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| INCREDIBLE SHANE |
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| This section contains the latest rumours, news, gossip, reviews I find rummaging about Pogues/Popes/music sites/messageboards/guestbooks and is dedicated to |
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| OCTOBER 2007 - DECEMBER 2007 |
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| 27.12.2007 Shane Is 50 - And I'm Picking Up The Tab! By Enda Brady Sky News 25 Dec 2007 Legendary singer/drinker/hellraiser Shane MacGowan celebrated his 50th birthday on Christmas Day with a party in Cork. Shane talks to Enda BradyTracking him down for an interview is never an easy task, but that was my job last week. When I found him I got more than I bargained for - not just a chat but his bar tab, too. MORE (with pics) >>> With video CHRISTMAS REUNION RDS, Dublin, Ireland 23 Dec 2007 Fairytale ending brings the house down By Aidan Coughlan Irish Independent 27 Dec 2007 LET'S be completely honest. When you think about The Pogues at this time of year, for all you'd like to say about their extensive back catalogue and a few notable classics of their niche genre, only one song really springs to mind. And so it's a festive atmosphere in the RDS as Santa hats, green and white t-shirts and tricolours seem to be in fashion for the evening. MORE >>> 24.12.2007 EXCLUSIVE: POGUES' SHANE TELLS HOW HE MADE IT TO 50 Smoking, drinking and partying keep me alive By Gavin Martin Mirror 24 Dec 2007 It's a milestone most people thought Shane MacGowan would never live to see. But on Christmas Day the legendary Pogues hellraiser will celebrate his 50th birthday. And as the booze-loving Irishman raises (presumably several) glasses to toast his half-century tomorrow, he is determined that the party will carry on right into the New Year. Why break the habit of a lifetime? MORE >>> 21.12.2007 Shane got caught partying with Kate Moss (as well as Sienna Miller and Sadie Frost) again. Well..it doesnt matter. What really matter is a bunch of great pics! Tracking down Shane MacGowan Enda Brady 21 Dec 2007 One interview this week that was fun setting up and doing was a chat with legendary singer/hellraiser Shane MacGowan. He turns 50 on Christmas Day and could even have a British number one because of the high number of downloads that Fairytale of New York is getting. Finding Shane is never a straightforward task, but my information was good and lo and behold when we turned up he was where I was told he would be! A central London hotel was the venue and our interview touched on lots of different topics, including his view on a radio station censoring a few words in 'Fairytale', how he feels about being 50 next week and a singer he'd love to duet with in 2008 . . . . Amy Winehouse. At the end of our interview with Shane who walks in, quite by chance, only Gerry Conlon from the Guildford 4 and Paddy Hill from the Birmingham 6. The two men said they owed Shane a debt of gratitude because The Pogues had written a song in the 80s about them and had been vocal supporters of the campaign to overturn their convictions. It was obvious there was a deep affection there. Paddy Hill summed it up when he told me: "Every time I see Shane I wonder if I'll ever see him again! But he keeps going. In music people have to wait until they die before they get called a legend, but this man is a living legend." The full interview will be broadcast on Christmas Day on Sky News to mark MacGowan turning 50. He says he'll be partying in Cork. I'm sure he will! A few hours later I had a phone call from the hotel asking me to settle the bar bill Shane had run up! Some things never change I guess. He might be a drunk and a bum but he still has that most precious of musical things - a unique and special legacy Fairytale of New York writer hits 50 on Christmas Day - to the surprise of many Sam Jones Friday December 21, 2007 The Guardian On Christmas Day, God willing, Shane MacGowan will confound many of his friends and fans - not to mention a legion of obituarists - by marking his 50th birthday. The half century is a miracle for a singer and songwriter who, despite measuring out his life with spirits and acid tabs, has still managed to front, get kicked out of and rejoin The Pogues, co-write pop's most poignant secular Christmas carol and even keep the odd tooth in his head. MORE >>> Fairytale of a fairytale SMASHED HITS Classic pop, reappraised by the Magazine Alan Connor BBC 21 December 2007 Radio 1 execs have decided to stop censoring The Pogues' Fairytale of New York. But what is such unfestive language doing in a song often voted the nation's favourite Christmas tune? On the radio and in the shops, you can hear a junkie and a wino hurling abuse at each other: she's a slut, and he's a faggot. It must be Christmas again. Except this year, on Radio 1, the terms of abuse became "sl--" and "fa----", with thousands of listeners complaining that they couldn't hear, respectively, Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl. MORE >>> Shane MacGowan: the voice of reason The Beeb's shortlived censorship of the Pogues' Christmas classic A Fairytale of New York was both bizarre and ominous Brendan O'Neill December 19, 2007 I once read a book called Is Shane MacGowan still alive? The answer to that question wasn't immediately clear as the man himself staggered on to the stage at Brixton Academy last night. With skin as grey as a cadaver's, and a cackle that sounds spookily like a death rattle, MacGowan looked more "living dead" than fully alive. Then the music started, and Shane began belting out old Pogues classics like a pub drunk who's had one (or perhaps 10) too many. Who knows whether he had kept abreast of the day's news, which included reports on the BBC's scandalous bleeping of the word "faggot" from the Pogues' A Fairytale of New York? Not that it made any difference: when MacGowan sang a fully unexpurgated version, we 4,000 fans sang along with gay abandon. (Pun intended.) MORE >>> CHRISTMAS REUNION Brixton Academy, London, UK, 18&19 Dec 2007 The Pogues live last night The Pogues at Brixton Academy - David Hellqvist The London Paper With Christmas only a few days away, what could be more appropriate then a night of festive Irish folk music and a Fairytale of New York? The Pogues yesterday brought out the yuletide cavalry for their annual two