How many times have you been told that seeing The Pogues is one of those things that you have to do before you, or more likely MacGowan, dies? Umpteen times I’m willing to bet. The immortal front man seems to have cheated death for decades but still haunts the boards up and down the nation around Christmas time – like the Ghost of Christmas Past. Well I’m about to join the preachy ranks of those that sing the praises of the Irish troupe and the medical marvel that is Shane MacGowan.
Now as much of a Christmas tradition as turkey or mince pies, this year’s annual outing sees The Pogues rattle through their raucous discography, to catastrophically brilliant results. The crowd, a mix of veterans and virgins, have all descended upon south London for the final show of the apparent final tour – but more about that later.
The band are a paradox of being ferociously tight, yet looking like they’ve just been pulled out of the nearest bar – and who’s to say they haven’t. All brilliant musicians in their own right, but together they create such an infectious energy that the pulsating crowd develops as close an interaction with a band as ever I’ve seen before. No mean feat as throughout the show MacGowan mutters incomprehensibly between songs, like the fella that’s still waiting at the bus stop even though the last one’s left. It’s only once the band starts to play that he finds clarity – like a drunk angel.
The tour, quipped the ‘Farewell Christmas Tour’ does seem to have been given the marketing treatment – a claim backed by the comments of guitarist Phil Chevron. However other members of the band have stated that they may be taking a break from the short spurt of December dates. Whether this threat is played out, only time will tell – However, one thing’s for sure: Christmas wont be the same without them. I may be a traditionalist but nothing says Christmas to me more than finding the nearest stranger and bellowing “Dirty Old Town” in his face. Maybe that’s just me but I suspect that anyone who’s seen The Pogues will know what I mean.
Words by Sam Ballard
