The temperature had cooled to a sultry 89°F by the time Flogging Molly took the stage under the strawberry super moon at St. Louis Music Park on June 14. Luckily, a steady, strong breeze helped keep concertgoers from completely melting on this unusually hot June night. It did not keep each band from commenting several times about the heat (welcome to St. Louis?) and Dave King of Flogging Molly did his best to remind people to hydrate, he just didn’t say with what as he gently tossed a can of beer to a fan during their headlining set.
Fortunately, the heat did not deter any of the bands on this triple bill from performing at their utmost. London-based ska/British reggae punk The Skints kicked the night off just after 7 p.m. to a smaller but appreciative crowd. The antics of guitarist/co-vocalist Joshua Waters Rudge kept their summer sound festive during their 40-minute set. Songs included “Rub-a-Dub (Done Know)” and “The Forest for the Trees.”
L.A.-based Tiger Army performed a 45-minute set with their own style of rockabilly, doo-wop, and country-punk, which might also be known as American psychobilly. With wide smiles throughout, it was apparent that lead vocalist/guitarist Nick 13 truly enjoyed performing to the crowd. Songs included “Behind the Veil,” “Outlaw Heart,” and a cover of Link Wray’s “Rumble.”
With a singular spotlight on stage, the Irish-American Celtic punk band Flogging Molly’s King strode on stage at 9:30 p.m. to the delight of everyone. Spencer Swain appeared next under the same bright white light. The stage lighting then rose with the rest of the members in place. The crowd erupted and the rest of the night sparked with solid, high energy by fans of all ages and musicians alike. King rarely kept still, keeping the crowd fully engaged through stories, gestures, wide smiles, and playfulness turning the night into a rollicking good time. At another point in their set, King remarked that it was currently 58°F in Ireland to which he saluted with middle fingers. Songs included “Drunken Lullabies,” “A Song of Liberty,” and “Salty Dog.”
The summer tour kicked off June 7 in Indianapolis with St. Louis being the sixth stop. Missing from the St. Louis show was co-headliner The Interrupters who, unfortunately, have had to pull out of many of the early shows due to positive COVID tests. We wish them a speedy recovery.
Find many more photos: https://bit.ly/FloggingMolly22cz