The Pogues @ Showbox, Seattle - 17&18 Oct 2007

[Clash Cadillac]

Streams of Whiskey
If I Should Fall from Grace with God
The Broad Majestic Shannon
Turkish Song of the Damned
Young Ned of the Hill
A Pair of Brown Eyes
Boys from the County Hell
Tuesday Morning
Kitty
Sayonara
Repeal of the Licensing Laws
Sunnyside of the Street
The Body Of An American
Lullaby Of London
Greenland Whale Fisheries
Dirty Old Town
Bottle of Smoke
Sickbed of Cuchulainn
Sally MacLennane
Rainy Night In Soho
Irish Rover
Star of the County Down
Poor Paddy
Fiesta

Well then, the same set list as Chicago minus White City (bummer as I love Shane's little dance to that number), 1000's (replaced by Greenland Whale Fisheries) and The Auld Triangle.

Philip, I guess you won't have to wrestle 1000's back from Shane after all. I trust you are issuing "rain checks" to all in attendance.

Last 4 shows I saw featured 26 songs, the set is now down to 24 songs if the stated set list was correct.

[philipchevron]

Streams of Whiskey
If I Should Fall from Grace with God
The Broad Majestic Shannon
Turkish Song of the Damned
Young Ned of the Hill
A Pair of Brown Eyes
Boys from the County Hell
Tuesday Morning
Kitty
Sayonara
Repeal of the Licensing Laws
Sunnyside of the Street
The Body Of An American
Lullaby Of London
Greenland Whale Fisheries
Dirty Old Town
Bottle of Smoke
Sickbed of Cuchulainn
Sally MacLennane
Rainy Night In Soho
Irish Rover
Star of the County Down
Poor Paddy
Fiesta

Well then, the same set list as Chicago minus White City (bummer as I love Shane's little dance to that number), 1000's (replaced by Greenland Whale Fisheries) and The Auld Triangle.

Philip, I guess you won't have to wrestle 1000's back from Shane after all. I trust you are issuing "rain checks" to all in attendance.

Last 4 shows I saw featured 26 songs, the set is now down to 24 songs if the stated set list was correct.

Give them time, it was their first show.

[Zuzana]

The first photo from the Seattle show (thanks to dan10things).
And more reviews and fans' impressions can be found at Rockin' Boppin' Lunatic page.

[neudl]

I've been seeing the Pogues and/or Shane since the 80s and they were in the best form I have ever seen them last night. Amazing show.

[KathleenwithaK]

Neil? Kathleen? Cdn Steve? Hello?

OK, OK...just getting to a computer now (sorry). Needless to say, it was an AMAZING night! Thanks to Neil for suggesting the pre-show meet at Owl N Thistle, great place but I had to insist they take effing Amy Whinehouse off the music player and put some Pogues on for us to hoot and holler along with! Then.... on to the Great show! WEW opening was humble yet intense. It is very sweet the way he pays homage to the World's Best Band. I think someone finally posted the correct set list. YES! KITTY! Sadly no "Thousands" but ya know it just wouldn't have been right. Shane in the top hat, precious... and James, I actually thought the suits WERE red, haha (and I was right on the rail...well up until Body of an American when the squishing almost cost me a fractured rib). Any missteps did not detract from anything. I did feel somewhat sorry for the subbing guitarist, he looked nervous (very talented though). But considering how much time I usually stare at Philip and his amazing showmanship during shows, it gave me an opportunity to focus on other things happening on the stage. There were a few funny times when Shane was not sure if he was to be on stage (imagine that). James was ace. They all were.

So the next day, while I am at the Seattle Art Museum I get a text message from CdnSteve! He's just met Terry at a music store. Can't wait to hear more of his story there. Damn! Why didn't I go with him? The Seattle Art Museum is always going to be there, the Pogues are not (sigh).

All in all, wonderful. Waiting patiently now in San Diego. Anyone else coming here?

[JamesFearnley]

No FTONY either. Ella not able to make the trip?

Ella's got stuff on at art school and couldn't accompany.

With all the lights turning our clothing to red (and Darryl's hair a sort of, coming apt, halloween pumpkin colour) I happened to look down at what Shane was drinking (there had been a table that went away, replaced by a milk crate behind the monitors) and it looked like a gin and tonic with a slice of potato in it.

Hot again, with the low ceiling and consequently the lights. The crowd seemed a tad more excitable than the night before, but the same guy slap bang in the middle holding up a scarf that had 'NO PITY' embroidered on it, and it was pitilessly that he held it up.

Foul tuning on the banjo in one of the songs, I can't remember and all Jem and I can do is shrug at one another and get on with it and hope that Terry doesn't spend too much time and effort retuning his cittern to compensate. Talking of which, Star of the County Down wrong-footed Terry who was pedalling in A, waiting for Jem to come back from his station with a sodding guitar pick and the drums going, and of course, Star of the County Down's in D. Made for a tortuous aural readjustment when it started up.

I watched Shane bash his head with a beer tray. He screws his face up all Wilfred Brambell.

See you later.

[Guest]

Fantastic! We drove down from Vancouver for it. So who's the young guitarist stand in??? He did very well.
Tony

[Zuzana]

So who's the young guitarist stand in??? He did very well.

