Flogging Molly at the Roxy
Monday night Kayleigh and I headed to Atlanta to see Flogging Molly at The Roxy. Located in the middle of Buckhead, this was my first visit to the theatre turned concert hall, and I was impressed. Parking was convenient, it’s cozy, and the floor slants sharply downward; a big help when you’re girlfriend is 5-3 5-2. The show was sold out and fans lined the sidewalk begging for tickets.
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band opened the night. Consisting of the Reverend Josh Peyton’s singing and guitar playing, his brother’s drumming, and his wife banging on a washboard (no base player), they sounded like delta blues on steroids. In other words, they were awesome. They ended their set by calling Flogging Molly “the nicest band we’ve opened for”, and while it could have been a line, Reverend Peyton doesn’t come across as a guy who would bs anyone.
Next up was 2.8, a swedish punk band. They looked young, were loud and fast, and I couldn’t understand anything coming out of the lead singer’s mouth. That said, I’d probably be into this band if I was 16 again.
We thought Flogging Molly would be next, but the Street Dogs came out as the third opening act, fronted by former Dropkick Murphys’ lead singer Mike McColgan. The music wasn’t bad, yet I found myself hoping their set would end quickly (perhaps it had to do with Mike McColgan’s constant, annoying appeals to the crowd on how to react to their music, or maybe I’m getting too old to listen to four bands in one night, or a little of both). Out of Boston, they commented on the number of Red Sox caps in the crowd. Sadly, I had mistakingly left mine in the hotel room.
The Street Dogs left the stage and Flogging Molly’s crew began preparing for their set. Flogging Molly has more instruments to deal with than most bands but it seemed to take an inordinate amount of time to get the stage ready. NASA requires less time to launch the shuttle into orbit.
Finally Flogging Molly hit the stage. We had managed to get a spot two rows back at the left of the stage. It was like having them in our living room. They opened with a song from their upcoming release. This was my first listen but it sounded great. They would eventually play both songs we had hoped for, Salty Dog and If I Ever Leave This World Alive, which he introduced as “a song about friendship”.
From my sketchy memory Molly’s set also included Selfish Man, Devil’s Dance Floor, Drunken Lullabies, What’s Left Of The Flag, Rebels Of The Sacred Heart, Screaming At The Wailing Wall, Factory Girls, Light Of A Fading Star, Tobacco Island, Within A Mile Of Home, and a couple of new songs not yet released.
For the encore a solo Dave King came out and began an acoustic version of Black Friday Rule. After a couple of verses he was joined by the rest of the band.
During the Street Dogs set Mike McColgan called Flogging Molly “the best live band in the world”. Anyone can throw out that label, or claim it, and they do. I’ll stay away from such hyperbole. But I’ve seen a lot of live music, from gospel, to metal, country, zydeco, blues, jazz, and this is the third time I’ve seen Flogging Molly. They’re the best live act I’ve seen. Tons of energy, great songs, solid musicianship, and incredibly fun.
We already have tickets to see them at the New Orleans House of Blues in May. Can’t wait.
