Saint Patrick’s Day stretched into a full weekend in Riverside in 2023. Not just one green night and home early. In California, that date still hits different because March 2020 was when the lockdown orders began.
You could feel that in the turnout. The actual St. Patrick’s Day show in Los Angeles had people coming over the barrier. This one was not that kind of chaos, but it was still packed and loud. Flogging Molly has a way of turning these nights into more than a concert. It turns into a gathering. Loud, sweaty, and happy in that Irish punk way.
Two songs in, it was obvious why Flogging Molly still pulls crowds like this nearly three decades in. The guitars hit hard, but the melodies carry just as much weight, and that balance is what keeps the room locked in.
This night was full participation from the start. Fans were singing and dancing to nearly every chorus. Not politely nodding. Fully in it. Riverside crowds can read a show quickly, and this crowd knew exactly what they came for. By the middle of the set, the room had locked in.
The evening opened with Skinny Lister, and they were the right call. Similar folk-punk DNA, but not a copy at all. One minute it felt like a pub singalong, next minute the floor was bouncing. By the end of their set, people who clearly came for the headliner were already shouting along.
Anti-Flag brought their Pittsburgh punk sound with no easing in, just straight into it. The anti-establishment core was front and center, exactly what fans expect from them, and they delivered with force. The room shifted from warm up to ignition fast.
By the time Flogging Molly took over, the crowd was already primed. They did what they always do live: fast songs, big choruses, grit and heart in the same breath. There is always a little chaos at these shows, in the best way. People moving, shouting lyrics, arms in the air, friends singing like they have known each other forever. Early in the set, the vocal sat low in the mix for about half a song and you could see people leaning forward, then it snapped back and the room got louder again.
The show played to a sold-out house at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, and venue matters in a night like this. Built in 1928, the place still has that Spanish Revival face and the kind of room sound newer halls cannot fake. It feels historic, but still alive, still useful, still loud when it needs to be.
Concessions and full bars run across all three levels, which helps keep a packed night moving without killing momentum. That matters more than people think. At a sold-out show, rhythm is everything, not just on stage but in the building. The RMA usually handles that part well, and this night was no exception.
The list of names that have come through this room is long, from Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong to Dylan, Nirvana, and The Black Keys. It gives every show there a little extra weight. You are not just at another stop on a tour. You are in a room with memory.
For Riverside, this was a strong night. Great lineup, sold-out crowd, and a headliner that gave people exactly what they came for. Skinny Lister and Anti-Flag built the runway, then Flogging Molly took off. The energy was real, the audience was all in, and the venue did what it does best.
Always a memorable time at the RMA. This one absolutely was.
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