Punk Rock comes in many different forms. There seems to be a subgenre for everyone, there is Pop-punk for those who like upbeat music, Thrash and Crust punk for those of us who are into metal, Horror Punk if you’re into the dark/macabre, Hardcore for the O.G.’s and the list goes on. Punk rock has never been a “fashion” choice, as much as some people may like to treat it as such, it is a lifestyle. Punk is and always has been a lifestyle based on defiance, independence, and above all love. Defiance of societal structures, norms, and hierarchies. Independence from governments, law enforcement, the ruling class, and all others who seek the power to control the masses, and finally…love. The love for one another, human life, nature, and equality. Many people heavily misconstrue, mislabel, and misunderstand the punk rock culture. Most of the time we are demonized and cast aside, labeled as misanthropic, nihilistic, substance-abusing, Satan-worshipping anarchists. While I do admit that those qualities exist within the culture, to use the terms as all-encompassing would be a great disservice to what it means to be punk rock.
Recently I had the opportunity to attend a concert that embodied what punk rock was and stood for from beginning to end. On March 16th Flogging Molly came to Las Vegas, NV with Anti-Flag, and Skinny Lister in tow. Each of these bands represents different facets of punk rock. It was a beautiful blend of downright awesomeness. The show began with the British Folk/Shanty Punk band Skinny Lister. This band was a blast to watch! Vocalist/Ukulele player Lorna Thomas was a whirlwind of energy, Accordion player Maxwell Thomas was a barrel of fun, and their tunes were enjoyably upbeat. I loved the vibe they brought to the venue. They got everyone there dancing and singing along. Given that it was the night before St. Paddy’s the energy in the room was already getting rowdy and Skinny Lister kept them happy and enjoying their night. I really hope to see them touring the U.S. again soon!
When Anti-Flag came out I felt like I was back in high school. Some of these songs were anthems to kids like us. Kids who grew up knowing the system was rigged, that authority was a myth, that government was corrupt on all levels, that capitalism and money were the roots of all evil, and that the media was nothing but propaganda. As a 33-year-old adult, many of my friends from back then have come to believe the lies and turned to living a life that is spent dwelling on how to “get rich” and arguing with anyone and everyone they can about partisan politics. They parrot news stations and constantly fight over who is right and who is wrong, all the while they wave the flag of the oppressor and eat the media lies off of blood-stained linens. It was phenomenal to see Anti-Flag playing these songs, and hearing their new material from their latest album The Lies They Tell Our Children. They played their biggest hits like “Die for Your Government”, “Turncoat”, and “The Press Corpse”. That night they kept alive what it meant to be “Punk Rock”. They played songs in honor of the victims of police violence. They played songs in honor of the victims of the Ukraine war. At the end of their set, they had a gentleman come up from “Punk Rock Saves Lives” who told everyone that there was a table outside the main hall where you could sign up to become a marrow donor. During “Die for Your Government” they stopped the song right before the first chorus because someone had gotten hurt in the pit. At another point in their set, they had asked everyone to give a handshake/hug/fist bump to the people standing around them. While we may have been having a fantastic time in that venue, we were reminded that there was endless suffering that remained outside those walls. That the music we were jamming to that night could be the catalyst for change and that we need to do what we can to help others. We were reminded that the music was just a small piece of the movement that is punk rock. Punk rock is bigger than all of us, but it takes all of us for it to even matter. I loved being able to see and photograph this band and I hope they are around and touring for decades to come. The world needs bands like this…especially now more than ever.
Finally, we made it to the main event! Flogging Molly came out to a chorus of raucous cheers and applause. This is a band that’s fandom spans generations. Irish Punk/Folk music is something that is loved and adored by people of all ages. Whether it be the music you drink to, or the music that reminds you of your family, roots, or traditions, Flogging Molly really has something for almost everyone. This band is a 7-piece founded in 1994 by vocalist Dave King. Over the decades we’ve been presented with Flogging Molly in many different ways. Personally, I remember the first time hearing them was on one of the Tony Hawks Pro Skater games when I was a kid. The song was” Drunken Lullabies” and I still love the hell out of that song to this day. My favorite FM song wasn’t played till the end of their set, but we will get to that in a bit. Flogging Molly has a phenomenal way of highlighting and bringing life to the tragedies that have befallen the Irish people, including wars, slavery, and famine. King came out with his guitar slung over his shoulder and a Guinness in his right hand. We were toasted to more than a few times that night and they kicked off one obstreperous St. Paddy’s Eve set! That night there was lots of dancing, lots of singing, smiles as far as the eye could see, and a lot of beer. Flogging Molly is one of those bands that makes you want to grab the person next to you and start singing as loud as you can with them whether you guys know the words or not. They played a lot of songs off their newest album Anthem, and they threw in quite a few of their biggest hits like “Drunken Lullabies”, “If I Ever Leave This World Alive”, “The Devils Dancefloor”, and – my very favorite – “What’s Left of the Flag”. FM played a massive set of 19 songs including two encore songs made up of “Black Friday Rule”, and “Salty Dog”. That room was spinning with excitement and even though I hadn’t had a drink in over six years I felt like I had a buzz going myself! Flogging Molly put on one of the most fun and entertaining shows I’ve seen in years and I hope to see them again in the near future.
That night the people in that room experienced fun, community, and eventually, a form of extended family. I felt like I had made friends with almost everyone in my immediate vicinity. I walked the venue floor and danced with random people. I ran a few times through the mosh pit, and I hugged complete strangers. Part of me feels like I was in some sort of beer commercial where everyone knew each other. We said unspoken hello’s that quickly became a catalyst for a one-night friendship with people I’d never see again. Anti-Flag reminded us what the foundations of punk rock were built on while Skinny Lister and Flogging Molly reminded us about how deep punk rock can go within respective niches and what different things punk rock means to people around the world. One thing is for sure, and that is personal liberty, autonomy, community, and love hold true through each and every culture’s version of punk rock. If you ever get the chance to see any of these bands, please do yourself a favor and experience what punk rock is truly about.
