After seeing the Pogues on their Christmas tours for several years on the bounce, last night in Newcastle was always going to be different.
No Shane McGowan.
40 years after ‘Rum, Sodomy and the Lash’, Spider Stacey had gathered the troops to take it on the road once more. The Pogues have always had a ‘Sugababes’ attitude towards membership, so ‘the troops’ in this instance were not the usual cast. Alongside the new frontman of the band Spider, were ‘originals’ Jem Finer and James Fearnley. Seeing older bands re-forming can be a hit and miss affair, and as so many of the Pogues songs rely on exuberance and energy the addition of many younger musicians helped give the pep that carried them along. Their choices of musicians and singers certainly appealed to the tastes of us De-Clunkers. The pages of this website pay tribute to gigs we saw last summer, among them Goat Girl and Nadine Shah. Goat Girl’s Holly Mullineaux (bass) was introduced to the crowd as the ‘Goddess of Thunder’ and Nadine Shah as ‘one of your own’, as a Geordie herself. There were a revolving cast of other singers and musicians, including Lisa O’Neill, John Francis Flynn, Iona Zajac and many others who you maybe have, maybe haven’t heard before.
Was it an expensive ticket? Yes
Was it a tribute act? Possibly
Was it a good night? Fantastic. How could it not be? These songs have always been some of my favourites, and to see them given fresh life was great. Nadine Shah’s highlight was ‘A Pair of Brown Eyes’ early in the setlist, but she also relished the opportunity to dance around the stage on numbers like ‘The Boys From the County Hell’ and ‘London Girl’. Lisa O’Neill gave energy and, and was rewarded with the biggest sing-alongs of the night, including ‘Dirty Old Town’. Iona Zajac had a lovely voice, well used on both mournful and upbeat songs. Spider Stacey’s delivery is not unlike McGowan’s own style. His stage patter is better too, but Shane’s electric presence in the dark, front and centre, had to be missed on a night like this.
If this is the last time I see the Pogues it was a fitting celebration and send off to one of my favourite bands. That said, in three years time it’ll be the 40th anniversary of ‘If I Should Fall From Grace With God’, and I’m hardly going to resist a temptation like that if it’s on offer. Lend me ten pounds and I’ll buy you a drink.
DeClunk 