Unrepentant MacGowan lights Pogues' punk aura

[Zuzana]

Unrepentant MacGowan lights Pogues' punk aura
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
BY JAY LUSTIG
The Star-Ledger

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Older but not necessarily wiser, Shane MacGowan is fronting the Pogues on a U.S. tour for the first time since 1989.

A notorious alcoholic, MacGowan was kicked out of the London- based band in 1991. Though the Pogues -- whose'80's fusion of traditional Irish music and punk helped clear the way for modern Irish-punk groups such as Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys -- continued without him, the music was never as magical. MacGowan, after all, was the band's lead vocalist, main songwriter, and most recognizable (and charismatic) member.

Starting in 2001, though, he has rejoined them for some sporadic reunion shows in Europe. The reconstituted band is now in the middle of a nine-show, sold-out tour of the East Coast. They played at the Event Center of the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City on Friday, and kick off four consecutive nights (including a sure-to-be- wild St. Patrick's Day gig) at New York's Nokia Theatre on Thursday.

MacGowan, 48, may be back, but he's not sober. By the end of Friday's show he was guzzling booze, and balancing a bottle on his head (impressively, he didn't spill a drop). Throughout the show, he often slurred his words.

But even though his singing lacked clarity, it was loaded with personality. MacGowan consistently projected pride and pugnacity -- like any good punk, he's got a huge chip on his shoulder -- and his lyrics often told richly poetic stories, or had a rascally charm.

"I am going, I am going any which way the wind may be blowing/I am going, I am going where streams of whiskey are flowing," he sang in "Streams of Whiskey."

"Some people they are scared to croak, but Jimmy drank until he choked/And he took the road for heaven in the morning," he sang in "Sally MacLennane."

The current Pogues lineup features eight musicians; they're not all original members, but they all were in the group during its '80s heyday. Throughout the show, their playing was as crisp as MacGowan's singing was loose, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

Occasionally, MacGowan left the stage and one of them would take over on lead vocals. Drummer Andrew Ranken left his kit to sing the traditional "Star of the County Down." "Thousands Are Sailing," sung by guitarist Phil Chevron, was a rousing anthem, while "Tuesday Morning," sung by tin whistler Spider Stacy, was catchy, streamlined pop.

Ella Finer, daughter of Pogues banjoist Jem Finer, duetted with MacGowan on one of the show's encores, "Fairytale of New York." MacGowan had been unusually warm and tender on the song's first verse ("I can see a better time, when all our dreams come true"), and as fake snow fell, he and Ella Finer danced slowly, arm and arm. It seemed like he was able, for a moment, to escape the demons that are obviously still haunting him.

Like most of the songs performed Friday, "Fairytale of New York" dates back to MacGowan's first stint with the band. The Pogues don't seem interested in adding new material at this point.

If the band is to have a future, of course, it will have to add to its repertoire. The Pogues are still, in many ways, a punk band, and punk bands don't live in the past. But for now, the band's unlikely resurrection is enjoyable enough on its own terms to make that question irrelevant.

The Pogues perform at the Nokia Theatre, Broadway and 44th Street, New York, at 8 p.m. Thursday to Sunday. Opening acts are the Slackers (Thursday and Saturday), William Elliott Whitmore (Thursday to Saturday), the Walkmen (Friday), the Towers of London (Sunday) and Seanchai & the Unity Squad (Sunday). All shows are sold out. Call (212) 930-1950 or visit http://www.nokiatheatre nyc.com.

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© 2006 The Star Ledger

[CraigBatty]

.....to escape the demons that are obviously still haunting him.

OooooOOOOoooooOOOoooooooooOOOOO......
Yeah, like clichés.... did YOU know that van Gogh mutilated his own ear? Wow! Yeah, and Jim Morrison was a bit self-destuctive too. Really? I hadn't thought of itthat waybutnowthatyoumentionitmyheadfeelslikeit'sgOINGTOEXPLODE!

Thanks, Zuzana....

[Christine]

loaded with personality. MacGowan consistently projected pride and pugnacity

Pretentious, this person's peen to puffy-pen primary?
Apart from that, I think he's probably right, pride and pugnacity come across when you see him on stage, but that's only such a small part of the experience, how can the reviewer reduce it to that!

like any good punk, he's got a huge chip on his shoulder

How would he know?

[Niall]

good story, cheers zuzana

[Heather]

Where do you find them Zuzana?

[Zuzana]

Fishing in the mighty ocean internet.

[Irish Rover]

Fishing in the mighty ocean internet.

You must have some good bait then

[Zuzana]

Aha, a can of worms.

[CraigBatty]

Aha, a can of worms.

Zuzana's Can - is that anything like Pandora's Box?

Ah, the depths this old salmon'll swim fer a gag.....