Flogging Molly (5th April, the Metro)

The gig started off with disappointment, after discovering Gogol Bordello had cancelled their support act due to 'unforeseen circumstances'. One rumour mentioned visa problems, someone else said they got chucked off the plane. In any case it was not an ideal start to the gig. We still went, determined to get something for our money's worth even if we didn't get to see the crazy Ukrainian gypsy punk band we'd been waiting for. This is the first gig I've been to where I had not yet heard a song from any of the bands playing.

I've never been to a gig at the Metro either and as a venue I don't mind it at all. We got there early enough to sit comfortably through the two support acts so by the time Flogging Molly started we weren't too tired. Also, it has different levels so you can see perfectly standing up at the back end of the venue.

The first support act The Go Set weren't bad. They did look a little like high school rock band members, but their music was quite like the Living End. Then the second support act came out, a group called This War. And they were awesome. The bagpipe player started them off and won us all over. Highlight of the set was a song with four voices and two drums and nothing else, introduced as being 'three hundred years old'. A good complement to the main act. Too bad they weren't selling any CDs because I would have bought one! And their web site (on MySpace) is rather lacking in detail. They're from Australia (Melbourne in fact) so I'm sure I can track them down again.

When Flogging Molly came out, we knew we would like them. They were dressed in a rather more civilised manner than many of their punk fans (some of whom took part in stage diving) with a fiddle, a banjo and an acoustic guitar. And they launched into a high energy set of incredible rock, with a definite Irish folky influence. They are one of those bands that just have to be seen live (much like Gogol Bordello, I suspect). The lead singer and guitarist Dave King performed as though he had endless energy and the rest of the band were also great. The bass player would have been absolutely exhausted at the end of the hour and a half long set.

So although we didn't get to see Gogol Bordello (although one of the bar staff looked suspiciously like Eugene Hutz, off-centre cap and all) it was still a great show. I bought the Flogging Molly CD/DVD Whiskey On a Sunday which is great. And next time they come out I'll try and go along.