day holiday celebration at Brixton Academy, as well-crafted flute melodies coloured a set impressively crowned by raw accordion solos. Despite sombre sunglasses and a black leather coat, Shane McGowan and his eight-piece band earned two encores and the audience both clapped and sang along to Dirty Old Town. Late on stage, McGowan - toothless but not tuneless – whipped up the mood with his dark voice and confident swagger. As the band launched into their famous Christmas single, which is currently number eight the charts, falling snow covered the stage and the band wished everyone a Happy Christmas.T-shirts with the slogan “Lend me 10 pounds and I’ll buy you a drink” perfectly summed up the evening of Celtic punk, both on stage and all around the venue. You had to be Irish or drunk to understand a word McGowan said or sang, but no one seemed to care – a cheerful Christmas atmosphere was in the air. Caught Live: The Pogues The Sun 21 Dec 2007 Yet he managed to put on a Christmas tour that puts most sprightly young rock scamps to shame. THE POGUES played the last English date of their festive sing-song on Wednesday - and it felt like St Patrick’s Day. Boozed spilled all over the London venue as fans waved their pints in the air. If you didn’t leave soaked in Guinness you should have got more involved. You had to be drunk or Irish - or preferably both - to understand most of the lyrics. But booze-addled MacGowan still pulls it off far better than his intake should allow. He is an iconic figure fronting a brilliant band. When fake snow burst from the ceiling during Fairytale Of New York, everyone grinned. Throughout the gig a wind machine was aimed at MacGowan. This and a huge overcoat made him look like a drunk singing on the way home on a blustery winter evening. And that’s why his fans relate with him - they cut a similar figure on the way home. But I’m told the device is actually there to keep him awake. The band have been supported fantastically on the tour by THE HOLLOWAYS but that has seemed to pass by MacGowan. Frontman ALFIE JACKSON walked into MacGowan’s dressing room and got a book thrown at him for stepping too close to his glass of gin. Alfie then had to explain he sings in the Pogues’ personally-requested support act - and they’ve spent several nights together in the local boozer they share in North London. It’s no surprise Shane’s memory isn’t the best. If his brain is in a similar state to his teeth, it can’t be pretty. The Pogues: Booze, cheers and an irresistible racket Michael Deacon reviews The Pogues at the Carling Academy, Brixton The Telegraph 21 Dec 2007 No other form of public entertainment could make a popular hero out of a man like this. Nobody would call for an encore from an opera singer who slurred. Nobody would cheer an actor who had to clutch laminated cheat-sheets to remind him of his lines. The booziest stand-up has to stay straight on stage. We celebrate sport's drunks, but only after they retire. MORE >>> Photo evidences 17.12.2007 CHRISTMAS REUNION Manchester Central, Manchester, UK, 15 Dec 2007 The Pogues @ Manchester Central Lawrence Poole 17 Dec 2007 FOR some it’s the surreptitious opening of the first window on the Advent calendar, others the decorating of the Christmas tree or the big lights switch-on – for the last few years my personal festive season has always been kickstarted by The Pogues’ lusty rendition of the ultimate yuletide anthem, Fairytale of New York, during their annual tour date here. And this year was no exception. As particles of fake snow and ticker tape showered down from on high while much-loved frontman Shane MacGowan unsteadily waltzed Jem Finer’s daughter Ella across the stage – grins to rival cheesy X Factor finalists Same Difference were in abundance. MORE >>> REVIEW: The Pogues Oh what a difference a year makes. By News Editor James Higgins The BoltonNews Rewind to December 2006 and The Pogues' obligatory festive offering was something of a stifled affair. The crowd wanted to get involved, but the restrictive seating of the MEN arena meant many a jig didn't surface. The situation this time round was very different - and a whole lot better. MORE >>> The Pogues @ Manchester Central Manchester Evening news Gary Ryan 16 Dec 2007 RETURNING with The Pogues for their annual festive stumble around Arenas, it’s not merely two fingers up to fate that Shane MacGowan is here playing live, it’s a miracle he’s alive full-stop. A man who doesn’t so much have a ‘blood type’ as a ‘proof rating’, he’s cultivated a reputation for turning up slaughtered to work…really, pop’s gain was air traffic control’s loss. The Pogues’ raucous Manchester Central date was both an advert for and against drink. On the one hand, MacGowan lurches around like Pete Doherty’s granddad, flouting the smoking ban, his vocal slurry rendering his piquant, eloquent lyrics unintelligible. MORE >>> CHRISTMAS REUNION Notthigham Arena, Nottingham, UK, 14 Dec 2007 REVIEW: THE POGUES, NOTTINGHAM ARENA Marcus Duffield ThisisNottingham As the Clash's Straight to Hell faded from the public address system and the crowd looked up to the stage expectantly, the Pogues stepped on to the Arena stage. Knowing exactly what the crowd would be thinking Shane MacGowan waited just long enough for people to start wondering if he would make it - being the drunken and unpredictable genius he is supposed to be. Thankfully he made it. Slurring and shambolic, just as expected, MacGowan settled down to his day job: Rattling through a collection of fantastic songs. The greatest hits format went down well with rousing performances of Broad Majestic Shannon, A Pair of Brown Eyes, Thousands are Sailing, Lend me Ten Pounds and I'll Buy You a Drink and Ewan MacColl's Dirty Old Town. MORE >>> CHRISTMAS REUNION Carling Academy, Newcastle, UK, 12 Dec 2007 Review: The Pogues at Newcastle Carling Academy JournalLive By Matt McKenzie Dec 14 2007 <...