Night number two of this year's two-part fall concert left the raucous Levin Ballroom crowd wanting even more. A mere 24 hours after Broken Social Scene shook the very same room, the Celtic-influenced punk rockers Flogging Molly took the stage in front of a chanting audience to perform a frenzied set showcasing its distinctive mix of Irish folk music and English punk. The evening got off to an excited start with brief sets from New England natives ZOX and Canadian reggae soulsters Bedouin Soundclash.ZOX delivered an energetic set, warming up the crowd with its blend of violin-laced reggae and punk rock. After a brief stage overhaul, Bedouin Soundclash followed, further entertaining the steadily growing audience with soulful harmonies and folk-reggae melodies. Bedouin's set was fueled by songs like "When the Night Feels My Song" and the syncopated reggae-dub track "Living in Jungles."

Flogging Molly, an eclectic, Los Angeles-based seven-member band, followed, performing over 90 minutes of dynamic anthems to a relentlessly dancing crowd. The group, which began as an Irish pub's house band, brought with it an impressive array of instruments featured prominently throughout their set, including a mandolin, accordion, penny whistle, fiddle and banjo.

At first glance, Flogging Molly's music could easily be dismissed as a catchy soundtrack to a drunken Saturday night. But there is a deeply reflective quality to the group's music, thanks in large part to lead singer Dave King's shrewd and poignant lyrical style. Despite the band's distinctly Irish sound, Flogging Molly's music crosses all boundaries-cultural and otherwise. The band's music is fun in the purest sense of the word, and King doesn't sing so much as lead the roaring audience in united verse. The group's songs provide an endless library of singable melodies and its music is as well-suited for an intimate pub as it is for the vast stadiums and outdoor festivals the band frequents while on tour.

Flogging Molly's music is eloquently written, yet maintains a subtle blue-collar quality that often defies description through any means other than King's own lyrics. In the set's closing song, "Within a Mile of Home," the title track from the band's 2004 album, King sang the words of a man frightened by his inability to recapture what he once had. Like much of the band's music, the powerful and fast-paced folk-rock anthem spoke of King's memories of his childhood in Dublin. "Don't turn your back on me, don't ever let me down," King yelled repeatedly throughout the powerful number.

Other highlights included the lighter-waving ballad "Whistles of the Wind," the classic pub song "Drunken Lullabies" and a speedy performance of "Seven Deadly Sins." After closing the set, the pounding chants from the audience drew the band back onstage. King took the stage alone with only his acoustic guitar but was soon joined by the rest of the band for one final song.

Flogging Molly's raucous performance was as physically exhausting for the audience as it must have been for the band, with many in the crowd leaving the room sweaty-but thoroughly entertained. Few bands are capable of creating the musical whiplash that is a Flogging Molly concert. Even fewer could have maintained the high quality of musicianship that King and company achieve despite the frenetic pace of their unrelenting concert. Those who attended last week's exciting performance should raise their proverbial glasses and tip their hats to Flogging Molly.