What seems like an annual rite of spring in Manhattan rolled into town from Ireland again as The Pogues brought their reels and whistles to Terminal 5 with Jersey’s Titus Andronicus opening the festivities.
The five piece played a short set to a half full house (the show was far from a sellout) and while they certainly had some fans the majority of the elderly punks were cool to the group as they started, but things warmed up after “Fear And Loathing In Mahwah, NJ” with it’s big “Fuck You” break. Patrick Stickles is a grizzled/grizzly poet and player who revved up the performance strumming and belting out the epic songs. Closing their opening set with a run of tunes off the excellent The Monitor saw the group tackle “Four Score and Seven” with a sweet violin section from Amy Klein and “Titus Andronicus Forever” with a 50’s Little Richard vibe that saw solos from all the members. The groups opening slot was much too short, but it also didn’t take long for the strains of “Straight To Hell” to come over the PA; signaling the arrival of the headliners.
“Streams of Whiskey” kicked things off and the crowd surfers immediately took to the air before “If I Should Fall From Grace With God” gave a yee-haw country feel to the show. The band was in fine form, all looking stylish …except for their notorious front man.
Shane MacGowan looked heavy, clad in all black and clinging to the microphone stand to keep him from falling over. MacGowan has never been the picture of health or moderation, but he looks to be in serious decline. He painfully hobbled on and off the stage and took breaks by sitting down for some songs that he sung. Granted, rock stars like him don’t age well, hell, they usually don’t age at all, but Shane has certainly seen better nights. The rest of the band was rollicking as “Tuesday Morning” shimmied and “Thousands Are Sailing” strummed, getting the transplanted paddies in the audience singing. MacGowan added slurring swinging charm to “Body of American” and enchanting desperation to “Rainy Night in Soho” but when the set ended it is safe to say the crowd was very disappointed that the band chose not to play “Fairytale of New York”.
I understand bands get fed up with their hits and with the Pogues in NYC two more nights they will probably play it at least once, but it should be written in law that anytime this band plays this town that song has to come out; it is too perfect a synergy to skip, even for one show.