>The best Christmas song ever is A Spaceman Came Travelling – a song that has no Yuletide issue in its title whatsoever. The second best, though, I heard last night. And it was the most magical festive moment, the most magical moment at all in fact, I’ve ever witnessed on a musical stage. After an utterly shambolic 90 minutes, Shane MacGowan and his superb Pogues did their second encore and produced Fairytale of New York. MORE >>> 13.12.2007 CHRISTMAS REUNION Carling Academy, Glasgow, UK, 11 Dec 2007 First Night: The Pogues, Carling Academy, Glasgow Irish spirit lives on as carousing Celts raise the roof – and a glass The Independent By David Pollock Published: 12 December 2007 When Shane MacGowan was unceremoniously rejected from the Pogues' line-up in 1991 during a tour of Japan, not many people – fans or otherwise – would have offered him good odds on seeing the millennium, let alone a reunion tour. Of course, MacGowan - central to his band's image as a hard – carousing bunch of Celtic ne'er-do-wells – is blessed with a titanic capacity for drink. Although reports of his imminent demise have probably been just barely exaggerated over the years, he has somehow managed to keep standing and performing ever since. MORE >>> CAUGHT LIVE: The Pogues The Sun By RICHARD PURDEN Published: 12 Dec 2007 GUMMY singer SHANE MACGOWAN wowed crowds last night on the opening leg of The Pogues Christmas tour. The eight strong line-up rocked the Glasgow Academy with their punk pedigree and rock-inspired charm. Shane was on top form as the band powered through ballads, including A Pair of Brown Eyes and their anthemic Dark Streets of London. Ireland jerseys, Celtic replica tops and even a few retro Hibs kits made their presence known in the emotive and festive throng. Dirty Old Town, penned by KIRSTY MACCOLL’s dad, went down a storm while showstopper Thousands Are Sailing locked everyone in the moment. Summer In Siam gave the mosh pit a break, a stunning song capturing Shane in a moment of sheer bliss - a true knock out addition to the set list. SPIDER STACY took over on lead vocals for Tuesday Morning while ANDREW RANKEN impressed on Star Of The County Down. But it simply wouldn’t be Christmas without Fairytale Of New York; the song that leaves you with a lump in your throat and your soul in a stir. The Pogues. CARLING ACADEMY, GLASGOW Scotsman BY FIONA SHEPHERD 13 Dec 2007 THE Pogues' pre-Christmas tour is now as much of an institution as the traditional sport of offering amateur opinions on Shane MacGowan's wellbeing. Here goes... it could have been a trick of the light, but he looked to be radiating a semi-healthy pallor and was steady enough to balance a pint glass on his head to much general merriment. The rest of his party piece went off as expected - he growled his way through a succession of energetic jigs and spent the remainder of his time looking faintly befuddled by his surroundings. At his best, he unleashed his inner troubadour for one tender, waltzing piano number and was joined by 2,500 backing vocalists on the immortal Dirty Old Town. The band were on spirited form, though the muddy sound meant that the music was often more rabble than rousing. It was, for example, not always apparent whether they were playing the riotous Sally MacLennane or one of the other reels that sound a bit like it. In the end, sound quality was of little consequence to the crowd, who simply used the band as a conduit for a party where they knew all the steps in advance, they could count on Spider Stacy banging a tray over his head at some point, and winding up with everyone's favourite Dickensian carol, Fairytale of New York. 10.12.2007 Shane MacGowan at his 50th Birthday party at The Boogaloo ,London, England - 09.12.2007 Arctic Monkeys Attend Shane MacGowan's 50th Birthday Stars come out in London... by Scott Colothan gigwise.com 10 Dec 2007 The stars were out in force last night (December 9) for Shane MacGowan’s 50th birthday party at The Boogaloo Bar in Highgate, North London. A suitably pissed and pasty looking MacGowan held the event at his favourite hangout – a haunt which a certain Pete Doherty often frequents. As well as demolishing his king-sized birthday cake, MacGowan found time to treat those in attendance to a short set featuring ‘Gloria.’ Those in attendance included his band The Pogues, three of the Arctic Monkeys, The View, Dexys frontman Kevin Rowland, The Horrors and some members of Madness. Still defying medical science with his debauched ways, it’s surely almost certain that Mr MacGowan will still be with us come his 60th birthday. Kate misses MacGowan BD The Mirror 11 Dec 2007 The icing on the cake for Shane MacGowan's early 50th birthday party was set to be a singsong from Kate Moss - but she didn't turn up. We can reveal that Kate, 33, missed her flight from New York to the do at the Boogaloo in North London. She was especially cheesed off as she had a surprise in store for guests who included the Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner and Matt Helders, The View, Madness and Kevin Rowland. A mate of Kate's tells us: "She was set to sing Happy Birthday Marilyn Monroe-style. A blonde wig had even been ordered." Kate helped organise Shane's party - whose birthday falls on Christmas Day - with his other half Victoria Clarke. They agreed not to invite her ex Pete Doherty - despite him being Shane's pal. Still, the Pogues' frontman didn't let the no shows dent his spirits. We're told: "He was drinking pints of what looked like vodka and any beers people left around." A spokesman for Kate had no comment. Shane & Victoria Dickon Edward's report: Last Sunday evening was Shane MacGowan’s 50th birthday party at the Boogaloo. Mr MacGowan’s actual birthday is on the 25th, which he shares with Quentin Crisp and Jesus Christ, but given the Pogues are on tour till Christmas, I assume this was the most convenient date for all concerned. Like The Queen, it always helps to have more than one birthday. I was invited, and it was great to see the Boogaloo extended family assembled, including John & Sharon, Ms Red, Eddie, Jemima, Bernie, Sophie, The General, Ronnie, and Ms Lou. Shane sang Van Morrison’s ‘Gloria’, though the backing band (Bap Kennedy and co) rather cunningly turned it into the Nips’ ‘Gabrielle’ halfway through. Spider Stacy (Pogues) also performed a couple of numbers. At the pub I also recognised: Jem and Darryl (Pogues), Shanne Bradley (from The Nips), Kevin Rowland (Dexy’s - pencil moustache), Tim Burgess (Charlatans - glasses and stubble), and Chas Smash (Madness). There were also a few striking young men in eyeliner, deliberate hairdos and skinny black attire. If they weren’t in some famous band, they dressed like they were. Some papers said members of The View and Arctic Monkeys were there, but although I’m aware that these groups exist and are popular with today’s loose children, my