-Bolton News: Two Manchester reviews

[Guest]

Live Review: The Pogues & The Stranglers - MEN Arena

Saturday 13th December 2008
Martin Hutchinson
The Bolton News

Full URL

After a superb set by The Stranglers, I was in a great mood, and so was everyone else at the crowded MEN Arena.

The whole auditorium was ready for a great show by The Pogues.

The crowd erupted when they took the stage and launched into their set, but that’s when things went wrong for me.

Let’s look on the good side; the music was infectiously catchy. You couldn’t help but tap your feet or clap your hands.

It was lively too, and the throng on the floor of the Arena were definitely up for a good time.

What spoiled it was when this shambling wreck of a man started making strange unintelligible noises into the microphone.

The thing was, he wasn’t a roadie, he was apparently Shane McGowan – the lead singer. Although whether you could call him a singer is open to doubt.

He was tuneless and you couldn’t tell what he was saying even when he was talking between songs.

He gave the impression that he was under the influence of certain liquids. I’m obviously NOT saying that for certain, but he certainly gave the impression.

If he was sober, then he does so good an imitation then he is in the wrong job.

The show improved immeasurably when he went off, but sadly he kept coming back.

His dishevelled demeanour meant that he looked like an old man, and half the time he seemed to be unaware of what was going on and was hanging onto the microphone in case he fell over.

Jet Black of The Stranglers looked far better, and he’s 70!

But to be honest, I must have missed something, for even though many headed for the exits early (in some cases after only half an hour), most of the crowd enjoyed every minute of the show and were dancing around having a whale of a time.

By the time they come round again, I hope that someone will have told me what it is about McGowan that the fans love. Is it all an act? Or do they love him for the wreck he appears to be?

Pogues fans – please forgive me, for I just didn’t get it.


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© Copyright 2001-2008 Newsquest Media Group

[Clash Cadillac]

Pogues fans – please forgive me, for I just didn’t get it.

Obviously

[davesummy]

I have to completley agree. I saw them in 2005, and compared to Saturday night, Shane was a completley different person. The Stranglers were the only reason my night wasn't completley ruined. He was absolutley appauling. I spent an hour and a half of boredom sat on my arse in front of the barrier expecting as good of a show as they put on in '05, but was majorly dissapointed. Hopefully the rest of the band will sort him out, and only then would I consider paying tow atch them again /RANT

[Fr. McGreer]

Pogues fans – please forgive me, for I just didn’t get it.

Obviously

We should accept that Shane is unpredictable. If (like a lot of us here) I see 3 or 4 gigs a year, then 1 poor show might be part of the package. But when a journalist who obviously wants to enjoy the gig sees Shane at his worst then that's them put off for life.

I brought a friend once to the Olympia in Dublin to The Popes. Shane was wasted, it was the worst gig ever. My friend never bothered going to another gig and thinks i'm crazy going to see "that pile of shite". That's his view Shane's live performances. First impressions count.....

[Clash Cadillac]

Pogues fans – please forgive me, for I just didn’t get it.

Obviously

We should accept that Shane is unpredictable. If (like a lot of us here) I see 3 or 4 gigs a year, then 1 poor show might be part of the package. But when a journalist who obviously wants to enjoy the gig sees Shane at his worst then that's them put off for life.

I brought a friend once to the Olympia in Dublin to The Popes. Shane was wasted, it was the worst gig ever. My friend never bothered going to another gig and thinks i'm crazy going to see "that pile of shite". That's his view Shane's live performances. First impressions count.....

Good point. Guess I've been lucky as I have never been disappointed during the 9 shows I've been lucky enough to see.

[Zuzana]

In Bolton News, they obviously can't decide whether the gig was a disaster or a fairytale...

A Fairytale in Manchester

Sunday 14th December 2008
Andrew Mosley
Bolton News

Full URL

The Pogues live at the MEN Arena, Manchester

YOU could be forgiven for thinking this is an exercise in making easy money for The Pogues — reuniting every December to play a tour of greatest hits, mostly written more than 20 years ago.

In many ways you would be right, but you would also be guilty of being among the most miserable of cynics.

It is surely beyond irony that frontman Shane MacGowan, responsible for penning the greatest Christmas song ever in A Fairytale Of New York, was born on Christmas Day, the gateway to a prolonged period of excess.

Well, following an entertaining 'best of' set from veteran punks The Stranglers, Shane surprises everyone by turning up on time, almost, in his terms anyway, bounding on to the stage and ripping through the likes of If I Should Fall From Grace With God, Turkish Song of the Damned and The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn , as well as remembering virtually all the words to the more tender ballads such as The Broad Majestic Shannon and A Rainy Night in Soho.

The Pogues are very rarely given credit for being the highly skilled group of musicians they are, with tin whistler and second vocalist Spider Stacey, guitarist Philip Chevron and energetic accordion player James Fearnley especially worthy of mention.

