The Times

[Kilkenny Cat]

The Times have reviewed Brixton in today spaper

URL is http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 90,00.html

Text copied -

Pop: The Pogues
Lisa Verrico at Brixton Academy, SW9



Like a lot of re-formed Eighties acts, the Pogues always hit the road around Christmas, when fans are up for a sozzled singalong, and a set of old songs sounds nostalgic, rather than passé. It’s a cash-in, of course, but even after four years with no sign of a new album the Pogues can put up a couple of tinsel-draped trees and sprinkle the stage with fake snow and still steer clear of seasonal cheese.
It probably helps that in their heyday the Pogues were neither a big chart band nor part of a fashionable scene. On the first date of a three-night stint in South London, they sounded surprisingly fresh and feisty. It helped that Shane MacGowan, the group’s talismanic frontman, stumbled on in his usual state of disarray. Had he strode on straight, the spell that keeps his cult status intact would have been instantly broken.



That said, the set opener Streams of Whiskey was not only tightly played by the seven-strong band, it was tightly sung too, with MacGowan coming in right on cue and imbuing the song with an energy that had the crowd clapping, dancing and singing along from the start. If I Fall From Grace had almost audible lyrics and Turkish Song of the Damned even had the singer howling in tune. Then came a moment of panic. Having slumped on to a green Irish flag draped in front of the drums, MacGowan got up, wandered off stage and, two minutes later, had failed to return. A surprised Spider Stacey put down his tin whistle and tried telling jokes and when that fell flat, Terry Jones took over on vocals.

MacGowan returned, pint in hand, for a great Rain Street, but looked lost during White City, hitting his mike stand with one hand and trying — and failing — to catch it with the other. He did a bad robotic dance, then was off again, leaving Stacey to sing Tuesday Morning.

Bizarrely, though, the gig only got better. A MacGowan-fronted Sally MacLennane was superb and Dirty Old Town inspired a singalong. During the first encore the crowd grew crazier, reaching a peak of arm-waving and hugging for an awesome Irish Rover. MacGowan promised that that was it, but of course he was back for Fairytale of New York. He was joined on vocals by Ella Finer, daughter of the band’s banjo player, and as they waltzed through snow drifting from the ceiling, it was hard to imagine a better Christmas gig.

[firehazard]

The Times have reviewed Brixton in today spaper

URL is http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 90,00.html

... Terry Jones took over on vocals...

Now that must have been interesting...

[philipchevron]

Lisa Verucca brings a new dimension to stupidity.

[fatbloke]

Terry Jones took over on vocals.



Fucking hell are the Pogues now employing ex Pythons as guest vocalists???

[Heather]

Terry Jones took over on vocals.



Fucking hell are the Pogues now employing ex Pythons as guest vocalists???

That's what I was thinking!!!

[DaveG]

Can't believe nasty Shane made Spider sing Tuesday Morning?! How did he cope? And as for that "Terry Jones" I just hope the poor sod didn't have to sing Young Ned of The Hill. Surely that song can't work without Shane? What's going on?!

[firehazard]

Looking forward to the Pogues' cover of "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life".

[DzM]

No mention of when Philip had to cover for Shane and sing "Thousands are Sailing."

[St.Peter]

Im sending Graham Chapman down to sing the Old Main Drag tonight.

[trashcity]

Had he strode on straight, the spell that keeps his cult status intact would have been instantly broken.

I hate this shit. Far as i'm concerned this "spell" was cast when Shane helped form one of the best bands i've had the privilege to hear, and wrote songs that people will still be singing years from now. I appreciate that Shanes drinking is maybe a part of those songs, but this is the kind of shitty journalism that perpetuates this bullshit idea that its somehow essential for Rock 'n' Roll musicians to be wasted. No doubt written by some c**t who left the gig early to be up early for the gym the next morning.

[philipchevron]

No, Trash.........too drunk to go to the gym the next day, I assure you.

[dawson]

hey philip
I reckon the reviewers the papers send are usually used to reviewing shite like oasis coldplay duran duran duran franz ferdinand and all of that other indie pop music. So they already have the arrogant stuck up attitude that listening to them bands brings on towards other music.
Maybe its just the british press being negative cunts like they always are.
Wait till you go to the states then you will get some shit hot reviews i reckon. The american press is kinder than the miserable cunts we get here.

[philipchevron]

hey philip
I reckon the reviewers the papers send are usually used to reviewing shite like oasis coldplay duran duran duran franz ferdinand and all of that other indie pop music. So they already have the arrogant stuck up attitude that listening to them bands brings on towards other music.
Maybe its just the british press being negative cunts like they always are.
Wait till you go to the states then you will get some shit hot reviews i reckon. The american press is kinder than the miserable cunts we get here.

In the end, what does it matter though? It must be frustrating to know that your review lacks any power of influence, as the band sold out the show months ago. In these circumstances, journos then revert to the default position of Tom Wolfe or Hunter S Thompson manques. OR they critique the audience, and as anyone who reads these forums knows, they are well wide of the mark there too.

I actually have a lot of time for real critics - Shaw, Orwell, Joyce, Beckett and countless others all did honorable work in their time - but most of the present Pogues stuff is just hackery, reworking tired old stereptypes. What's funny is how they almost invariably end with how much fun the show was but how grudgingly they GET to that final paragraph!

Plus, as I've mentioned before, they're all drunk. All the time.

[Paddy Rolling Clone]

Shite.

[dawsonn]

yeah it doesnt matter i was just having a rant