The Lil' Bro Visits

I had tried to convince the Lil' Bro to visit during his spring break, but that was a no-go.  However, after scoping out concert tickets in preparation for Kelly Ann's visit, I noticed something that could entice him into the Big City.

Flogging Molly, his Ultimate Favorite Band, was playing, at the end of July.

I sent him a casual email about it and received a response like ten seconds later, "get tickets now."  Which was the fastest he has probably emailed anyone, ever.  And like that, Lil' Bro was coming to visit.

This visit to Philly involved more burgers, beers, and meat-filled sandwiches than Kelly's.  Also, a trip to Chinatown so he could stock up on essentials before the next school year started.  Essentials like fruit-flavored beef jerky, and the largest box of Pocky that I have ever seen.

This concert was like the complete opposite of the Owl City show.  Most of the crowd were tall white dudes between 20 and 30.  They all had my brother's haircut, and they were all wearing the same thing.  Flogging Molly shirts, Dropkick Murphy shirts, Irish shirts, soccer shirts, sometimes all these things on one shirt.  But then, even I had a shirt (I didn't wear it there - I had it folded in my bag for when we got into the venue).  Lil' Bro's college roomie had skipped some classes to see a Flogging Molly show closer to their school, and had brought back a girl-sized green shirt for my brother.  He bought more appropriately-sized shirts before the show started.  Yes.  Shirts.  Plural.  (Remember: Ultimate Favorite Band.)  Good thing Awesome Sister brought a bag, so the precious shirts could go into them!

Also, two dude in kilts!  Insane dancing!  Lil' Bro took a plastic water bottle in the head for me: somebody had accidentally let go of it, in their rapturous delight.  Also, the lead singer reminded me of Supervisor Greg, so that made everything super funny.  Because Supervisor Greg would start jigging around the stage.  But, in all seriousness, another very fine show.

Not in Philly, but all the Philly videos seem to have been made by people who were attempting to dance and sing-along and record at the same time.


After the concert we had to detour to my little neighborhood speciality grocery, which is licensed to sell six-pack and individual beers, so that Lil' Bro could pick up a Guinness.  The venue only sold over-priced crap beer, so it was necessary to pick up some more acceptable ones.  The grocery sold three different types, and Lil' Bro bought one of each.  So that we could go home and have a midnight beer taste-testing.  Of course.