The atmosphere is great, everyone knows the words and sings along, with Ewan MacColl's Dirty Old Town, complete with Shane sounding his most tuneful in 20 years, almost bringing the house down.

Old and rarely played songs such as Poor Paddy and Kitty, both from debut album Red Roses For Me, are thrown in to prove that the band really does work at this and, as always, they finish with Fairytale and Fiesta, with Shane finally forgetting some words and, appropriately enough, falling over into the drum kit. It wouldn't be Christmas without him.

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© Copyright 2001-2008 Newsquest Media Group

[moose]

Pogues fans – please forgive me, for I just didn’t get it.

Obviously

We should accept that Shane is unpredictable. If (like a lot of us here) I see 3 or 4 gigs a year, then 1 poor show might be part of the package. But when a journalist who obviously wants to enjoy the gig sees Shane at his worst then that's them put off for life.

I brought a friend once to the Olympia in Dublin to The Popes. Shane was wasted, it was the worst gig ever. My friend never bothered going to another gig and thinks i'm crazy going to see "that pile of shite". That's his view Shane's live performances. First impressions count.....

Very true. Medusans always see the good and when it is bad they accept it as "bad luck" because they chose the wrong "night/gig" etc. For some one who has never seen the band, to witness the M.E.N show (from what others have said) would have put them off for ever.
The second article is very good and it does show things from a different perspective.
My review will be printed tomorrow after tonights show at Birmingham.......

[RICHB]

Just dont think it was that bad. It was a good gig until the encor. I dont remember any other fuck ups early on at all. Streams, kitty etc etc where all spot on

[firehazard]

The second article is very good and it does show things from a different perspective.

Though the writer does appear to think that Mr C was there...

[djwilll]

Got to agree with everything the reviewer from the Bolton News has said. I've been to the gigs, bought all the cds, hid the "Happy Christmas ya arse" mug when the mother in law came round, so I really want to be positive. However, the show was a complete shambles. Shane seems to think the fans are so stupid that he can serve up a pile of sh$te every Christmas to top up his bank balance and we'll just keep on paying. The MEN gig was a shocker and loads of people had left before the end of the gig. I only stayed for 'old time's sake'. Let's be honest, if there was a restaurant that we liked, where the food was previously excellent, would be continue to keep going if it went downhill, just because the chef was ' a bit of a character' or 'the spirit of the place'? I'm not saying anyone else in the band could replace him as a frontman, but I honestly think they would be better off (and deserve it as fantastic musicians) without him. To be frank, Shane can't sing for a toffee and doesn't care about the fans by turning up wrecked. Time to face the facts and stop making excuses.

[moose]

Got to agree with everything the reviewer from the Bolton News has said. I've been to the gigs, bought all the cds, hid the "Happy Christmas ya arse" mug when the mother in law came round, so I really want to be positive. However, the show was a complete shambles. Shane seems to think the fans are so stupid that he can serve up a pile of sh$te every Christmas to top up his bank balance and we'll just keep on paying. The MEN gig was a shocker and loads of people had left before the end of the gig. I only stayed for 'old time's sake'. Let's be honest, if there was a restaurant that we liked, where the food was previously excellent, would be continue to keep going if it went downhill, just because the chef was ' a bit of a character' or 'the spirit of the place'? I'm not saying anyone else in the band could replace him as a frontman, but I honestly think they would be better off (and deserve it as fantastic musicians) without him. To be frank, Shane can't sing for a toffee and doesn't care about the fans by turning up wrecked. Time to face the facts and stop making excuses.

You pay your money.........etc etc, Obviously Manchester was a bad day at the office, Birmingham last night was exceptional, no Pogues tinted glasses, this was the best Pogues gig i have witnessed since the reunion and maybe Shane had been given a kick up the arse after Manchester, but he was superb throughout the whole show.

[moose]

The second article is very good and it does show things from a different perspective.

Though the writer does appear to think that Mr C was there...

Missed that bit

[djwil]

Ok you pay your money, but it shouldn't be too much to ask that the singer is sober and knows the words

[moose]

Ok you pay your money, but it shouldn't be too much to ask that the singer is sober and knows the words

Can't argue with that, but remember that the common denominator in this conundrum is Shane Macgowan. Like i said, you pay your money and you hope that the gig meets all expectations or you keep your money and listen to CD's. We all have choices, but be clear about one thing, it is very very unlikely that Shane will change his ways.

[neillfc]

I have been going to see the pogues on and off for over 20 years , theyre one of my very favourite groups but as lots of these reviews have said , the MEN gig was awful. Shane is a total legend , but im afraid it lacks respect for the fans when expensive tickets are bought and he cant not get totally wrecked before the concert. We expect him to be drunk of course but he was way past that. I once met the band in Liverpool minutes before the gig in a bar near the theatre and they were real top class guys . so I know their heart is in the right place! I walked out before the end which ive never done ever so i suppose it says it all! Will be there again next year hoping for improvement anyway! Merry Xmas to all!