passing interest stops short of identifying their members’ countenances in a dark room full of similar young things. Ms Kate Moss sang Happy Birthday to Mr MacGowan, via Ms Victoria Clarke’s mobile phone. And there was a proper cake, with candles, which he duly extinguished before the happy gathering. London bells ring at Shane's fairy-tale bash By Barry Egan Sunday Independent 16 Dec 2007 WOULD I tell you a fairy tale? (Come on, this is is not the Mail.) Shane MacGowan's 50th birthday bash in the Boogaloo in Highgate, north London on Sunday night turned into a real fairy tale of London. His big birthday and the bells were ringing out for Christmas. Shane's muse and fiancee Victoria Mary Clarke turned up as punk royalty in a dress fashioned by her own hand and covered with safety pins -- she looked every inch the iconoclastic fashionista. "It was a homage to Shane because he was one of the original punks," Victoria said, adding that when it came time to cut the birthday cake that the birthday boy stabbed it so hard the knife went through the cakeboard. "Needless to say, nobody got any cake apart from Shane," she laughed. Shane's birthday is on Christmas Day-- when Shane and Victoria's two families will gather in Ireland for a proper bash. "Because his birthday falls on Christmas Day, Shane never gets his own party so I decided to throw one for him anyway," said Victoria. Those who turned up on Sunday to help the Pogue celebrate were Gerry O'Boyle (owner of the Boogaloo), The Pogues themselves, Chaz Smash from Madness, some Arctic Monkeys, Ian Brown, Razorlight and Vince Power. I felt guilty at Shane's 50th birthday as Katy lay dead Victoria Mary Clarke went from celebrating Shane MacGowan making it to 50 to mourning a new friend Sunday Independent 16 Dec 2007 On the Sunday morning, I got on a plane to London, to meet my partner Shane MacGowan, and to go with him to his 50th birthday party. A day or so previously, I had heard the news that my new friend Katy French had just died -- a few days after her 24th birthday party. MORE >>> 21.11.2007 For the record Shane gets celebrities singing Irish Independent 17 Nov 2007 They spent a week in the wilds of Connemara and now a rag-tag bunch of personalities are making good on their threat to release a charity single in aid of 'People in Need'. Six of the original eight members of the 'Celebrities Go Wild' cast gathered in Celbridge, Co Kildare, yesterday for a rehearsal session under the watchful eye of Shane MacGowan. The group have recorded a version of the Pogues hit 'Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go' and it is to be released in time for an assault on the Christmas music charts. Despite being the first to walk off the reality show, Shane's fiancee, Victoria Mary Clarke, was firmly back in the fold as she and the others were put through their paces. She joined the winner of the show, Michael Healy Rae, model Katy French, Olympic swimmer Michelle De Bruin, TG4 weatherman Daithi O Se and Eurovision entrant Mickey Harte for the sing-song. Proceeds from the single will be added to the ˆ7.5m already raised for People in Need. "The brainchild of utterly mad boiler Victoria Mary Clarke -- who believes in angels and sleeps with Shane MacGowan -- the celebs plan on recording the old Pogues song Down On The Ground, which will be produced by old snaggle tooth himself. " -- Ian O'Doherty A song and dance to make our celebrity charity single By Victoria Mary Clarke Sunday Independent 18 Nov 2007 Once I had appeared on a reality telly show, I felt it was the next logical step to make a charity hit single. Having weighed up the disadvantages and advantages, I decided in favour. I admit that my first thought in doing so was that it might be a bit of fun and an opportunity to try being a rock star. But I also thought about People In Need and how, having stomped off their reality show, I ought to try and raise money for them in ways that do not involve camping in November, or getting wet or cold or dangling over a cliff. The idea of the hit single seemed logical, seeing as I have spent years and years and years watching rock stars perform, and have the advantage of being able to pull in favours. And so without hesitation, I asked my partner Shane if we could do a cover of his song Connemara Let's Go. He agreed, and also agreed to co-produce the single with us. All of the celebrities agreed, and within days Marina Guinness had donated her studio, and a whole host of brilliant musicians, including Cait O'Riordan, the original Pogues bass player, had also agreed to play. .. MORE >>> 13.11.2007 From The Hooks' blog: "The Hooks attended the recent Pogues gigs at the Fillmore in San Francisco. Keith & Ronan were lucky enough to meet Mr. Mac Gowan and friends. Shane was in fine form. He was holed up in his hotel room for five days watching Zodiac over and over. Keith & Shane executed a fine rendition of the Patrick Kavanagh tune 'If Ever You Go To Dublin Town'." And photo evidence of meeting. 05.11.2007 WEST COAST TOUR Pearl Theater, Las Vegas, USA - 2 Nov 2007 Saw the Pogues Friday night, and unlike the show in Seattle I remember this one. Very good. I'm impressed that Shane continues to keep up the good form. He's even lost weight. The show was fantastic, but y'all know how much I love the Pogues. The opening act was very good as well...William Elliot Whitmore I believe his name is. Plays a blues banjo set. By mewelke WEST COAST TOUR The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA, USA - 31 Oct & 1 Nov 2007 Review: The Pogues @ The Wiltern 10/31/07 by Andrew Barker. <...