Customer Reviews

Whiskey on a Sunday (W/Dvd)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am now officially a fan of Flogging Molly. I had heard of the traditionally Irish-influenced punk rockers prior to watching the film, Whiskey on a Sunday, but had never heard their music. Now I type as fast as I can, eager to run out to the record store and grab all their records. Ordering online won't be fast enough. After that I need to check local concert listings and camp out wherever they're coming next.

Whiskey on a Sunday flows extremely well, picking up at an undefined date in the midst of the band's tour, and deftly weaves in and out of tour, studio and interview footage with all band members and effectively (and free of narration) tells the band's story, both as group and as individual members.

For the newcomer such as myself it would be relatively easy to toss the band into the Black 47 bin of novelty Irish-folk-rock-punk bands (though aside from the bona fide excellent Pogues, I do not know who else might reside in that bin. House of Pain?). But it becomes quickly apparent that Flogging Molly is a mature, thoughtful, insightful - and above all, professional - unit; and, most importantly, one that is capable of absolutely bringing down the house with rock and roll. They could deliver this message with a polka bent or vis-à-vis gangsta rap and I doubt it would be any less compelling.

Bandleader and songwriter Dave King gets the most screentime, though Whiskey on a Sunday does devote ample time to each band member's present and past, and the viewer is quickly convinced that every lyric to grace the band's records and live shows is hard wrung from his heart and personal experience, explaining the effectiveness of Flogging Molly's music and doubtless the hardcore devotion of their fans as well. There is a naked and painfully personal honesty apparent in Flogging Molly that one can find in only a handful of musical talents; U2, Pete Townshend, Johnny Cash, and the Clash, to name a few, and, to paraphrase Dave King, songs with that kind of honesty cannot go wrong.

Whiskey on a Sunday succeeds as a well-above-average music documentary for several reasons as the band and their story manages to remain absolutely compelling throughout despite no scandal, no apparent internal animosity, no chart hits, and aside from a rabid fan base, I would venture to say that they while may have name recognition, 9 out of 10 folks calling them serious music fans would be hard pressed to name a Flogging Molly song, album or even band member.

The second disc in the set is a full-length music CD soundtrack to the film with live and acoustic performances of many of the songs featured in the film and is an excellent companion, worthy of a separate review itself. This is a no-brainer, this is a must-see that will likely become a must-own within minutes of finishing the film. In this age of bloated DualDiscs and "bonus DVDs" with little real content, this is a gem. An awesome movie, an excellent soundtrack and one of the most exciting "new" bands I've seen/heard in a long, long time.

I ran out on my lunch break to buy this yesterday. And though I am a very LOYAL fan of FM, and these are all just re-recordings acousticaly and then the 5 lives songs one the LONE new song, It is worth the buy. If you have a great sound system in your car or home, the CD sounds like the live shows. The Acoustic versions take a bit to get used to but the songs they decided to do that w/ were perfect. The only real downside to the DVD is that while they are showing the live shows, which are great b/c you really get the feel of the live shows, the constantly break them up w/ commentary from band. Ya it is a Documentary but come on, they only have two live songs that are full length and thats in the *Bonus Features* They really need to have a DVD of a full, live show. Other than that it is worth the $12-$16 you pay... WELL worth it. They explain the history and formation of the group, interesting stuff. You can take home a wee bit of their awesome and infectious live shows!!

Gotta begin by saying that I like Flogging Molly a lot. Sure, they're not "The Pogues", but then again, they were the originators of this type of music, and will forever remain untouchable.
That said, this is an excellent buy! Personally, I think that either the CD or the DVD alone are worth the money, but when you combine the two, you've got yourself a winner and one helluva deal.
The CD is great... "Laura" is a fabulous song, and I can't stop that acoustic version of "Drunken Lullabies" from playing in my head! Side one is all acoustic, side 2 is all live. Side 2 really gives one a feel for the energy that this band puts into it's live shows.
The DVD is a pretty remarkable documentary. It's obvious that these are cool people who take their music (and partying, apparently!) very seriously indeed. It's refreshing to see a band who doesn't give a shxt about convention and does what they want, with their music and their fans taking top priority. After watching this DVD, I like this band even more so than I did previously. Great music and really interesting background material- including the best FM revelation of all- I'm only a year older than Dave King! HA!! Screw all you young whippersnappers, us old farts know how to ROCK, baby!!!

Its truly inspiring to see a band that commits itself to being the greatest musical act ever do so without radio or MTV play and solely through producing great albums, stunning live shows and touring relentlessly. That the members are 100% committed to each other and don't do it for the money but the "love of the game" is also heart warming. All of this comes through in spades on the DVD and the recast tunes on the CD are a great pairing.

Slainte!

