The Medusa Fora

Thanks for sharing, I love the dancers in the dark. Wish I had been there...

Not posted for a long time but after Thetford thought I'd give my two bobs worth!

1st thought...is Shane getting better with age...ok the voice isn't what it was, timing sometimes a little out but by god the lad and the rest of the band was on form Saturday night!
Having seen tickets were available on the night I feared a poor turn out given some football match was on but to be honest it wasn't a bad turn out especially as the venue is well off the beaten track.
For once I decided against the perils of the pit and stood back and watched the band in all their grace. I suppose there are some who may say gigs like Thetford are just a money spinner and extra ££££'s for the days when they hang up their instruments. Therefore it was great to see a performance from the band that would quell any such thought!
Good banter between Shane, Spider and the crowd, Mr Fearnley gave a couple of 'eey ups' and a classic slide across the stage on his knees, which must have required a new pair of pants..!

As others have said no great surprises on the set list although nice to hear Kitty again along with Thousands. Repeal really got the crowd going and Dirty of Town culminated in a mass sing song. It's easy to say I wanted to hear 'this' or 'that' but an event like Saturday is for the tunes we know and others. who might not be converts expect to hear.

Didn't catch the support albeit we got the last tune prior to The Pogues and my god thank fuck I missed them as it sounded dreadful, although I believe the 1st band were good?

A couple who I knew and we met up with decided to leave at 10 so they could catch the football.....fools...fools...fools....you could have seen another classic 30 minutes rather than watch your team get beat...more fool them!

My only grief/grumble was the merchandise... no XXL t-shirts which left me pretty pissed off! The lady on sales said they had loads of people asking for XXL and a trick had been missed. Despite being told the XL was 'generous' it wasn't and I looked a twat, hence I gave up!

Hats off to the organisers, it was one of the best events I've been too. friendly staff, security and getting in and out was a dream with people directing and lighting the way out.
Over all a proper good night in the middle of a forest.

Just found this on line

http://cambridgemusicreviews.net/2014/0 ... june-2014/

Nothing earth shattering but sounds as though they enjoyed it

Thanks for the info guys and the setlist FH - neat writing for a gig! Sounds like it was a cracker.

Typically accurate review from the Cambridge News: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Whats-on-leisure/Reviews/The-Pogues-20140616115415.htm

Apparently they played Rum, Sodomy and the Lash again. Surprised I missed that. Wonder what Spider Stanley made of it all?

Seems like the reviewer enjoyed it, anyway.

Text taken from the Eastern Daily Press....

The Pogues, reviewed by Peter Walsh.


It wasn’t so much a Fairytale of New York as one in Thetford Forest as much-loved Celtic rockers The Pogues arrived in town.

Supported by Billy Vincent and Fat White Family, The Pogues took to the tree-lined forest stage on Saturday night for what would prove to be a 90 minute set brimming with Irish- folk-infused punk rock.

For one night only the heart of the forest setting which straddles both Norfolk and Suffolk was turned into a traditional Irish themed pub with the gig more like a jig and the crowd clearly loving the craic.

The band rolled back the years with tracks from their impressive back catalogue, including Dirty Old Town, A Pair of Brown Eyes, Bottle of Smoke, Fiesta and the glorious Irish Rover.

Years of drugs and alcohol misuse and abuse might have taken its toll on Shane MacGowan but the legendary frontman proved he still has the ability to command the stage.

The chain-smoking, chain-drinking singer, who had his own drinks table next to his microphone, left the stage on more than one occasion during the evening but each time returned to an ovation which showed the warmth and adulation with which this iconic musician is held.

It might have been the band’s first appearance in East Anglia for more than a decade, but it will live long in the memory.

The Pogues’ world-wide hit Fairytale of New York might not have featured but the band did at least ensure a Fairytale in the forest – even if Roy Hodgson’s England could not manage the same in the rainforest of Manaus a couple of hours

later.

It is confirmed that The Pogues will be Special Guests of the Fuji Rock Festival on July 27. Go book that travel.

DzM wrote:It is confirmed that The Pogues will be Special Guests of the Fuji Rock Festival on July 27...

Glad to hear it's confirmed, otherwise I'd have to send the T-shirt back.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/15437467@N07/14247747089/

You have a treat in store, Japan!

firehazard wrote:

DzM wrote:It is confirmed that The Pogues will be Special Guests of the Fuji Rock Festival on July 27...

Glad to hear it's confirmed, otherwise I'd have to send the T-shirt back.

Well see? That just wouldn't do.

Of course Shane's a Breaking Bad fan.

My redundancy money wont stretch to a couple of tickets to japan so me and the mrs have settled for the dropkicks in the toon in july, life aint too bad after all

I enjoyed the Thetford Forest gig,if tomorrows gig in Bristol is only half as brilliant,then everyone's in for a treat.Throw the excellent Rails in for good measure and we could be looking at THE gig of the Summer!Bring it on.....

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment ... 92038.html
"I didn't intend it to go on for this long [the reunion with the Pogues]. "Anyway, this is the last gig," MacGowan said.

So it's the really last Pogues gig?
And why he said that it's the last, what about "Fête du Bruit dans Landerneau" in France?

I enjoyed seeing The Pogues in Bristol last Friday,i treated my Dad who is a big Pogues fan and he never forgets to mention that he saw The Pogues before i was born!Hope that Shane does not carry out his threat to quit the band,but i wish him and the other guys in The Pogues good luck for the future.

Correction,it was THURSDAY that the Pogues played in Bristol,i drank a lot that night.......!