Flogging Molly
W/ Street Dogs, Mighty Steph
Mar. 6, 2007
Opera House

While most of the Toronto music scene was gearing up for Canadian Music Week, that didn’t stop Flogging Molly’s fans from coming out in droves. Even though they haven’t been here in a while and rarely get any kind of airplay they’ve built up a reputation as one of the best live bands that you absolutely have to see. With that kind of build up and the fact that I’d never seen them before, I was expecting a lot.

With the tour dubbed the Green 17 tour, counting down the 17 days of St. Patrick’s Day, it was wasn’t too off base to bring along an Irish singer songwriter along as the first opener. Mighty Steph walked onstage with no accompaniment but his guitar and won over the audience with his depressing but well written songs. With a voice reminiscent of Ian Astbury after a few sing alongs and some rambling in between songs, he had had quite a few new fans.

Street Dogs are one of those bands that you might’ve heard of and have no idea why. Though the singer is previously from Dropkick Murphys, they’re less Celtic Punk and more straight ahead punk than some might expect. With singer Mike McColgan in the crowd for a good chunk of the set right from the beginning and numerous circle pits, they obviously have more fans here than I was expecting. Mike took a few well deserved shots at those sitting in the balcony telling them they “had to clap along too, it’s a rock ‘n roll show.” The band played Dropkick’s “Road Of The Righteous” to an appreciative audience and had the place moving during their entire set.

Flogging Molly actually live up to the previously mentioned hype rather well. Playing a nearly two hour set, they ploughed though all the favourites “Laura,” “Salty Dog,” “Screaming At The Wailing Wall” and turned the whole set into a jumping sing along. With so many people in the band, you would think that someone would fade into the background, but they fit so well together as a band that they each have a chance to show off their personalities, even the new accordion player seemed to fit right in. Frontman Dave King knows how to play off the audience and it’s almost like there’s something special surrounding the band making them that much better live.

The crowd seemed to like the tin whistle quite a bit because whenever Bridget Regan took a break from her fiddle and pulled out the whistle it was felt like the audience just went a little more crazy. Regan is also the calm in the middle of the storm, as the most stationary band member, she also has a look of total calm about her and it makes her the balance in the band.

With a crowd that was more college boy than punk kid, it’s no surprise that “Whistles In The Wind” was a crowd favourite since it could very well be a frat party theme song. Though the band took a few drink breaks, they went non-stop playing almost too many songs to count, including: “Selfish Man,” “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” “Life In A Tenement Square,” “Factory Girls,” “Within A Mile Of Home” and closer “Seven Deadly Sins.”

It’s not too often that bands live up to their hype, especially live, but this is one band that almost surpasses it, by playing their brand of Celtic Punk like they mean it and without trying to be something they’re not. If you don’t get a chance to get to a Flogging Molly concert anytime soon, check out their recent DVD Whiskey On A Sunday, it should tide you over until the next time they come back with Warped Tour.

- Alyssa Caplin



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