Flogging Molly
12th April 2019
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.
May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.
Yes, the luck of the Irish filled the room last night at Auckland’s Powerstation as Flogging Molly touched down for their first ever show on New Zealand shores. Led by Dublin born ex Fastway vocalist Dave King, the seven-piece Celtic punk band are like lightning in a bottle; from the moment they set foot on the stage they stoke the fires in the bellies of all in attendance, the embers no doubt still warm this morning.
As the first notes of ‘(No More) Paddy’s Lament’ rang out, the audience burst into a collective bounce, a mosh pit breaking out down front. Fans instantly became members of the same family, the fallen scooped back up, the crowd surfers held high on their brothers and sisters’ arms. With seven instruments simultaneously playing at once it would be easy for most bands to slide into an indecipherable wall of noise, but not Flogging Molly. Each is easily discernible, seamlessly molding around the next to produce a sound that brought visions of local village pubs and lush green hills. Throw a stone inside the venue and it would no doubt hit a patron with at least some iota of Irish blood in their veins, many born and bred New Zealanders able to point to an Irish relative on the family tree; but in no way is it a pre-requisite to feel the passion in Flogging Molly’s songs.
Raising a can of Guinness high in the air King saluted the audience, the obvious joy he was feeling at such a reception written across his face. Ditching his jacket King – his wife Bridget Regan at his side – led the crowd through a stonking version of ‘Drunken Lullabies’, the accordion, guitar and violin (along with the rest of the instrumentation) swirling about the room, grabbing patrons by the arm and swinging them into a jig with a gleam in her eye. While the music is boisterous, every show like a giant St Patrick’s Day celebration where all are invited and embraced, there are sombre elements to their tales as well, the audience slowing down the pace as they fling arms about eachothers shoulders and raise voices to the roof for tracks such as ‘Life in Tenement Square’.
Taking a moment to address the audience King speaks of how New Zealand has been going through a tough time; a heartfelt dedication of ‘Float’ filling the room with such emotion that there was more than one audience members eyes who glistened as they let the rise and fall of the song permeate their soul and refill the tanks. Informing the audience that the next track would consist of two songs being knitted together, King spoke of how he is the bridge between his father and his own son, King’s father passing away when he was but a child. ‘The Spoken Wheel’ concluding with the band disappearing into the shadows for a well earned break, leaving Dennis Casey to take over the stage with an eye-watering guitar solo delivered on his Gibson; at one point bending so far backwards that you could have sworn his head met his heels in holy matrimony.
Band back in place and soon the floor was bending under the collective pounding of bouncing boots, ‘Devils Dance Floor’ following ‘Black Friday Rule’ once again whipping the crowd into a frenzy before King ushered in ‘Crushed’ acapella style, Regans distinctive lilting tin whistle coming in from behind. Drawing the track out, a dedication to the queen of soul herself, Aretha Franklin, made its presence felt as King led the crowd through an impassioned chant of “Freedom” before asking them all to join him in a dedication to the “biggest queen of them all!”, Kings version of ‘We Will Rock You’ by Queen heartily applauded by the fans.
‘What’s Left of the Flag’ – a deeply personal song to King – and ‘The Seven Deadly Sins’ took the set out in a blaze of glory; Flogging Molly bidding all goodnight with grins firmly in place as the audience immediately began to chant ‘Ole’, Ole’ Ole’.
A two-song encore saw Flogging Molly finish by returning to their roots delivering what has often been referred to as the ‘quintessential Flogging Molly song’; ‘Salty Dog’ raising the roof one last glorious time, before Monty Python’s ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ came pouring through the speakers, the band members taking their time to hand out souvenirs of the night’s frivolities to clamouring hands.
Sláinte! Go raibh maith agat!
Were you there at the Powerstation for this brilliant American-Irish punk rock gig? Or have you seen Flogging Molly perform live somewhere else? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- (No More) Paddy’s Lament
- The Hand Of John Sullivan
- Drunken Lullabies
- The Likes Of You Again
- Swagger
- The Days We’ve Yet To Meet
- Requiem For A Dying Song
- Life In A Tenement Square
- Float
- The Spoken Wheel
- Black Friday Rule
- Life Is Good
- Rebels Of The Sacred Heart
- Devil’s Dance Floor
- Crushed
- What’s Left Of The Flag
- Seven Deadly Sins
- If I Ever Leave This World Alive [encore]
- Salty Dog [encore]
If you enjoyed this content, please consider donating towards the running of Ambient Light, covering expenses and allowing us to expand the coverage you love by clicking the red button below (Desktop) or visiting our PressPatron page (Mobile).