Normally a concert coming to someone’s town shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but when your town has a population of only 17,000 locals and 6,000 students, it tends to be a big event.  You would think everyone would be talking about it, but that doesn’t seem to always be the case.

Case in point, I learned that my favorite band, Flogging Molly, is coming to my town last night … 26 hours before the show.

My parents were leaving town on business when my mom called me and said she had seen a sign up that said “Welcome Flogging Molly.”  Knowing they are my favorite band, she called me to ask if I knew what was up.  One quick Google search later I discovered that they were indeed playing at Truman University tonight.  I frantically called to see if there were still tickets, and there were.  Phew.  Crisis avoided.

I have no clue how this more widely known in my town, but for whatever reason, it wasn’t.

Luckily I have seen them two other times.  The first was Oct. 17, 2000 opening for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.  This date is burned in my head because when I left the show that night, I learned that our state governor, Mel Carnahan, had died in a plane crash.  Hard to forget.  I hadn’t heard of them before that show, but I instantly fell in love with them, and even met the lead singer, Dave King shortly after the show and expressed my new undying love for them.  (We discussed Irish heritage too, but mostly my “OH MY GOD!  YOU JUST ROCKED MY FACE!” reaction)

I got to see them again on Oct. 23, 2006 when they were on a headlining tour.  I blogged my reaction to the show, which they again proved why I had fallen in love with them.

Both previous times I have seen them in Columbia, MO at a venue called The Blue Note, which, for all its faults, at least serves Guinness.  Considering they are an Irish band, you feel you should at least be drinking it.  Sadly tonight there will be no alcohol as they are playing on the university campus, but somehow I doubt that will lessen my enthusiasm for seeing them play again.

I barely know the opening band, Big D & The Kids Table, but if anything, Flogging Molly taught me years ago that sometimes the opening band can change your life …

Below is the song “What’s Left of the Flag” from their second studio album, Drunken Lullabies.