>Hence, the trepidation was palpable on Halloween night when the eight-piece band took the Wiltern stage, dressed for the occasion in matching mariachi outfits, with no lead singer in sight. After a few nervous moments, however, MacGowan finally stumbled onto the stage, hat askew and a pirate patch covering his left eye, and the well-lubricated, mostly-costumed crowd erupted. Regardless of what might happen afterward, Shane had shown, and that was enough for most. Throughout the show the 49-year-old MacGowan, looking nary a day over 70, rarely moved from his perch at the front of the stage, grasping the mic stand for dear life while chain-smoking and drinking from an oft refilled Solo cup. His voice – which already bore the ravaged edges of a grizzled bluesman when the singer was in his early 20s – was in less-than-mint condition, and his between-song banter was so indecipherable it could have just as easily been Guarani as English. Surprisingly though, he managed to work wonders with what he had through the slower numbers, including a heartbreaking version of the rarely-played “Kitty,” from the band’s 1984 debut Red Roses for Me. MORE >>> Some pics of Halloween gig Photos by Tim Jay (of the same gig) 02.11.2007 WEST COAST TOUR The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA, USA - 31 Oct & 1 Nov 2007 Needless to say, the show was great. It wasn't the best one I'd been to, but at least I know I was able to see them before Shane MacGowan dies, which very well could be tomorrow. MacGowan comes on stage in this frilly, red Victorian jacket and an eyepatch, drunk to all hell (rehab clearly didn't work). The first song was Streams of Whiskey which immediately got everyone jumping. If I Should Fall From Grace With God, A Pair of Brown Eyes, Dirty Old Town, The Irish Rover, and The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn were some of the songs they played. It was something of a letdown when they didn't play Fairytale of New York, but they played enough great songs anyway. Like I said, it wasn't the best show I'd ever been to, but it was still great. What really struck me was not the pure awesomeness of the band, but the sense of camaraderie amongst the crowd. <...>. Listening to The Pogues is something different. Listening to them live, surrounded by that energy, is at a whole different level. MacGowan's voice reaches you in the deepest crevices of your soul, jolting you, forcing you to surrender your will into his control. He's up there on that stage, downing bottles, commanding the crowd with his frail, hunched over stance. When he talks, you listen, even if you can't understand a fucking word that comes out of his drunken, toothless mouth. What I really loved, though, was watching all these people, myself included, close their eyes and hold their arms up, palms out, as if they were in church being blessed by the word of God. And by the way, Spider Stacy is still fucking hot. by monkey_junk (more here) Last night LA's Wiltern theater was packed with Pogues fans - many of them dressed like punks from the early 80's. There were more than a few tartan kilts and an abundance of tattoos and Mohawks- on people of all ages. Irish whiskey and Guinness beer were the preferred beverages. The Irish group surprised the crowd by running onstage disguised as a Mariachi band with huge sombreros. Shane MacGowan was in decent shape (considering his self inflicted infirmities) and it was evident he is still ADORED by his hard drinking fans. He shuffled around the stage holding a drink and a cigarette (isn't that illegal at the Wiltern?) and every time he spoke the crowd CHEERED although, due to his accent and slurring, he was impossible to understand. His voice is rough and powerful and not as easy to decipher as it was in the early video above. But he and his excellent band put on a strong two hour show that kept the mosh pit thumping. At the end everyone threw wigs and masks at the stage. They still love Shane! by Janet Charlton (from here) I’ll skip forward by telling you that the opening acts were both amazing (as expected) and by ten o’clock the room was filled with costumed, drunken revelers ready to pogo their way through the set. We had a perfect, unobstructed view of the stage. The lights went down. The crowd started to hum. The Pogues took the stage, in full mariachi garb, and started to play. And Shane MacGowan, poet laureate of a generation of bands and fans, doddered on stage in a bath robe and a sombrero so drunk he could barely stand. Now, I was prepared for this. I’m well aware of MacGowan’s drinking, and that he doesn’t take the stage in a state that even remotely resembles sobriety. But even being aware of that, it’s hard to watch a man, particularly someone whom you respect, slowly, surely, killing himself right in front of you. He could barely remember the lyrics to songs he’d written, he couldn’t remember the set list, and the whole time the crowd and his band mates laughed uproariously at his confused, drunken hijinks. They roared at his mumbled, slurred banter and chugged more beer and pogoed into each other with such enthusiasm that they didn’t notice the specter he’s become. by Marleigh (from here) I went last night to see the Pogues play at the Wiltern, and I gotta say, there’s not much I enjoy more than getting to see bands I’ve loved since I was a teenager play live and still be as great as ever. There’s quite a bit to be said about the state of lead singer Shane MacGowan, about how a genius who is one of the most important Irish musicians of all time has managed to destroy his own life. But in spite of his never ending and all pervasive intoxication, he still manages to get out on stage and sing his heart out with as much emotion and conviction as ever. How he’s even still alive is a mystery to me, so I’ll never stop being impressed by his performances. And lets not forget the rest of the band; they’re as tight as any band can be and they put up with the drunkest guy in the world. (Which hasn’t always been the case - there was a period of time when Shane toured with a backing band very creatively called The Popes.) Given that it was Halloween, the whole band was dressed as mariachis. Which made for a highly amusing sight, especially since Shane was also wearing a robe and an eye patch. It added up to some sort of Mexican-lounge-pirate sorta look. by Cate's Musing 01.11.2007 Pogue Mahon 7x7 by Jordan Mackay 31 Oct 2007 This happened last Monday after about three shots of Jameson and a couple of beers. It took me about a third of the show, though, to connect with the band, and when I did I found myself carried away in a fit of dancing, bouncing and crashing against the other victims around me. Of course, Shane MacGowan came out completely sauced, looking like a clown in a giant top hat and making a show later on of drinking whiskey on stage. The music is about getting drunk and, as I mentioned above, tends to become more infectious, more powerful, more emotional the more you drink. MORE >>> 31.10.2007 The jig is up Daily Trojan (Student newspaper of the University of Southern California) Jen Winston 31 Oct 2007 Irish band The Pogues is huge in Europe, But few Americans have