Now Flog This

Last month, Carlsbad-based accordion player Matt Hensley said he would no longer tour with Flogging Molly, the band he co-founded ten years ago. He was the only local member of the Irish punk band; the other six members live in L.A.

The decision to quit touring may be related to the news that Hensley is involved with a consortium that is buying Squid Joe's. The Carlsbad music venue hosts live rock, hip-hop, reggae, punk, and metal bands two nights a week. Agent Orange, U.S. Bombs, Tone-Loc, and Quino have headlined the 200-capacity club.

The new ownership is expected to take over Squid Joe's in late March. The North County Times reported that two patrons leaving Squid Joe's on January 11 fired at each other in the parking lot as the bar was closing. A bullet grazed a bystander. Police recovered ten bullet casings but did not find the gunmen who fled.