I am a big fan of this group, and Whiskey on a Sunday is definately something any fan of Flogging Molly should pick up. With a compilation of great songs from different albums and an extra DVD that shows several backstage footage as well as different performances over the years a lots of funny moments, this is one set you want to pick up!

Music of the CD includes:
"Laura" - 4:15
"Drunken Lullabies" (acoustic) - 4:55
"The Wanderlust" (acoustic) - 3:37
"Another Bag of Bricks" (acoustic) - 4:05
"Tomorrow Comes a Day Too Soon" (acoustic) - 3:39
"The Likes of You Again" (live) - 4:08
"Swagger" (live) - 2:14
"Black Friday Rule" (live) - 11:57
"Within a Mile of Home" (live) - 4:34
"What's Left of the Flag" (live) - 4:13

DVD extras include:

"Badger", a short piece on Flogging Molly's technician.

"Dave in the Studio", Dave King singing Light of a Fading Star in the studio.

"Gary", a short piece on Gary Schwindt, the band's manager, also the brother of Flogging Molly's drummer George Schwindt.

"Joe and Matt", a short movie of Matt Hensley and Joe Sib from SideOneDummy Records goofing off.

"Outtakes", including Dennis Casey's request that someone set his nipples on fire.

"Return to Molly Malone's", a piece on a concert which Flogging Molly performed on Saint Patrick's Day at Molly Malone's Pub in Los Angeles, where the band first played.

"Rebels of the Sacred Heart", music video with live footage shot at the Wiltern Theater.

"Selfish Man", music video with live footage shot at the Wiltern Theater.

This is definately recommended. Watch it for great music and great moments

A friend of mine started listening to Flogging Molly a few years ago after Drunken Lullabies came out. I heard bits and pieces of songs, but thought it sounded strange and funny. (I was 14 and dumb, I'm sorry guys) Then, a few years later I was playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 and heard this banjo playing. I was thinking, "What the hell is this...?" And the second the song took off, I was hooked. Unfortunately the band sort of faded into obscurity with me after that for a while. (My favorite band was Iron Maiden at the time...) But in a strange twist of fate, I finally bought Drunken Lullabies on St. Paddy's Day this year, and my intrigue became a full-on addiction. I let that little beauty spin in my CD player for a month or two, then I picked up "Swagger", and "Within A Mile Of Home" on the same day, with "Alive Behind The Green Door" following shortly after. It has gone on to become the greatest musical experience of my life.

Now that my history with FM is out of the way, I can tell you my thoughts on "Whiskey On A Sunday". First, the CD. I was so excited to finally see a studio recording of Laura. The song is so heart-wrenchingly beautiful that I was almost in tears when I listened to it. The four acoustic tracks were the perfect choices. They have a great vibe to them, without changing the original energy of each of the songs. The live tracks are just as amazing. "The Likes Of You Again" segues perfectly into "Swagger". And "Black Friday Rule" has become FM's "Stairway To Heaven". Dave's commentary in the middle of the song is hilarious and candid, showing the real charisma of the band. It just feels like everybody is having such a great time. "Within A Mile Of Home" and "What's Left Of The Flag" finish off the CD with true Flogging Molly spirit.

The DVD is heart-warming, honest, and extremely inspiring. You get an excellent glimpse into who these people are. Although Dave King gets a lot of camera time, most of the time he's talking about his bandmates and what extraordinary people they are. They truly believe in who they are, what they do, and who they love. There are almost no bands like this left. This band has achieved an almost cult following with no radio or TV exposure. Now THAT'S saying something. After watching this documentary, I feel like part of this band's family. They really love their music and their fans, and I thank them for being true to what they do.
LONG LIVE FLOGGING MOLLY

Wow, just when I thought Flogging Molly couldn't get any better, they topped themselves again! This is a fantastic set with one of the best music documentaries I have ever seen! The acoustic and live versions of all the classics are incredible! My entire family loves "The Molly" as we call them, and this CD and DVD does not disappoint! We all enjoyed it together! Dave King is a musical genius, and he managed to bring some of the best musicians in the world together. Their fun and haunting melodies will be around a long time! Keep rockin' Flogging Molly!

In "Whiskey On A Sunday," you get what the product description above so helpfully states. As far as what I think of the contents, I'll let those five stars above speak for me, although I'd make it 10 if I could. Flogging Molly is the best live band I know of and it seems that they're too talented to make anything not worth listening to over and over again, or, in the case of what the CD here has, acoustic or live when you already have the album version. The only reason not to get this is if you don't care about the musicians who make what you listen to.

If you are interested in this band, then you need to buy this. The documentary is very in-depth and some of the top songs are played. You will definitely either love the band or not after watching this. It is very personal and worth all the money to buy, and the best thing is that you don't have to be a long time fan to watch and enjoy

Not much to say. If you wanted to know about Flogging Molly, this two disc set is a great documentary to get you started.