Flogging Molly @ Roxy, Praha, 10. 6. 2009
Getting to see one’s favourite band is one thing – surviving a gig in a club packed with young people bursting with raw energy and ready to spill it is another. I was wandering around the club aimlessly for quite some time; I was tempted with the front row, but there wasn’t even railing, and when I saw the teenagers all around, I cowardly gave up. Another option was the balcony but it was rather far from stage, and who would want to see tiny ants instead of musicians? After some more wandering, I was getting fed up. And then I spotted a leather sofa pushed to a side wall close to the stage. It was fully occupied, but I noticed the armrest of the sofa and the ledge in the wall just above it. I hoped that the occupants of the sofa might get up and leave as they wouldn’t see anything if they remained seated. And indeed they did. So as soon as Flogging Molly came onstage, I stepped on the armrest, pushed myself to the ledge – and got perhaps the best viewpoint in the house.
As expected, the audience did mosh, and some beer cups flew (creating beer showers), but what is more, I saw a stage-diver for the first time in my life. It was a young guy, but not a teenager. He looked like a hippie, tall, slim, with long hair and a colourful t-shirt. He suddenly darted from the side of the stage (I didn’t notice how he got there), with the club security man right behind him. The security guy was shorter, but more bulky. He caught the hippie around his waist and tried to pull him back, away from the stage. In the process, they both fell backwards on the floor of the stage in their awkward embrace. As they lay there, the hippie wriggled free, jumped to his feet and ran across the stage, pushing Flogging Molly’s accordionist aside quite rudely. And then he took a mighty leap and jumped head first to the crowd. (Yes, he did get caught. Yes, he did survive without any harm. But at such moments one is happy to not be in the hub of events – that is under the stage diver’s body.)
What to say about the gig? Great setlist, great showmanship, great interaction with the audience. The band’s energy seems boundless. And despite being real professionals, the band members don’t keep any distance from the fans, do not behave like spoilt superstars. There was no security in front of the stage, no barriers. The musicians constantly communicated with fans in the front rows and shook their hands. Some of them even walked through the audience before the gig and afterwards, talked to whomever wanted to talk to them and were really nice and friendly. All in all, it was a night of utter joy and fun.
Of interest to The Pogues fans, “The Wake Of the Medusa”, “House Of the Gods” and “Boys From County Hell” were included in the music mix blasting from the loudspeakers before the beginning of the show. And after the gig, they put on “The Parting Glass” sung by the late Ronnie Drew as a lovely sweet farewell.
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My photos of the gig are HERE
