Flogging Molly

Flogging Molly: Live at the Greek TheatreLive at the Greek Theatre (2010)
Side One Dummy Records

Reviewer Rating: 2.5

Contributed by: JeloneJelone
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on July 21st 2010At this point, do we really need another live release from Flogging Molly? I don't mean to dump on their latest album, Live at the Greek Theatre, as it features plenty of my favorite Molly tunes, but it seems a bit superfluous. While Molly's studio catalogue is so far a nearly perfect series of Pogu.

At this point, do we really need another live release from Flogging Molly? I don't mean to dump on their latest album, Live at the Greek Theatre, as it features plenty of my favorite Molly tunes, but it seems a bit superfluous. While Molly's studio catalogue is so far a nearly perfect series of Pogues-tinged Irish folk punk, Live doesn't cover any new territory. Yeah, it sounds like the crowd is having a great time, but after Alive Behind the Green Door, Whiskey on a Sunday and Complete Control Sessions, I'd rather just have a batch of new songs. I mean, frontman Dave King even recycles stage banter from Whiskey on a Sunday.

That's not to say that Live at the Greek Theatre is bad, though. Any record that can count "Requiem For a Dying Song" and "Devil's Dance Floor" among its tracks is clearly a good thing. The recording quality is quite good too. Grammy winner Ryan Hewitt mixed the album (Granted, his Grammy was for Red Hot Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium, but still…), and it sounds incredibly crisp. The 5,000+ crowd is present and enthusiastic but never overwhelms the songs and the band likewise sounds much better and closer than such a large venue would indicate.

The song selection is decent, picking all the high energy hits from the group's four albums. Given its budgeted price, this DVD/two CD set makes for a serviceable greatest hits package for newbies, even though they'd be better off just buying Swagger. Yeah, some of the best of the best are missing (No "Within a Mile of Home?" That song is got-damn epic! And, uh, I like "Laura." Just putting that out there), but that brings back the point that, ultimately, fans could be listening to their favorite studio albums instead. So yeah, Flogging Molly is one of the best live acts out there, and their discography is great too. But for now, the former needs to stop filling the latter.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

ozmanx (July 29, 2010)

eazyd2, Flogging Molly are a helluva live band. Even though i don't listen to them that often nowadays I still manage to catch them live whenever they play near my side of the tracks. So much fun.

punker001 (July 29, 2010)

Pretty damn good actually. Good DVD too.

eazyd2 (July 28, 2010)

how the fuck does this band pull a crowd of 5000? i know theyre kinda popular but 5000? really?

Dante3000 (July 27, 2010)

See, I like this band and I'm not opposed to another live album but they really needed a definitive live album at this point. With two already under your belt you need a live album that will be "the" live album that fans cite. Something like an orchestra or Metallica or Metallica with an orchestra or Flogging Molly playing for the Queen of England and the pope or at a free concert on Saint Patrick's Day in Boston with 10,000 screaming drunks. I don't know what specifically but it needs to be more than just "a really good show" it needs to be epic.

madcow (July 27, 2010)

I wish Dave King would stop saying ''ahhhhhh'' after almost every fucking word.

fresnoska (July 27, 2010)

Another live cd? I thought they only had two, with the other being their debut release.

skolarx (July 27, 2010)

given the album art i was hoping for a cover of nervous breakdown or something

GarrettIrish (July 27, 2010)

I haveto agree that it seemed unnecessary for another live album, though I do think this one takes the cake as far as that goes. Especially since at least where I live, the big corporate "media" store marked it down to 10 dollars for the whole thing. Not sure why, but it makes it feel that much better when you get a good bit of the catalog for 10 bucks.

I am sad they didn't have "Within A Mile of Home" though.

SloaneDaley (July 27, 2010)

I too love Laura, probably my favourite song of theirs and should be included in every live set they have. I got kinda burnt out on FM though, maybe it was all these live albums.

Cos (July 27, 2010)

No, you should dump on this album. It is COMPLETELY unnecessary. I'm cool with Dave not being the most prolific songwriter--this just seems like a blatant cash grab from the label that the band should have said "No" to.