The Pogues, Carling Academy, Glasgow
The Herald
LOUISA McEWAN
December 15 2005
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<blockquote>IN advance of the re-release of Fairytale of New York and the broadcast of a BBC3 documentary of the same name, the original Pogues (minus bassist Cait O'Riordan) line up has reformed again. The hellraisers were one of the greatest bands of the 1980s, but hovered on the brink of collapse at the beginning of the 1990s as front-man Shane MacGowan departed.
Following an exhausting hoolie by support act the Dropkick Murphys, the Irish songsters emerged on-stage, cigarettes and alcohol in hands. McGowan appeared a tad subdued behind his darkened glasses, raised two fingers to the crowd and warbled something incomprehensible; the predominantly male, middle-aged and balding crowd was over-joyed.
That ecstatic atmosphere never faltered as the band revived such bittersweet favourites as If I Should Fall From Grace with God and A Pair of Brown Eyes as well as the more rousing A Rainy Night in Soho and Dirty Old Town. MacGowan's singing was patchy, at best, his mumbled voice revealing what years of dedicated alcohol abuse can do – but his ever reliable band was always there to come to the rescue. Philip Chevron, James Fearnley and Terry Woods delivered outstanding performances, vocally and instrumentally, deftly taking the lead when required. For the crowd though, MacGowan and The Pogues will forever remain the epitome of legendary rebels.</blockquote>
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