| The Pogues The Post.ie Sunday, June 16, 2002 Reviewed by Garvan Grant RDS Main Hall, Dublin June 9 The last time I saw the Pogues play was in 1990, the year before Shane MacGowan and the rest of the band parted company. The gig was spoiled by MacGowan only being able to mumble his way through a few songs. Last Sunday at the RDS it was the way it was supposed to be back then. MacGowan, along with Andy Ranken, Spider Stacy, Jimmy Fearnley, Darryl Hunt, Phil Chevron, Jem Finer and Terry Woods, delivered a fine performance and made hundreds of fans very happy. The Proclaimers warmed the audience up and the Saw Doctors whipped it into a frenzy that prepared the fans for what was to come. Soccer, stout and a respect for MacGowan's legendary drunkenness pervaded the hall as we waited for the Pogues to arrive. When they ambled on stage and got into Streams of Whiskey, you could feel that we were in for a classic Pogues night. And we weren't disappointed: they delivered a set that was both professional and rabble-rousing. If a concert is to be judged on how much the audience enjoys itself, the reunited Pogues played the gig of the year. They truly caught the mood of fans high on soccer success and proud of an Irishness that wants nothing to do with the Celtic tiger. There was a manic, drink-fuelled energy in the RDS, with shouts of joy greeting the opening strains of almost every song. The crowd played its part by singing along with MacGowan for all his songs, from the beautiful Rainy Night in Soho to his classic rendition of Ewan McColl's Dirty Old Town and the raucous Sickbed of Cuchulainn. For the encore the Pogues played Sally MacLennane, Fairytale of New York and Fiesta, to the obvious glee of the fans. If evidence were needed that MacGowan should never have left the band, the Pogues provided it on Sunday night. Rating: **** |