ever heard of it. Here's why you should start paying attention. Last Tuesday in San Francisco, two belligerent men were escorted from a concert for fighting in the corner. What did the band do? Kept on rocking, of course. "Oh, everyone was fairly crazy - they were all moshing away," Darryl Hunt said in his Irish accent. He is bassist for the European Celtic rock-act The Pogues, a band consisting of eight musicians who have been together for 25 years. So why haven't you heard of them? MORE >>> WEST COAST TOUR House of Blues, Anaheim, CA, USA - 28 Oct 2007 The Pogues deliver an unsteady show in their return to O.C. By SHAWN PRICE Monday, October 29, 2007 The Orange County Register The Irish band performs a meandering set behind Shane MacGowan's indecipherable vocals. It might still be a miracle. And the thought is not lost on the audience members who pay their money, enter the hall and knock back their first beer partly anticipating they'll witness a train wreck right in front of them. Shane MacGowan specifically and the Pogues in general do that to people. Just the idea of their reunion tour over a year ago sparked both joy and skepticism that it would last beyond a few shows. In fact, there were probably a lot of folks who simply assumed MacGowan was dead – long since drunk himself to death, drowned in a Celtic clich?. MORE >>> I will say that it was the WORST show ever. They played like the Keystone Cops. HORRIBLE. It wasn't Shane- Spider was OFF KEY, Andrew I am sure was high on sinus or allergy meds because he could not keep a beat. Just awful. I CANNOT believe they are starting with this bullshit again. Late, unprofessional and just an absolute joke. I am so angry. Where to begin to express my COMPLETE and TOTAL disgust at last night’s performance? Exactly when did 8 to 10 adult MEN forget how to tell time? Probably the same time they forgot how to play instruments they have had for over 20 years. I cannot believe with a night off they could come out and be that worthless. Taking the stage an HOUR LATE with no apology is just unacceptable. I really thought the band were through with pulling these bullshit, head up the ass stunts. It was just HORRIBLE. It was not just Shane. THERE IS PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND! Spider was just gross. His clothes were a wrinkled (I think he slept in them). The rest of the band looked just as haggard. Unless when they were in San Diego helping at the shelter sites there is no excuse for the way they all looked. Is it too much for you respect for the fans and look as if you had the taken a shower and wear clean clothes? From minute one it was like the band was auditioning for a reality TV show about an undiscovered group trying to get a record deal and were rejected in the first round. They never got a rhythm going. There was CONSTANT tuning the instruments, everyone trying to get on the same page and FAILING. Spider’s lead vocals on Tuesday Morning were horrid. I was shocked at Terry Woods faltering on Young Ned of the Hill. SHAME ON YOU, Terry. Andrew needs to pull his head out of his ass and find a beat, isn’t that the drummers JOB? I am so through. LOSERS! by Guest at The Wake of The Medusa fora I thought it was a tight sow. Shane was much more much tighter than he was at the Fillmore, and seemed in a good mood. He played with the audience a bit (during Fiesta he passed his wine bottle to some guys at the barrier, letting people take a few swigs before asking for it back). I think the only legitimate gripe people might have had about the show was how late The Pogues came on. Ted Leon and the Pharmacists finished their set around 10:15 and it wasn't until 11:15 that The Pogues took the stage. (I've been asked to pass along the band's apologies for this, and to let people know that their bus got stuck in construction traffic en route to the HoB). The crowd seemed to be really enjoying the show, but prior to the band taking there stage there also seemed like a certain element ready to be angry (one guy yelling at Ted Leon & The Pharmacists "You suck! Get off the stage" in between songs of their set, others yelling while waiting for the band to start "Come on, you fucking rock stars! Takes your drugs on your own time!"), I was glad to note that this seemed to be a few loud exceptions and that once the show got rolling their pissyness was not at all infectious by DzM of The Wake of The Medusa Saw the Pogues show at House of Blues (HOB) Anaheim on Sunday night. It was pretty cool to be down on the floor so close to one of my life heroes, although last year's show at the Wilturn was better. The HOB is already small and it seemed like they over-sold the show. It was definately the most crowded HOB show I've ever been to. Before we went, I had entertained the idea of buying a ticket for tonight's show at the Wiltern, but after getting home at 2 a.m. on Monday morning, I couldn't bare the thought of staying out late twice in one week. Not even for Shane, who by the way looked excellant. It looks like he's lost weight. The funniest part of the night was when the crowd was waiting for the Pogues to come on stage; a roadie brought out a stool and set it center stage and the crowd gasped, assuming Shane was too wasted or feeble to stand on his own. As it turns out, the stool was for Shane to set his drinks. Icon. By Matt Freeman (The Life Cycling) 26.10.2007 The Pogues' Shane MacGowan cheerfully lives on the edge, and he'll cheerfully lead the band to 4th & B tomorrow 25 Oct 2007 By George Varga UNION-TRIBUNE POP MUSIC CRITIC Step aside, Amy Winehouse! Move over, Pete Doherty! Yes, you are leading contenders to become the latest drug-and-drink-fueled rock 'n' roll casualties in the United Kingdom. But compared to Shane MacGowan of The Pogues, you're both lightweights. In his musical prime, back in the 1980s, MacGowan was as gifted at fusing punk and Celtic music as he was prone to potentially deadly excesses on and off stage. His best songs – such as “Sally MacLennane,” “The Ghost of a Smile,” “A Pair of Brown Eyes” and “A Rainy Night in Soho” – offered compelling proof he could rank alongside Van Morrison and Bono at their most inspired. MORE >>> 22.10.2007 WEST COAST TOUR Fillmore, San Francisco, CA, USA - 21-24 Oct 2007 The Pogues prove powerful (again) at Fillmore <...