Flogging Molly – December 9th – Ogden Theatre

The Scene: The Ogden Theatre was packed Tuesday night for the Irish Punk band Flogging Molly. The event was sold-out, making the mass of bodies indistinguishable. People lined the balconies and crowded the floor, resulting in an incredibly hot venue. There were several kilts spotted in the crowd, a few European accents were heard, and newsboy hats were the accessories of the night.

Opener: The Pasadena Band. The Pasadena Band is a rock band that hails from Pasadena, California. Joey Harkum, the band’s lead singer, had a sweet voice and the band sounded like a mixture of The Flatliners and spoken word, or Bush and Hip-Hop. The four-piece had the audience laughing and at one point stopped the show to take a photo of the packed house. The band played a great set, including a mini-interlude of the song “You’re So Vein,” which fans screamed along to. They were evidently happy to be there, inviting fans to stop by the merch booth after the show to meet them.

Opener: The Mighty Stef. The Mighty Stef is a four-piece, Dublin, Ireland based rock band. They had a Menzingers feel, but with a “poppier” sound. Fans clapped from the beginning of the set, especially for the song “Stella.” The super tall rockers wore all black with super tight shirts, and definitely had a European style. Bassist Gary Lonergan was energetic, jumping around as he shook his hair furiously.

Flogging Molly. The Los Angeles based Irish Punk band started early Tuesday night, shortly before ten pm. The sold-old venue created an unmanageable line for both the bar and merchandise. The sharply dressed band started with “Screaming at the Wailing Wall,” followed by “Paddy’s Lament.” The seven-piece band wonderfully with so many members (guitar, accordion, fiddle, acoustic guitar, drums, bass, and mandolin) and put out a powerful sound. With no room to dance, people just jumped in place, or swayed from side to side. The packed crowd clapped their hands during the drinking songs with no prompting. Singer Dave King dedicated “Whistles the Wind” to a friend that had very recently died as the crowd waved their collective hands in the air. The fans were very appreciative of Flogging Molly’s set and they threw their fists in the air in appreciation.

The band later played “Drunken Lullabies,” which was definitely a fan favorite, then followed the song with one off their first album, Swagger, called “Life in Tenement Square.” The small, Celtic flute played by Bridget Regan (King’s wife) was played beautifully and King’s voice was great. Denver transplant Nathan Maxwell played the bass superbly, and it was a treat to be able to watch so many talents at one time. When King dedicated “Requiem for a Dying Son” to servicemen, a cheer was heard throughout the crowd, and a few people found room to crowd surf during the song “Present State of Grace.” King then dedicated “The Son Never Shines on Closed Doors” to his 93-year-old mother, and discussed his Christmas plans for her (a bottle of Jameson and a carton of cigarettes). The band rarely plays covers, but did so Tuesday, playing a Dubliners song (ironically) titled “Rare Old Times.” “Float” and “Salty Dog” were both fan favorites, and when Bob Schmidt played the mandolin the crowd went crazy; the balcony was shaking so hard that a catastrophe seemed assured. Flogging Molly finished their set with the track “What’s Left of the Flag,” but fans weren’t ready to leave, and chanted “Ole” repeatedly, hoping for an encore. The band graciously obliged, playing “Black Friday Rule,” “Seven Deadly Sins,” and finally a spectacular version of the song “If I Ever Leave This World Alive.”

Energy: A+
Musicianship: A-
Sound: A
Stage Presence: A+
Set/Light Show: A-

Overall: A