Some Celtic punk rock shenanigans went on at Harrah’s Stir Concert Cove in Council Bluffs, IA Saturday night, June 9th.
Two major bands that rule the celtic punk rock nation, Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys won over the crowd in the blistering heat. Both bands had a 90 minute set in the hot sun. Flogging Molly got the crowd riled up. “I’m sure you know, but it does not get this hot in Ireland”, laughed Flogging Molly’s vocalist, David King. Not a single person was standing still. Everyone was dancing and singing along to the Irish tunes. Flogging Molly formed in the early nineties in a bar called Molly Malone’s, where they played every Monday night.
Bridget Regan (fiddle player) and David King (vocalist) decided to name the band “Flogging Molly” because they had felt that they had “flogged” Molly Malone’s bar since they had played there so much. The band landed a record deal with Side One Dummy records after the record company owner attended one of their shows.
The Dropkick Murphys brought the Irish out in everyone that night. Irish flags whipped over the crowd, shouting, head-banging, crowd surfing, and the most staple part of any Irish festival, beer. The band sold-out the Stir Cove Saturday night and raged with over 4,200 concert goers who were more than ready to get their drinking and dancing on. The Dropkick Murphys formed in Quincy, Massachussetts in 1996 and initially signed to Hellcat Records but later signed to their own label Born and Bred. Their 2004 song, “Tessie” became their first number one hit single, after the Red Sox had one the World Series. Their latest album, 11 Short Stories Of Pain And Glory, debuted in January of 2016. It is their ninth recorded studio album.
You can catch The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly on the remaining dates of this tour here:
June 12 ST LOUIS/SAUGET, IL Pop’s Outside
June 13 COLUMBUS Express Live!
June 16 PROVIDENCE, RI Bold Point Park
June 17 ASBURY PARK Stone Pony Summerstage
June 18 PITTSBURGH Stage AE
June 19 RALEIGH, NC Red Hat Amphitheatre
June 21 PHILADELPHIA Festival Pier
June 22 NYC/QUEENS Forest Hills Stadium
June 23 GILFORD, NH Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion featuring Professional Boxing
Review and all photos by Audrey Elizabeth Wright
Check out more shots from the show!
Dropkick Murphys
Flogging Molly
