The Medusa Fora

Phil, i was at the gig at the MEN last year and it was great to see the venue filled and i will also be there again this year. I was just wondering why you (the band) decided on the MEN in the first place as the other venues on the tour are a lot smaller and the fact that on the 2001 reunion tour The Pogues played instead at the manchester appollo? Just curious! A good move though i might add.

The choice of venue is always governed by numerous factors, only some of which are within our control. Tour economics, promoter allegiance, availability and atmosphere are just a few of the things that are taken into account.

We did the MEN last year partly to show a dubious music biz that we could. Having done it, we discovered we liked the venue better than the Apollo, which is why we're back there.

We do actually give a fair amount of thought to where we play, given that we we will not tour for more than a few days at a time and given that we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to come and see us in that time.

Likewise the NIA instead of the Carling Academy at Brimingham this year?

A classic case in point. The Carling Academy sold out in days last year, leaving a lot of fans either disappointed or having to pay inflated prices on Ebay. It's a great venue, but that became, in the circumstances, a secondary consideration.

Fair enough. And next year in the NEC, eh?

Well, I can't say we have a great love for the NEC, to be honest.

Not sure anybody does.

keith wrote:Phil, i was at the gig at the MEN last year and it was great to see the venue filled and i will also be there again this year. I was just wondering why you (the band) decided on the MEN in the first place as the other venues on the tour are a lot smaller and the fact that on the 2001 reunion tour The Pogues played instead at the manchester appollo? Just curious! A good move though i might add.

Howdy neighbour,

The MEN is fine provided you're down front and not perched in the (what should be) cheap seats way at the back. It was particularly fine last December and I'm confident it will be so again this year!

Phil it was great to hear you say that you did it 'referring to the music biz etc'. As a life long pogues fan right from the first album, it was great to see such a huge arena filled by fans having a great time watching what i think to still be the best live band in the world, and i'm a huge U2 fan also. Roll on December!! cheers.

Sorry to be anal, but it was Manchester Academy in 2001.

No offence mate but it was the 'Apollo' in manchester in 2001. Ive still got the ticket and have been there many times. The academy is a much smaller venue where Shane and the popes played last year during the march tour! honest.

Dear Paul and Keith *if I remember correctly you are both right.

At the last minute they added a warm-up gig at the Academy the night before the long-standing Apollo show.

bloody hell if i had known that it would have been 2 gigs in 2 nights! Thanks for clearing it up anyway mate!

Well stone me! I went to the academy one, bought the t-shirt and I wear it regular and i've just checked the back of it and i'm surprised to learn that they did play the Apollo on the Sunday night. So apologies.

Conversations like this are best in a pub!

Well, i think thats why they play the arena now because no one can decide where they played in 91!