The Medusa Fora

This brilliant Pogues cover band from Portland will be playing at Nuemos in Seattle Dec. 13th.

And Doug Fir in Portland on the 15th.

Here's a link to their myspace page

http://www.myspace.com/kmriaband

The band, apparently, has James's blessing and is composed of a number of big names from the Portland rock and folk scenes. I'll be there at the Doug Fir.

I saw their show last paddy's day in Portland. One of the best Pogues tribute bands out there.

I'll be there for sure... Keep an eye out for all the guys in the PDX kilts!

KMRIA Press release below. Seattle show has been changed and is now DEC 12th.

KMRIA:
A Pogues Tribute Band featuring an all star cast of Portland musicians featuring members of the Decemberists, Eels, Amelia, Casey Neill & the Norway Rats, and Minus 5

"I heartily subscribe to this effort. Why, I even gave Funk and Conlee directions how to play the impossibly arcane middle section of Bottle of Smoke, which neither Jem (who wrote the damn middle section) nor Terry Woods (who never plays the same thing twice) can actually get through without extemporizing. Neither can I, truth be told. But at least I know how it's supposed to go."
JAMES FEARNLEY of the POGUES

A FAIRYTALE OF PORTLAND...

Dec 12th - SEATTLE, WA Neumo's
8pm $8 http://www.thecrocodile.com 2200 2nd Ave. http://www.neumos.com

Dec 15th- PORTLAND, OR Doug Fir Lounge
8pm $10 http://www.dougfirlounge.com 830 E Burnside
with special guest opening set by HANZ ARAKI

KMRIA is:
Jennie Conlee (Decemberists) on accordion, piano, and vocals
Chris Funk (Decemberists) on banjo, octave mandolin, and mandolin
Jesse Emerson (Amelia, ex-Decemberists) on bass
Derek Brown (Fernando, Eels) on drums
Hanz Araki (Whyos, An Tua) on flutes, whistles, and vocals
Casey Neill on lead vocals and guitar (Daemon Recording Artist)
Ezra Holbrook (ex-Decemberists, Dr Theopolis) on lead vocals and guitar
Scott McCaughey (Minus 5, Robyn Hitchcock, R.E.M) on lead vocals and guitar

KMRIA will be performing faithful renditions of the Pogues' mix of traditional Irish music and punk rock. Drawing from the records Red Roses For Me, Rum Sodomy and the Lash, Poguetry in Motion, If I Should Fall From Grace With God, Peace and Love, and Hell's Ditch, many of the most beloved songs in their repertoire will be covered. The show features as much grit, bluster, and drunken glory as can be mustered without sacrificing the intricacies of the material. The name KMRIA is an acronym for "Kiss my Royal Irish Ass" excerpted from James Joyce's Ulysses and used in the Pogues song "Transmetropolitan".

For more detailed information about the music, venues, or band members please visit the following websites:
http://www.pogues.com
http://www.caseyneill.org
http://www.decemberists.com
http://www.ameliaband.com
http://www.antua.com

I'll make every effort to make it to the PDX show. Thank you for the heads up!

DATE CHANGE!
Seattle KMRIA show has been moved to Dec 12th at Neumo's.
Thats the scoop. Casey

Thanks Casey, we'll be there.....Anyone know anything about the supporting band, "The Girls". You can't really google that one!

KMRIA this week! And theres a myspace site

http://www.myspace.com/kmriaband

Just back from KMRIA in Seattle, 12-12-06...

Bought my first Pogues record 22 years ago in Seattle at the 42nd Street Cellophane Square, so it was quite a kick to see former employee Scott McCaughey joining the KMRIA crew tonight. The band played a very spirited 140-minute set which really set the mood for my holiday season.

Having seen the Pogues with various lineups in the '80s, and again this past spring in NYC, I can say with some authority that KMRIA really do the group justice. My only quibble is that at times they are a bit too polite with the material. COME ON YOU BASTARDS... clobber those drums, get the accordian airborne and run like the Bottle Of Smoke! You are great musicians playing with obvious love, so remember, there's absolutely no way you can hurt these songs. They are indestructible. Go for broke and you can't go wrong.

Special praise goes to Jennie on accordian and Hanz on winds for carrying all the melodies so brilliantly. My cheeks are sore from whistling along.

And double thanks for playing "Thousands Are Sailing," which brought tears to my eyes just like when I've seen Mr. Chevron sing it.

See you next March (I hope) !!

- mister fusspot

Great review. I can't wait for Friday.

Alright - tonights the night, don't forget now.

I had a great time last night and I think most people in the audience did as well. I was pleasantly surprised to hear some tunes from "off the beaten path," as it were. They opened with Wake of the Medusa and threw in I'm a Man, Auld Triangle, and London Girl too. I thought the band had great energy and played the songs quite proficiently. Colin Meloy, the lead singer of the Decemberists, made a guest appearance and sang Navigator. They did some interesting "medley making" with a number of songs, that is, going into a song without pausing - a one point going from I'm a Man --> Auld Triangle --> Waltzing Matilda and then something else. Fairytale was superb as was IISFFGWG.

All in all, a great gig. See you in March

I'm pretty sure I saw Neil, a tall guy wearing a forum shirt, pumping his fist above the crowd when they played Repeal.

That was me, representing with my Medusa t-shirt. Saw runbmg and introduced myself. He said "How did you know it was me?" I drew a sqaure around his head and he laughed. He looks just like his avatar and was wearing a kilt, just as he said.

Great show. The band was having as much or more fun than the audience. As nate said, it was great to hear some deep tracks performed live. The six piece horn section for Fiesta was great fun, as was the portable I-book looking xylophone for Soho along with the "f-ing trumpet". And they also have their own snow machine. If anyone from KMRIA is lurking here, thanks and please keep it up!

If the Pogues don't surprise us all with another stateside tour in March, I will be attending KMRIA's party.

neilinseattle wrote:That was me, representing with my Medusa t-shirt. Saw runbmg and introduced myself. He said "How did you know it was me?" I drew a sqaure around his head and he laughed. He looks just like his avatar and was wearing a kilt, just as he said.

HA!


Great show, for about a song or two, I thought it really was The Pogues!
Then, right in the middle of the gig, some feller taps me on the shoulder... It took me a second to put two and two together... Nice work Neil!

Casey Neill (lead singer/guitar) is playing again Jan 5th!