>The band - generally considered to be the Godfathers of Irish-punk - once again lived up to its own legend on Sunday night (Oct. 21) at the Fillmore in San Francisco. It was opening night of a four-night run at that famed venue. Expectations were mighty high going into the show, which was a change from when the band played a foursome of shows in October 2006. That run marked the first time in more than 15 years that the Irish band’s original lineup, with vocalist-poet and legendary party-animal Shane MacGowan, had performed on the West Coast. Given MacGowan’s reputation and condition (neither of which are good) fans didn’t really know what to expect from the band last year. The show I saw, which was opening night of the run, turned out to be terrific. This time around, the band was possibly even better. Shane seemed downright nearly almost sober at times and there were points when I could actually understand full words coming from his mouth. Those moments never happened when he spoke (mumbled) to the crowd, only when he sang. And, truth be told, it only happened, maybe, three or four times. But it didn’t really matter. The fans already knew all the words to these rowdy pub-rockers by heart and Shane’s fellow musicians once again sounded strong. They sounded so strong, in fact, that it was tempting to think that anyone could have led the band and the music would have been just as great. But that’s really not the case. It has to be Shane. Without him - in my book - it’s just not the Pogues.<...> by Jim (full URL) Photos by Brother Andrews Photos by jmakdaddy 19.10.2007 WEST COAST TOUR Showbox, Seattle, WA, USA - 17&18 Oct 2007 Some photos And reviews: The Inebriated Conscience Of His Race: Shane MacGowan & the Pogues @ the Showbox by Michael van Baker Seattlest.com "Oi flimsy castle," said Shane MacGowan, 49, a short stovepipe hat on his head. "Frip limpid turtle song." He stopped to survey Showbox SODO's barnlike interior -- people were still filing in from Hooverville across the street. Outside the bar, a phalanx of women formed around a dazed, jelly-kneed girl with a mouth rimed with spew. Then the banjo pluck and chime, the snare-drum skitter, a missing-leg march's rhythm. One summer evening drunk to hell I sat there nearly lifeless. An old man in the corner sang Where the water lilies grow. Inside Showbox, the crowd raised their cups and ululated with joy at seeing MacGowan take the stage under his own steam. They adored the shambling walk, the terse, gnomic, between-song utterances. MacGowan pressed into use what was long ago a serviceable baritone. "I am gooooo-ing, I am gooooo-ing," he sang, knotted cords buzzing like a throat-singer's. Streams of beer and whiskey were flowing along the floors. Up in the side bar, women hit puddles and faceplanted, men did awkward splits. "Did ya keep a watch for the dead man's wind? Did ya see the woman with the comb in her hand?" chanted the crowd. A trio of young men with sharply defined haircuts linked hands and grapevined their way toward the front. Another man burrowed forward like a drunken gopher, leaving heads popping up angrily in his wake. "Calyx forgle snapshot," said MacGowan. "Ember dunk Seattle?" He heaved out a dry, wheezy conniption of a laugh, sounding like that evil little animal on the Laff-Olympics. "Gorgon hoodle Pearl Jam." How old is he, whispered a young woman to her date, who shrugged. "I'm a free born man of the USA!" screamed the crowd when the song came around, hysteria crackling in their voices. Some just wailed out wordless emphasis. The second encore lasted longer than the first. Last night I saw The Pogues for the first time in my life, at their first show on their US tour. They were surprisingly excellent! Shane McGowan seemed a little too lose and drunk on the first song or two, but pulled his shit together quick and they blasted through a ton of older material over the next two hours, which included two encores for a shouting audience of enthusiastic fans. I kept running into people I knew left and right. Some I hadn't seen in years and would just appear from nowhere in the giant dancing masses of bodies, throw their arm around my shoulder, and we'd both sing along to a song until we were ripped apart by the swirling masses of people. Everyone in the crowd seemed super happy, I didn't see one fist fight. By the end of the show I was losing my voice and my clothes were completely soaked through with my and everyone else's sweat. Awesome. I hope all the folks that catch their later US tour dates get as good of shows! by 10 things zine (with a pic) It was a good, good show. They opened with a guy with a banjo, but I can forgive that, for the Pogues. Off the top of my head (and nowhere near a complete set list): ‘Streams of Whiskey’, ‘Lullaby of London’, ‘Sick Bed of Cuchulainn’, ‘If I Should Fall From Grace With God’, ‘The Irish Rover’, ‘Boys From the County Hell’, ‘Dirty Old Town’, ‘Body of an American’, ‘The Sunny Side of the Street’, ‘Rainy Night in Soho’ (the first Pogues song I ever heard) and ‘Fiesta’. Yep, Shane McGowan was drunk. So drunk he couldn’t remember what song came next, but fortunately his tin whistle player was on the ball (and had a gorgeous accent, and was an amazing tin whistle player, as they go. He played an instrumental tune for his wife’s wedding anniversary and it was haunting.) Shane, for all the shit he’s put himself and his body through, still sounds pretty good and he didn’t fall off the stage or anything, so all in all the performance was a success. The rest of the band can play. They play with the kind of fervor you usually only find it really good pub bands, and they sound tuneful and raw at the same time, like maybe they just popped in from busking in the Underground to do a set. /sigh. I need to pick up my violin again. I went in the mosh pit…all I can say is, have bony elbows (like mine) at the ready. It’s a big help. There was one punch-up that I saw, more I’m sure, cuz it’s not a good mosh pit without three or four. It’s in some rulebook somewhere. However, everyone in my immediate area was frighteningly polite. Someone apologized for knocking into me and stepping on my foot. It was the Stepford Mosh Pit. My only sadness (not a complaint, just a sadness) is that they didn’t do ‘Whiskey You’re the Devil’ or ‘White City’, two of my favorite tracks. But neither of them are the most popular songs the band has done, and the show was fantastic and covered the breadth and scope of their material, so