a bit of a folky sound that is reminiscent of early, The Alarm with maybe just a taste of early, The Cure mixed in. The Drowning Men have three albums out and are currently touring in support of their 2012 release, All of the Unknown.
As mentioned above Flogging Molly got their start around 1997, in Los Angeles California. Dublin born vocalist Dave King, (former Fastway) coming off the break-up of the band, had held a record deal with Epic records, Epic and King did not see eye to eye on the thought of him bringing in traditional Irish musicians and going in a different direction for his solo release. King eventually went his own way, leaving the label and built his own band. The band has only seen a couple of personnel changes since it’s concept and they were done early on.
The band opened the set with Screaming at the Wailing Wall from their 2004 release, Within a Mile of Home. The energy and vigor this band adds to their live performance is something to be witnessed first hand. In the middle of the stage you have Dave King armed with a mind for brilliant poetry and often an acoustic guitar, on either side of him you will find Bridget Regan, (Dave’s wife) of fiddle, and Bob Schmidt on banjo and mandolin, behind Dave you’ll find drummer, George Schwindt, then moving out from center stage is Matt Hensley on accordion, and rounding out the line-up flanking the ends of the stage are Nathen Maxwell on bass guitar and Dennis Casey on guitar. Even though the ends of the stage didn’t see the lion’s share of light which constantly bathed the center stage, I found myself spending most of my shoot, on Casey’s side of the stage, yeah, I was partial because we play the same amp, but also because Casey is a hell of a lot of fun to watch, jumping into the air, kicking and flailing about, sliding across the stage with his Gretsch White Falcon he was a spectacle himself. At one point Casey noticed my Satellite Amp T-shirt, (that I purposely wore) and he pointed to his amp, and me then he grabbed a fresh can of Guinness off his amp, walked to the stage edge and handed it to me. Cheer’s mate! The set was long and the energy never faltered, even the slower songs had the energy behind them to carry the audience into the night. My favorite song of the evening was, Life in Tenement Square, which is a song Dave recounted as the last tie he saw his father alive, back in Beggar’s Bush, Ireland, where he lived as a child, he told the story of the sunlight shining in on his father’s face and it being bright yellow and thinking, it was brilliant, then his mother walked in, took one look at his Dad and ran down the street to call the ambulance and that was the last time he saw his Dad alive. After the set, the band returned for a three-song encore.
 

The Set List

Screaming at the Wailing Wall

Paddy’s Lament

Every Dog Has it’s Day

Revolution

Whistles the Wind

Drunken Lullabies

Life in Tenement Square

Saints and Sinners

Requiem for a Dying Song

Present State of Grace

Son Never Shines

Us of Lesser Gods

Tobacco Island

Rare Old Times

Devil’s Dance Floor

Likes of You Again

Swagger

Float

Rise Up

Salty Dog

Black Friday Rule

Seven Deadly Sins

World Alive