What is it about Irish bred punk rock that draws a packed house– even during a stint of record low weather– at one of Atlanta’s venerable concert institutions?
The recent Flogging Molly show at Tabernacle didn’t provide any universal truths but it definitely made for a knee slapping, raucous good time! We here at MyDailyThread are huge Flogging Molly fans and several of us had seen them live on festival tours previously. Still, nothing could have prepared us for the overwhelming enthusiasm of either the band or the crowd at an intimate venue like the Tab.
Flogging Molly might be considered almost big band by today’s standards and they play several instruments not often seen in modern acts such as the bodhran (an Irish frame drum), as well as an accordion, concertina, tin whistle, Uilleann pipes (traditional Irish bagpipes) and two varieties of banjo. Seven musicians share the stage to lay down a hearty old world beat fused with a very modern punk flair. Dave King is on vocals but also lends a hand on the acoustic guitar, electric guitar and bodhran. The entire band lends vocal accompaniment with Dennis Casey on electric and acoustic guitar; Matthew Hensley on accordion, concertina and piano; Nathan Maxwell on bass; Bridget Regan on violin, tin whistle, classical guitar and Uilleann pipes; Robert Schmidt on mandolin, mandola, tenor banjo and five string banjo; and George Schwindt on drums and other percussion. The grouping makes for a strangely melodic symphony of something that is very hard to label but so interesting that it’s kept Flogging Molly rocking since 1997! Regan, on the more traditional instruments, simply stole the show at the Tab!
Although we haven’t seen so many pairs of suspenders or plaid golf caps since our high school days– and one concert goer actually told our market director that she was too cute to be in attendance– Flogging Molly’s music spans generations as much as it spans musical genres. If you get the chance to catch them live on their next tour, we highly recommend doing so. We promise you won’t regret it!
MDT Hint: The opening band, Frank Turner, also rocked the house. Seek him out for sure!