I’m not pissy about it. Seeing one of my favorite bands live is…well…it’s right up there with chocolate bars, Supernatural and sex. And let’s face it, who knows how much longer Shane is even going to be alive? (Although he looked pretty well-preserved. And was wearing a top hat and smoking in between choruses of the songs. Sexy beast.) If you have a chance to see this tour, shell out the $50 and go. It’s worth in, in so very many ways. by Caitlin Kittredge (Dark Territory) Damn it was a fabulous show and they capped it off with a 4-song ovation return. They managed to dredge Shane McGowan back from the grave, or the bottle or wherever the hell he’s been and the band seriously rocked and raged. Can’t even begin to list the songs, it was such a blistering hot set, coming one on another like seismic shocks with only a few lower key moments to make the punch harder when it came. But they did play several of my faves, including Bottle of Smoke and took no significant break–15 minutes out of 100 is not much. And speaking of the mosh, my hubby–an old-guard punk afficianado who introduced me to the Pogues in the first place with Hell’s Ditch–says the Seattle pit fans were total pikers. Only a single punch up and people apologized when they stepped on me or pulled my hair or drove their elbows into my kidneys. What sort of punk tradition are we teaching here in Seattle? Hokey smoke! And the lounge makes a decent pizza, but the beer’s a bit pricey. Still… If I had the $60 door cost, I’d be tempted to go back to tonight’s performance–the Pogues put on one hell of a show! (The rumour mills claims they might be releasing a new album and I’d feel it my duty to pay full price and support one of my favorite Irish bands.) Have I said “Pogue mahone”? I love these guys and I’m thrilled to have seen them live, with the infamous Shane on the mic. Brilliant! by Kat Richardson (My Own Personal Grey) <...> The set list was great -- they catered to the loyal, opening with a raucous "Streams of Whiskey", and playing some of their lesser-known songs like "Kitty", "The Body of an American" and "Star of the County Down". I was bummed that they didn't play "The Old Main Drag", but my disappointment was appeased by "Sickbed of Cuchulainn" and "A Pair of Brown Eyes." The room sounded really good, with an excellent stage and a great crowd. However, taking my adoring-fan-colored glasses off for a second, while the band was tight as hell, Shane MacGowan was a mess. Some years ago, he broke his nose when he fell off a bar stool and hit his face on the bar, and his singing has just not been the same; rather than being charmingly slurred, it's all nasally and downright unintelligible. He was drunk as per usual, but also out of breath and missed parts regularly. As a Pogues fan, I am willing to accept this as just Shane being Shane, but as someone who paid 60$ for a ticket and drove 6 hours, I felt like it was a marginal performance at best. I felt sorry for the band because they sounded great and it was obvious that they had prepared well for the tour. I can only imagine the frustrations of Spider Stacy and the rest of the Pogues at having to re-enact "Weekend at Bernie's" with Shane night after night.<...> by Dave (Photos By Mandy Becker, Full URL) Just got back from the Pogues at the Showbox SoDo (formerly the Fenix which was formerly the Premier). I'm not sure what I thought of the whole thing. MacGowan was in a sad state, especially to start the show. Early on, especially in the first couple of songs he sounded like an animal scratching into the mic. The audience carried him through Streams of Whiskey He had to step off stage every third song or so. But the band sounded tight, and the energy unreal. And by the end of the second encore with Fiesta, Shane was dead on and slamming himself in the head with a baking sheet. I'm glad I went. The music and the crowd were great. Shane MacGowan lived up to his rep. But at the same time I don't think I've ever seen a singer so fucked up on stage at the start of a show. And I've definitely never seen one put it together like that towards the end. Either way, its definitely worth checking them out in San Fran or LA or wherever they are going next. From here A Rainy Night in Sodo 20 Oct 2007 by Jonathan Zwickel (with photos by Kelly O) That’s what the band brought to Showbox Sodo last night. Their music is painfully conflicted, the band is habitually fraught with drama, and it all exploded in a beer-soaked Irish-folk-punk gestalt over the course of their two-hour set. At what other show is the studded leather jacket-to-tweed paperboy cap ratio dead even? Where else can you find a crowd-surfing mosh pit in the front and an arm-in-arm jig circle in the back? Truly great bands run on conflict—not violent, but artistic. John versus Paul. Mick versus Keef. Chuck versus Flava. With the Pogues, it’s Shane versus Everyone Else in the Band. Shane MacGowan—his brilliant lyrics, his punkish growl, his mortifying alcoholism—is the focal point of the Pogues, but the rest of the band is equally responsible for the music. Shane wrote most of the songs, but Jem Finer and Spider Stacy and James Fearnly all contributed heavily over the years. To some extent, they must resent Shane’s recklessness. It’s a loose but useful comparison: They are Chuck D—hardworking, serious, intent. Shane is Flav—wry, volatile, dangerous. It’s one of the several conflicts that make the Pogues a truly great band. MORE >>> The most entertaining part of the show was watching the stage hands lead Shane McGowan onto the stage and place him in front of the mic. He was already trashed before the show and he smoke and drank for the duration. And through all the three encores. The old school Pogues fans said they were surprised he was even still alive. And apparently, he has no teeth. But his "singing" was still dead on and he didn't seem to forget any of the lyrics. He tried to banter between songs, but you couldn't understand a word he said. After the final encore, and they started wandering off stage, a band member said into the mic - "Thanks for your understanding." Which is weird as I type it, but at the time I took it to mean, yes, we know he's a handful. Thanks for coming out anyway. All in all, it was still a good show with great music. But a very late night. by Raechelle (My new Life out There) |
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