Boston Herald: Spry tunes, band buttress Pogues singer

[MacRua]

Spry tunes, band buttress Pogues singer
By Sarah Rodman
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
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<blockquote> St. Patrick’s Day may fall on Friday but the Pogues kicked off the celebration in high style last night with a delightful show at the Orpheum.

It’s been a long time since the Anglo-Irish band - reunited in 2001 - has played Boston. The octet wasted no time in repaying the jubilant sold-out audience - including plenty of transplanted Irish folks - for their patience with an exuberant hour-and-45-minute set that ran the gamut of their ’80s and ’90s output.

Leader Shane MacGowan stumbled a bit onstage, blurted out completely unintelligible stage banter and gripped his microphone stand with life-dependent fervor, making plain that his battle with the bottle continues. But when he opened that famously tooth-deprived mouth to sing, his energy and passion for this spiritual music were evident.

MacGowan gained in strength as the night went on beginning with an agreeably crusty “Streams of Whiskey” and moving through the aching waltz “A Pair of Brown Eyes” and the rollicking “Rain Street.” By the time he got to crowd favorites such as “Sunny Side of the Street” and “Dirty Old Town,” he was even taking a stab at a few woozy dance moves.

The singer took several breaks to allow his bandmates a turn at the mike and guitarist Phillip Chevron especially impressed with the anthemic “Thousands Are Sailing.”

MacGowan’s poetic musings were given vibrant life by the band, which nimbly whipped up a Celtic folk-rock storm full of dancing rhythms, swinging accordian lines, sprightly tin whistle and fleetly picked banjo and cittern that kept the crowd on its feet.

Deadline obligations forced a pre-encore departure but a source inside the show said the energy did not wane as the band played “Sally McLennane,” “Irish Rover” and others. The group also performed a lovely version of “Fairytale Of New York” that included a flurry of faux snowflakes and MacGowan waltzing with Jem Finer’s daughter Ella, who subbed on vocals for the late Kirsty MacColl. </blockquote>

[Aineen]

Nice review...

[Quincy Dan]

Here is a reviewer who doesn't take the approach of pretending to know everything. I saw Joe Strummer once and was talking to a reviewer who left about 3/4 of the way through. That didn't stop him from writing his opinions the next day, to include songs he wasn't even present for! You might think you are hip to go on and let people think you know everything about everything, but if you don't, and you get caught, you look like a shmuck. I admire this writer's honesty.
In spite of the obligatory dental reference.

[philipchevron]

Deadline obligations forced a pre-encore departure but a source inside the show said the energy did not wane as the band played “Sally McLennane,” “Irish Rover” and others. The group also performed a lovely version of “Fairytale Of New York” that included a flurry of faux snowflakes and MacGowan waltzing with Jem Finer’s daughter Ella, who subbed on vocals for the late Kirsty MacColl.

And wouldn't you just know this was the night we played "Connemara Let's Go", "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" and "Boat Train" instead. Just kidding

[Simon Maguire]

Deadline obligations forced a pre-encore departure but a source inside the show said the energy did not wane as the band played “Sally McLennane,” “Irish Rover” and others. The group also performed a lovely version of “Fairytale Of New York” that included a flurry of faux snowflakes and MacGowan waltzing with Jem Finer’s daughter Ella, who subbed on vocals for the late Kirsty MacColl.

And wouldn't you just know this was the night we played "Connemara Let's Go", "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" and "Boat Train" instead. Just kidding

Good, cause I would of been furious it the Amercians got to here those songs and the Irish/English fans didn't.

[Mike from Boston]

Deadline obligations forced a pre-encore departure but a source inside the show said the energy did not wane as the band played “Sally McLennane,” “Irish Rover” and others. The group also performed a lovely version of “Fairytale Of New York” that included a flurry of faux snowflakes and MacGowan waltzing with Jem Finer’s daughter Ella, who subbed on vocals for the late Kirsty MacColl.

And wouldn't you just know this was the night we played "Connemara Let's Go", "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" and "Boat Train" instead. Just kidding

Well, he did miss "There's No Business Like Show Business"!! Correct
me if I am wrong, but I believe this is the Pogues second Irving Berlin
cover (White Christmas the other). Is this a new trend?

[CraigBatty]

Trust a woman to write a dacent bloody review. Nice one Sarah Rodman. More power to yer pen!