Alcohol flowed and bodies perspired at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion Sunday night as Flogging Molly entertained a nearly packed house with its blend of Irish folk and mainstream punk.
Following two forgettable opening acts by local bands Blatant Finger and The Squares - the former sounding like every up-and-coming band on Hellcat Records' "Give 'Em the Boot" series and the latter like every other "The" hipster band - the California-based septet took the stage to the opening chords of "Another Bag of Bricks."
 Media Credit: David Heasley |
A fitting song considering this was the band's last show of an 19-day tour which took them from Perth, Australia to Ohio's capital.
The high-energy performance of "Bricks" was quickly followed by spirited performances of "Drunken Lullabies" and "Screaming at the Wailing Wall." During the mini-set, lead singer and Irish expatriate Dave King led the crowd in chant and cheer as he flung himself and his guitar around the stage mixing it up with the band's members and egging the audience to get louder.
Despite the powerful atmosphere, the hectic pace of the show's opening was somewhat hindered by an unfortunate Flogging Molly staple - drowned out vocals.
A band known for its furious playing and energetic stage presence, Flogging Molly's six other members' raucous playing often overpowers King's voice early in sets. Sunday was no different, as King was often muted throughout the first three songs.
As "Screaming" came to a close, King took the opportunity to thank the fans who had come out to support them and dedicated the next song to the uncle of Flogging Molly drummer George Schwindt and manager Gary Schwindt, who had passed away the previous night. The brothers had a big following at the show as both are Columbus natives. George is an alumnus of Ohio State.
 Media Credit: David Heasley |
Before the crowd could finish applauding, King launched into the first few lines of "The Likes of You Again." Luckily, any problems with King's microphone had been fixed and the mournful and heartfelt song transformed the once-frenzied crowd into a hot mass of sticky, swaying bodies.
As the atmosphere inside the LC became increasingly humid, shirts and other garments began to find their way onto the stage, leaving speakers and guitars momentarily dressed.
The shirtlessness and Irish pride increased as the band launched into "Whistles the Wind," "The Kilburn High Road," "Selfish Man" and the anti-English "Tobacco Island."
The show slowed once again as the band performed "Factory Girls" - a song originally released on its 2004 album "Within a Mile of Home," featuring three-time Grammy winner Lucinda Williams.
With Williams not touring with the band, the song's female vocals have been entrusted with Bridget Regan, the band's fiddle, tin whistle and uillean pipes player. Regan, who usually provides backing vocals, performed wonderfully despite looking scared out of her mind.
The band continued to share the lead vocal wealth when bassist Nathen Maxwell followed "Factory Girls" with "Queen Anne's Revenge."
The concert reached its high note when King retook the vocal lead and the band performed a defiant and brilliant version of their jaded-Catholic opus "Rebels of the Sacred Heart." The number received the biggest ovation of the night.
The band once again got the crowd moving and bodies sweating with back-to-back barroom favorites "Devils Dance Floor" and "Salty Dog," but quickly changed direction and closed the show out with the nostalgia-drenched "If I Ever Leave This World Alive" and "Within a Mile of Home."
Minutes later King returned for the band's encore and performed an a cappella version of "Grace of God Go I."
The rest of the band joined King on stage for "The Worst Day Since Yesterday." The song's opening lyrics - "Well I know, I miss more than hit/With a face that was launched to sink" - received a huge ovation and drove King to announce to the audience, "You know how it is."
The show concluded with a lively rendition of "Seven Deadly Sins."
As the crowd made its way out of the LC, shirts, water bottles, spilt beer and random articles of clothing could be seen strewn on the floor. The remnants of a night of fun and furry.
Slainte!
