Portland Roseland Theatre 10/11/2009

[Sam's Cross]

I've seen two Pogues shows now, at the Filmore in San Francisco and the show at the Roseland, both of which I flew to see. The show in San Francisco was the best concert I have ever attended and will be a treasured memory forever. At the Roseland the sound was very poor and Shane was simply a joke, the show would have been better if he simply hadn't come up on stage. But anyone who knows The Pogues knows that this is a chance, that a large proportion of the time Shane is unable to perform his own songs as well as most of the crowd. I knew attempting to enjoy the show by listening to the music was a mistake and simply went into the mosh pit for two hours.
With both shows the crowd were actually better than the band, warm, smiling, fun, considerate, a real credit to humanity. That's what you'll get at a Pogues show, an awesome crowd experience and a coin toss on whether the performance is fantastic or utter shite. You'll be able to tell before the end of the first song which night it will be.

[pdxinsanity]

I was at the show on Sunday and this was my first time seeing the Pogues live. I have been a fan for a long time and it was everything I expected both good and bad. The good outweighed the bad by far and that is enough for me. In fact, although I don't normally actively participate on these forums (I do read them from time to time), there was so much more good that I felt compelled to respond. You can have your own opinion on the quality of the performance, the condition of Mr MacGowan, etc but if you were at the show and you honestly did not enjoy the experience then you are not alive. It was fun, exhilarating, spontaneous, and worth every penny. Peace.

[cat1sun]

I know if I could have afforded the booze from the bar and had stayed in the pit I would have enjoyed the show tremendously, the crowd was really fantastic and you couldn't really hear the music much except to maybe recognise the song from down there anyway. Unfortunately I decided to go into the balcony so I could hear the music better, and really check out the band. Plus the pit was so freaking crowded and exploding with energy, which I loved, but I kept on fearing I was gonna fall and get squished, there were some big guys out there with a lot of weight and piss in them and I didn't have my docs on.

I want the band to be honest though and not just defensive about how much they love Shane, I was watching the band members and I saw many a grimace and aghast look at Shane and a struggle for composure as he stumbled through the songs. They know that this is "how it is", but can they honestly say that they don't wish he was just a titch more sober and could keep his shite together a bit better?

Like I said before the band is amazing, and I recognise that Shane is a some kind of alcoholic cult hero to some, to me he was always just an incredible songwriter and singer and so when he couldn't give me what I wanted I was disappointed.
But I recognise they are giving a lot of people what they want and so all power to them. Me I'll just go back to listening to the recordings and leave the tickets to those that want them.
p.s.
I find the holier than thou attitude and kindly "get sober" advise as putrid to hear as anyone.
I don't believe in God and I don't waste my "words of wisdom" on drunks, cause I know they don't care about my opinion and I can never know what got them to where they are.

[Asthoreen]

Shane doesn't drink whiskey. But don't let the facts get in the way of your sanctimonious crap.

Isn't there a stock review somewhere on Medusa? Was it Fearnley who said something like "the singer was drunk, the band was great, ..."
Help!?

"The band was great, the singer was drunk, and tears were shed for the famine."

[Christoehair]

This was my 8th time seeing The Pogues, my first show being in 2005. Usually Shane has been excellent, sometimes a bit off, but this time was by far the worst condition I have seen him in. But it was still amazing! And if you come through Portland again I will be there. The band was wonderful as usual, and Pogues crowds are always my favorite, full of the most lively, happy, fun-loving people. Even when Shane misses his lines, the crowd sings along. And seeing Shane, Darryl and Spider dancing and singing on stage to Led Zeppelin after the showended was awesome, everyone seemed to be in good spirits and really having fun!

[mats]

And seeing Shane, Darryl and Spider dancing and singing on stage to Led Zeppelin after the showended was awesome, everyone seemed to be in good spirits and really having fun!

..and here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMMfSR_YASU

[martie]

and what about whisky instead of whiskey??

[Cdn Steve]

Highlights from the Portland show:

Watching the Swingin Utters ferocious set from the rail up front. By the last song, the bass player was bleeding all over his instrument, and never missed a beat.
Spider/Shane linking arms and spinning in circles (or was that Seattle?)- with Shane almost throwing James off balance as he tried to recover.
Terry's stage presence amazes me - he's so focused, that it looks like he is lost in his own world. His runs in 'Sayonara' were fucking brilliant, and I'll fight anyone who doubts me
Spider egging the crowd on..."Come ON! How often do you get to see Daryll Hunt?!! in Portland!!" "Not often enough, is the correct answer"
Daryll's little upper octave bass run near the end of.....can't remember... that elicited smiles from the others onstage.
Phil and James' synchronized pirouettes in 'Fiesta'.
Shane hogging the mike, refusing to leave the stage, even after the house lights came up, playing air guitar to 'Good Times, Bad Times"

Wandered out into the street wondering if it would be possible to get to another show on this tour...