James Walbourne. You can check him out at Myspace.

[pigdog]

I was at the show in Seattle last night. It was incredible. 2 hours+. The encore was half an hour. Shane has never been better. For the last song, Shane and Spider found a couple of baking pans, I guess there were no beer trays to be had, and proceeded to pound themselves silly doing the old head percussion. This was about the 8th time I've seen them over the past 17 years, and I've never seen them have so much fun. What a night.

[Jiff]

Thanks for the reports and photo.

First time to see them and what a blast. I guess they're kind of punkish in the rhythms and fast pacing of their jigs and reels, but I was surprised at the moshing and preponderance of black leathered punker types in the capacity crowd, about 1,800. Well, I guess the whistle player smashing a beer tray against his forehead is punkish too. But I don't really equate bazoukis, mandolins, acoustic guitars, whistles, accordions, citterns and banjos with punk. With so many players, I wonder why no violin. We did venture up to the edge of the mosh for the last few songs. Smelly, but by then it had simmered a little, atleast they weren't surfing or holding up guys upside down.

We got a medium drunk MacGowan? He seemed pretty much with-it to me. I wish there was lighting on him. There was on everyone else. He sure has a powerful voice, especially evident from his whoops between songs. Too bad, like Dylan sometimes, it was hard to make out his interesting lyrics. Might say his delivery is somewhere between Tom Waits and Johny Rotten.

I couldn't help think of Kirsty MacColl, one of my favorite female singer-writers, and that we''ll never hear her sing with them again.

The Pogues' two night stand at ShowDo sure raked in some dough, partly because unlike other venues of its size in Seattle, you can drink $5 22 ounce Pabsts and whatever else while watching the show. Let's see, 2 shows x 1,800 people x $62 ($50 + $12 for TM) , + drink revenue. I like the name of the bar across the street, Hooterville, as Sodo was Hooterville during the Depression.

Seattle Music & More Message Board:
http://p210.ezboard.com/fmtheadsfrm1

[I Hate Usernames]

*keeping fingers crossed until blood circulation is cut off that Thousands makes it into the Wiltern sets*

[Eric V]

Neil? Kathleen? Cdn Steve? Hello?

OK, OK...just getting to a computer now (sorry).

Thanks so much for that Kathleen! Aside from our accordion slinging friend's always entertaining writings, with unique insights, yours has been the most enjoyable read thus far on the tour.

I wonder what the No Pitty guy was meaning to relate?

[Sportin' Life]

I went to the Wednesday show and it was absolutely as brilliant as everyone described. Quite possibly the best music I have ever heard.

Oh and if anyone was actually interested, as was the plan I became engaged during Rainy Night in Soho. I'm not one given to being overly sentimental, but that was as of yet probably one of the best moments of my life. I suppose you band members that read this forum know that you make real meaningful positive moments that touch the very souls of your audience....but there it is reiterated and explicit.

Mere ticket prices and applause is not enough for people who give so much to life.

[philipchevron]

I went to the Wednesday show and it was absolutely as brilliant as everyone described. Quite possibly the best music I have ever heard.

Oh and if anyone was actually interested, as was the plan I became engaged during Rainy Night in Soho. I'm not one given to being overly sentimental, but that was as of yet probably one of the best moments of my life. I suppose you band members that read this forum know that you make real meaningful positive moments that touch the very souls of your audience....but there it is reiterated and explicit.

Mere ticket prices and applause is not enough for people who give so much to life.

Congratulations!

And thanks!

[cutters]

Shane sounds pretty, oh so pretty, oh so pretty, and witty, and gay! It’s been nearly 20 years since I first saw the Pogues, and Shane’s voice sounds better than I’ve ever heard it live. Songs like Kitty, Dirty Old Town, and Lullaby of London didn’t just make us cry because they were so beautiful on their own, but because of the voice that sang them. Five and 10 years ago those songs didn’t sound quite so pretty as they slurred forth, but the gravely warmth of the voice that raps around you like a flannel tartan is back. Spider introduced a storm-inspired Turkish Song of the “Damp”, and a tear came to my eye when I turned to see a 5 year-old head-banging atop her father’s shoulders (however, note to parents, if your 2-month old’s neck isn’t strong enough to hold up his head, he might want to sit out Poor Paddy). Watching the Pogues interact on stage still feels like stepping into the Brothers Karamazov, and you’re never sure whether they’re going to kiss or kill each other. Shane christened TW’s Young Ned of the Hill “raunchy electric folk rock,” while Spider spent the first half of the night trying to pick a fight with everyone, including opener William Elliot Whitmore, to whom he dedicated the sentiments of Boys from the County Hell. But once Spider unleashed his furious whistle on a rollicking Battle of Brisbane, and conspicuously adjusted his package for the crowd, he seemed ready for love. Jem the pickin’ machine and the Maestro dueled in double time all night long, Andrew bemoaned the price of Seattle women before tearing into the infectious thump of the Star of the County Down, and Shane and Spider closed out the Fiesta with a combined 73 pan-smashings to the forehead. The lads (we miss you Philip) seemed genuinely happy to be playing the songs that our sons’ daughters’ sons will be singing in 100 years, and to be able to hear them on top of their game, if this be the last time (pray not), is something I’ll never forget.