Buffalo Place

Sunday, July 31st

Flogging Molly
www.floggingmolly.com

Flogging Molly got its name from the pub Molly Malone’s, a Hollywood bar where the group started their career playing weekly.  The bands founder and Dublin Native Dave King describes the group’s style and unique sound, “Well, if it didn't have mandolin, accordion, fiddle and whistle, I guess it would be punk rock, and if it didn't have guitar, bass and drums, it would be traditional Irish music.  We are influenced by traditional music and inspired by it, but without question we put our own twist on it.”  The group formed in Los Angeles in 1997 and is known for their energetic live performances and anthemic songs.  Flogging Molly has frequently played in Van’s Warped Tour being showcased in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009.  Their hit single “The Worst Day Since Yesterday” off of their 2000 CD Swagger, was featured in the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.  Their track, “If I Ever leave This World Alive” off of their 2002 record Drunken Lullabies is on the soundtrack of the 2007 film P.S. I Love You starring Hillary Swank and Gerard Butler.  Their new record, Speed of Darkness will be released on May 31, 2011 on their own record label Borstal Beat Records.  The new album expresses the effects that the US economic slump has on everyday lives and the inner strength within people.  One critic describes the amplitude of a recent show, “The band is so intense, it'll give you butterflies. Though considered perhaps a punk outfit, the only difference between Flogging Molly’s take on Celtic music and that of traditionalists is the plug-in factor, which of course leads to the volume factor, which leads to the kids-going-completely-out-of-their-minds factor. As always, it was a great show.”   


Opening for Flogging Molly…

Badfish
www.badfish.com

One of the Rolling Stone’s top reasons to get excited about music is tribute bands.  When describing Badfish, an article in the  April 29, 2010 edition of Rolling Stone read, “One of the most successful tribute bands out there: a Rhode Island outfit that plays around 200 dates a year, mostly hitting college towns.  They also open for themselves, playing originals.”

Badfish, a tribute to Sublime, was formed in Rhode Island in the spring of 2001, with the goal of filling the absence of Sublime in the music scene.  The band mates met while studying computer science at Rhode Island University.  The name Badfish came from a track off of Sublimes first record, 40 Oz. To Freedom.  Some members of the group also play in Scotty Don’t, a non-tribute band who often opens up for Badfish.  In 2008, the group was nominated at the Boston Music Awards for Outstanding Tribute Act of The Year.  According to Glide Magazine, “Every now and then a band comes to town that is not worth missing out on… or should I say the music they are covering is not worth missing out on… the band is Badfish and if you like 90's ska-rock heroes Sublime, I would suggest going and checking these guys out.”

Sublime is a ska, surf rock and punk band which started in Long Beach, California in 1988.  Their debut album, 40 Oz. To Freedom was released in 1992.  The group was the co-headliner of the first nationwide Vans Warped Tour in 1995.  Their third self-titled album launched the group to worldwide acclaim.  The hit single, “What I Got” was the first of Sublimes songs to reach #1 on Billboard music charts and their third album has gone on to become one of the most popular ska-punk albums of all time.  Just two months before the release of their third album in the spring of 1996, the groups lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, Brad Nowell died of a drug overdose.  Devastated, the group took a thirteen year hiatus before regrouping in 2009.  The lead singer and guitarist role is now held by Rome Ramirez and the band is now named, Sublime With Rome.