[territa]

sublime, Cdn Steve, sublime.

and, Thank You, Alex! for finding that video.

[Alex]

sublime, Cdn Steve, sublime.

and, Thank You, Alex! for finding that video.

that should be mats all credits to him!

[Low D]

I'll have to agree & disagree with some earlier comments.

We missed the pre-show fun at Kells, and arrived after the Utters, having eaten way too much food and needing to walk it off (Jakes Crawfish house, baby!) Shane was simply terrible through the first songs. I mean, if you can't keep up with the tempo on Pair of Brown Eyes, what can you keep up with? Some lines he just mumbled/hummed non-words. Mrs. Me turned to me & said "We're never traveling to see them again." The sound was pretty crap, too (we were up on the balcony, rear). When Spider took the mic for "Tuesday Morning" it was like watching a different band. The sound mix improved around this time (we'd moved to balcony right, also).

But when Shane returned for Kitty, he was on. I mean, that's as slow as the Pogues discography gets, innit? But then he stayed on the train through the whole show. And while i mostly couldn't understand what he was saying between-songs, he was clearly enjoying himself, bantering with the audience, etc. No more mumbles, only a brief confusion part way through Bottle of Smoke - and in fairness i don't think he was the only band member flubbing it there. By the time Rainy Night in Soho came down, i personally felt all the magic (not to mention more in love with Mrs. Me than ever - what is it about that song?!) Beyond the first segment of the show, I thought the sound was good, with really great separation between instruments, though I couldn't hear much banjo and did notice the bass & drums seemed over-loud for the ballads.

The band were as amazing as ever. Maybe more. What a wonderful red velvet suit James was in, and loved all those Cory-Heart knee drops. Watching Philip spin around, and Terry rock out... great to see the baldest members of the band moving around most, having the most fun. And it was amazing to watch you, Mr. C, lean up on that mic, leg bent, in those sweet two-tone winklepickers, and totally own the band & stage. Kind of like the Tuesday Morning performance, it was suddenly like a whole other concert, but without killing the flow 'cause it's really all one band. And that's what I love about this band so much. Yeah, i guess we can't get away from the Shane thing, but it's very much a band, isn't it? And lets face it, there's not many around with this much talent, with various members being able to step up to the mic with the charisma & pipes of a frontman, write a song as good or better as anyone, all on top of being an integral member of the band on their "main" instrument. Setlist heavy on the first two albums, which suits me fine. Except lots of tracks from IISFFG too. And a few from Hell's Ditch. How exactly do you squeeze all those into one show?!

The Roseland was more or less my perfect venue - not too big, with both an open floor & seated balcony. Great to see the range of ages at the show, from quite young up to my parents age (mid-60s). Portland was lovely, I see why city planning geeks love it, between the street cars, bike racks & lanes, public washrooms & drinking fountains, and quiet streets (traffic wise). And while I may never have as much style as you, Philip, the morning of the show I picked up a great pair of two-tone (black & green) brogues with the thick sole at the Doc Marten store downtown. And did anyone else go to Powell's books? Is that heaven made real on earth or what?

The short version: I've seen Shane both better & worse, the rest are better than ever, the crowd was great, and Portland was lovely. Or to put it another way: The band was great, the singer was drunk, tears were shed for the famine.

[Low D]

Highlights from the Portland show:
Spider/Shane linking arms and spinning in circles (or was that Seattle?)- with Shane almost throwing James off balance as he tried to recover.

Nope, that was Portland, 'cause I saw it too.

Terry's stage presence amazes me - he's so focused, that it looks like he is lost in his own world. His runs in 'Sayonara' were fucking brilliant, and I'll fight anyone who doubts me

What a band to have a lead player like Terry, alongside lead players like James & Spider? Three lead players? And how many vocalists, exactly? And four or so in the rhythm section?

When Terry put the mando through some effects & played lead, i was tearfully reminded of my old neighbour, Willie P. Bennett and his work with Fred Eaglesmith. Did you catch that? Very few people seem to play like that.

Daryll's little upper octave bass run near the end of.....can't remember... that elicited smiles from the others onstage.
Phil and James' synchronized pirouettes in 'Fiesta'.

The bass run was also Fiesta. Come on, you know the part, think it...