Who's seen the Pogues back in the day?

[johnfoyle]

A Hot Press feature from September 1984 is now available online - the text is here -

http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/inde ... r_21,_1984

[soulfinger]

Excellent. Thanks for posting the link.

[Guest]

May '86 Sloskys Manchester - Riotous!

I was the promoter on the night working for veteran Irish promoter Bill Fuller. Riotous indeed! The Pogues played two nights running. Shane turned up for a soundcheck at 10 in the morning swigging from a half empty bottle of rum. Before the show even started the crush barrier at the front collapsed under the sheer weight of the crowd and had to be removed. Only a thin line of security then separated crowd from the stage for the rest of the show, which was one of the best shows I've ever witnessed anywhere...

[johnfoyle]

Last call for any memories of The Pogues in Ireland in Sept. 1984!

As I posted earlier I'm preparing an account for a Elvis Costello fan site of the first time I saw Elvis , which was 30 years ago this week. It looks like I'll just go with references to Carol Clerk's s account for the Pogues end of things but it would be great to get some other impressions.

[Tal]

Dermot O'Leary reveals ;

Quote "............Streams of Whiskey - the Pogues
I failed almost all my GCSEs. I was mortified because I thought I was stupid, but mostly because I’d let my mum and dad down. My dad’s never been a shouter; I got quiet disappointment, which was just the worst. “Do retakes at sixth form,” he advised, “and if the retakes don’t go well we’ll think about what else you’re going to do.” I’d done work experience at a restaurant so I fully expected to be a chef. I liked the sixth-form college in Colchester more than I had school: it was the kind of place where you were on first-name terms with your teachers.
So I knuckled down and ended up studying politics and media at Middlesex University.It was while I was at sixth form that I went to my first proper gig. My friend Tom Curry got us tickets to see the Pogues at Brixton Academy. At that time teenagers were divided into two camps: the Pogues and the Smiths. After the first song I was on
my own. I was swallowed by the throng and spat out into the mosh pit at the front. By the end I stank of fags,
I was soaked with sweat and booze, and I’d ripped my shirt. I remember thinking: this is the best night of my life........." end . More @ http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-10- ... shaped-him

[ChrisW]

I posted this in the Philip Chevron forum, It might go here too:

This is a bit of a long story but I have a very clear picture of Philip Chevron at a gig that I will never forget but in general a gig that made me a Pogue's fan for life.

10th September 1985 The Pogues played Aberdeen. At Fusion night club or whatever the place was called then. The general public had only ever heard of a band called The Pogues from a nice little folk number in the charts called Dirty Old Town. And so it was that the upper areas of the venue were full of unsuspecting 'folkies'. All beards and wooly jumpers, waiting for a night of traditional folk music. In my naivety I was one of them.

And as you would expect, the floor was full of die-hard Pogues fans, getting fidgety and impatient waiting for the start of the show.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I thought punk had finished but these people in the pit were like super punks. Even more boisterous, and rowdy. There even looked to be a bare knuckle boxing fight going on - a big bare chested bloke with a kilt was taking on all-comers. The bouncers were powerless to do anything. I think they were expecting a Dubliners style folk band too.

The place couldn't get any more outrageous.

But it could. The band was getting ready to come on. A small wirey chap wearing a hat came onto the stage and placed a crate of beer right in the middle of it. The scene was set, Philip Chevron had carried out one of his main duties for the night.

Then the rest of the guys came on stage and the place erupted. Except the upper raised areas occupied by the folkies. We all looked down in disbelief and it has to be said, a lot of fear and trepidation. The feeling from these balcony areas only served to feed the atmosphere, which was balancing on a knife edge and ready to go into a riot. Seriously.

After only a couple or so songs, the band was taken off the stage in an attempt to quieten the crowd down. Someone had screwed up, and had not realised who The Pogues and their fans were. The manager of the venue came on stage to appeal for quiet. There was no need for me to describe the reaction of the fans at having their gig cut short.

Over the shouts and boos and some missiles - beer glasses mainly - the manager made himself heard, to say that he wanted to make an announcement regarding that night's football. (There were no mobile phones in those days to keep in touch with news.) The crowd briefly quietened down. Even the fighting stopped. I need to explain here that Scotland's bid to make the World Cup finals needed them to gain a point from their fixture with Wales that evening. I thought then, what was he doing? Whatever the result, with the mood of the crowd, there was surely going to be a riot either way.

"Wales were leading 1-0......." silence "....but with 9 minutes to go Scotland equalised...." The crowd exploded. Scotland were going to the play-offs. But the manager stayed still. He hadn't finished yet. He allowed the crowd to settle enough for him to tell them that Jock Stein, the manager of Scotland had suffered a heart attack at the stadium and had died.

You could have heard a pin drop.

"As a tribute to Jock Stein," the manager continued, "I want you to join in with me, the singing of Flower of Scotland"

And so it went. The place erupted in song louder than even could be heard at Hampden Park. The tuneful folkies got what they wanted, and there were some perfect powerful harmonies intermingling with the perhaps more raucous tones from the floor below. So the night was over and we all dispersed quietly. Shocked. Relieved. Happy with the football result and saddened with the tragic news of Jock Stein's death. A real mixture of emotions that left everyone drained.

You don't forget nights like that. But through it all what sticks in my mind is the wee fella placing that crate of beer on the stage for the band.
A night to remember.
Nice one Philip.

[Fr. McGreer]

I posted this in the Philip Chevron forum, It might go here too:

This is a bit of a long story but.............

................You don't forget nights like that. But through it all what sticks in my mind is the wee fella placing that crate of beer on the stage for the band.
A night to remember.
Nice one Philip.

Brilliant story Chris

Happy New year and stick around a while.

[johnfoyle]

Some cuttings from the 1980s -

http://issuu.com/uw_imprint/docs/1989-9 ... imprint/17

http://library.brown.edu/cds/dbdh/bdh_r ... L799&pid=0

[Lorenzo]

I saw The Pogues in Roma on May 18th 1988. I have The recording too. It was at Teatro Tendastrisce, a sort of circus tent in The Villaggio Olimpico, near Stadio Flaminio. The only thing I can remember quite well is that The organization let plastic chair where you usually stand, so all the people stood on them, dancing. They played 100 minutes and yes, something hit me if after 27 years I am still writing this.

[Shakerbhoy]

First saw them Saturday 19/12/87 at Glasgow Barrowlands with Kirsty MacColl. Last saw them with my daughter at The O2 Academy 17/12/13 with Camille O’Sullivan singing Fairytale with them. Never tire of hearing Shane sing.

[Reggie Hollis]

Warwick University in 1984, i was living in Coventry at the time, some Friends dragged me along. I have to admit i was not impressed, though gradually i got to like THE POGUES.I saw quite a few Pogues gigs mainly in London, also Glastonbury in 1985 and Cambridge Folk Festival the same year, now that WAS interesting!The last time i saw the band was in 2010 in Manchester. Memorable times.