The shroud of an Ennio Morricone spaghetti western score as a prelude should have been the first hint that Tuesday night would be a different sort of Flogging Molly concert. The Irish folk/rock sextet were launching into the first of a two-night stand at the 9:30 club, reestablishing their work ethic outside of tours geared toward album promotion. Usually, their demeanor is decidedly sunny, reflected in plaid and lime green overtones. Everything simply felt more sinister this time around, from the black banner hanging behind the stage and perhaps even the funeral-like dress of all the band members.
Lead guitarist Dennis Casey was also adorned in black for the evening, sporting his trademark newsboy hat and a decidedly warm smile.
"No one's actually ever asked me about the hat," Casey said. "I've had it ever since I've shaved my head, which was probably 20 years ago. It was meant just to keep my head warm and to keep it out of the sun."
Formerly a house painter by trade, Casey is a native of Rochester, N.Y., where, growing up with his uncle's jukebox, the pulsating sounds of Sun Records-era Elvis 45s made a strong impression.
"I was never a fan of the guitar playing just the music," Casey said. "It was one of those things, when you're a kid, you know you like it but you never quite know how to associate music in bigger way."
Playing the electric guitar has always served as a stark contrast to many other of the band's instruments for Casey. With prominent parts written for violin, tin-whistles and accordion, it proves to be a precarious balancing act even for bassist Nathan Maxwell and drummer George Schwindt.
"It's still a challenge," Casey said. "To have those instruments living together is the challenge and charm of the band."
There was a strange energy this particular evening for the band. Flogging Molly has always been obsessive as a live act in acknowledgement of many fans that buy tickets on impulse and without fanfare or even gentle prodding. But this performance seemed geared inward and even toward their evolving tastes. Standbys like "Devil's Dance Floor" and "Salty Dog" weren't just reckless anymore, but downright sadistic in tone and volume. Additionally, their ballads, which normally only take up a small part of their set, were given more prominence, with "The Son Never Shines" and "Factory Girls." Lead singer Dave King even began the encore set with a solo acoustic version of "By the Grace of God Go I," a rarity in their set list for many.
"We can't write on the road. There are instruments everywhere on the bus [and] it's impossible," Casey said. Yet you could almost see Flogging Molly starting to write a new chapter in their own history onstage, nudging toward something bigger and more thoughtful then their rabid fans ever though possible.
With a new live DVD entitled "Whiskey on a Sunday" and plans to halt touring and begin work on a new album later this year, the wait at the moment to see how the ever-evolving story of the band plays out is almost unbearable. But like the faraway family their lyrics speak of, returning home to their fans is never a difficult proposition.
