by MacRua Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:26 am
The Pogues back in L.A. after 15 years
By Craig Rosen
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:12pm ET
Full URL
<blockquote>LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - They may have taken the stage to the strains of the Clash's "Straight to Hell," but the Pogues' nearly two-hour set was pure heaven to the legions of faithful fans who turned out for the first show of the band's three-night run at the Wiltern Wednesday.
The entry music was a salute to a fallen comrade, Clash frontman Joe Strummer. When the Pogues last played Los Angeles in 1991, Strummer filled in for singer Shane MacGowan, who had been ousted from the band because of his alcohol and drug problems. Fast-forward 15 years -- and nearly four since Strummer was felled by a heart attack -- and the hard-living MacGowan is back fronting the Pogues, performing with spirit and conviction that would make the late punk icon proud.
It wasn't just fate that brought the Pogues out of the woodwork to tour the West Coast nearly 20 years after their prime. Last month, Rhino Records reissued expanded, remastered editions of the band's first five albums. The Pogues proved Wednesday that their legacy is worth revisiting considering that their groundbreaking mix of punk attitude and traditional Celtic sounds has spawned a bevy of like-minded acts, including Los Angeles' own Flogging Molly and New York's Black 47.
At the Wiltern -- to borrow the title of one of the band's early EPs -- it was pure Poguetry in motion, with the chain-smoking MacGowan croaking along to an intoxicating ruckus capable of moving anything with a pulse. While MacGowan is clearly the band's star, the contribution of his mates shouldn't be discounted. That point was made several times during the set when the singer bowed out for a breather, allowing his bandmates turns at the microphone or the opportunity to let loose on an invigorating instrumental. One such number, "Repeal of the Licensing Laws," had accordion player James Fearnley sprinting across the length of the stage while he played.
The late-'80s lineup -- Fearnley, guitarist Philip Chevron, guitarist-banjoist Jem Finer, bassist Darryl Hunt, drummer Andrew Ranken, tin whistler Spider Stacy and mandolin and cittern player Terry Woods -- played with spirit and precision, providing a solid backdrop for MacGowan's gruff and loose vocals.
The singer, whose offstage exploits and well-worn physical appearance have put him on par with Keith Richards, was most effective on such classics as the sea shanty-like "A Pair of Brown Eyes," the optimistic "The Sunnyside of the Street" and the bittersweet "Dirty Old Town," even if he sounded a bit like Sylvester the Cat on the latter.
The true showstopper, however, was a performance of the caustic Yuletide number "Fairytale of New York" with Finer's daughter Ella filling in for the late Kirsty MacColl. As the music swirled on, MacGowan and the younger Finer waltzed as fake snow fell from the rafters. It was a joyous moment, and an early Christmas gift for all to savor.</blockquote>
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© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
[size=150]The Pogues back in L.A. after 15 years[/size]
[i]By Craig Rosen
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:12pm ET[/i]
[url=http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=reviewsNews&storyID=2006-10-20T021206Z_01_N19454804_RTRIDST_0_REVIEW-REVIEW-MUSIC-POGUES-DC.XML]Full URL[/url]
<blockquote>LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - They may have taken the stage to the strains of the Clash's "Straight to Hell," but the Pogues' nearly two-hour set was pure heaven to the legions of faithful fans who turned out for the first show of the band's three-night run at the Wiltern Wednesday.
The entry music was a salute to a fallen comrade, Clash frontman Joe Strummer. When the Pogues last played Los Angeles in 1991, Strummer filled in for singer Shane MacGowan, who had been ousted from the band because of his alcohol and drug problems. Fast-forward 15 years -- and nearly four since Strummer was felled by a heart attack -- and the hard-living MacGowan is back fronting the Pogues, performing with spirit and conviction that would make the late punk icon proud.
It wasn't just fate that brought the Pogues out of the woodwork to tour the West Coast nearly 20 years after their prime. Last month, Rhino Records reissued expanded, remastered editions of the band's first five albums. The Pogues proved Wednesday that their legacy is worth revisiting considering that their groundbreaking mix of punk attitude and traditional Celtic sounds has spawned a bevy of like-minded acts, including Los Angeles' own Flogging Molly and New York's Black 47.
At the Wiltern -- to borrow the title of one of the band's early EPs -- it was pure Poguetry in motion, with the chain-smoking MacGowan croaking along to an intoxicating ruckus capable of moving anything with a pulse. While MacGowan is clearly the band's star, the contribution of his mates shouldn't be discounted. That point was made several times during the set when the singer bowed out for a breather, allowing his bandmates turns at the microphone or the opportunity to let loose on an invigorating instrumental. One such number, "Repeal of the Licensing Laws," had accordion player James Fearnley sprinting across the length of the stage while he played.
The late-'80s lineup -- Fearnley, guitarist Philip Chevron, guitarist-banjoist Jem Finer, bassist Darryl Hunt, drummer Andrew Ranken, tin whistler Spider Stacy and mandolin and cittern player Terry Woods -- played with spirit and precision, providing a solid backdrop for MacGowan's gruff and loose vocals.
The singer, whose offstage exploits and well-worn physical appearance have put him on par with Keith Richards, was most effective on such classics as the sea shanty-like "A Pair of Brown Eyes," the optimistic "The Sunnyside of the Street" and the bittersweet "Dirty Old Town," even if he sounded a bit like Sylvester the Cat on the latter.
The true showstopper, however, was a performance of the caustic Yuletide number "Fairytale of New York" with Finer's daughter Ella filling in for the late Kirsty MacColl. As the music swirled on, MacGowan and the younger Finer waltzed as fake snow fell from the rafters. It was a joyous moment, and an early Christmas gift for all to savor.</blockquote>
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© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
