The Pogues live

The Pogues
Congress Theatre, Chicago
Tuesday, March 6, 2007

No matter what the genre, 2007 seems to be the year of reunions, from full figured versions of The Police, The Stooges, and Rage Against the Machine to the surviving members of Crowded House to the halfway complete Genesis to the almost-got-off-the-ground Van Halen. Though not nearly the household name as the aforementioned, The Pogues have always swirled under the alternative radar and have been highly influential throughout punk rock circles, despite an incredibly storied past that has included endlessly exhausted and intoxicated members.

Considering the troupe’s Irish heritage, it’s only fitting for reconvened members to launch a very limited run of American dates during the month of St. Patrick’s celebrations, though the comeback effort’s second of two nearly sold out shows in Chicago was far from a holiday novelty.

(For more photos from Tuesday’s show, visit our Flickr site.)

Throughout a 25-song set of blistering material, it was evident time and time again that The Pogues have left an indelible impact on a slew of younger Celtic punkers, such as Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, and The Tossers. And throughout that two-hour appearance, it was also obvious singer Shane MacGowan is just as unpredictable though generally riveting as ever. In fact, the frontman has played a major part in the gang’s legend, from his endless drunken escapades to his eventual ouster (tin-whistle player Spider Stacy stepped to the microphone in the early 1990s).

As the opening riffs of “Streams Of Whiskey” roared into the venue, MacGowan stumbled on stage with an unidentified bottle in hand, mumbled something inaudible to the crowd and attempted to weave his way through the lyrics. Though this tune and fellow early cuts like “Broad Majestic Shannon” seemed to signal a sinking ship, the leader soon settled into the mood and turned erratic actions into electrifying leadership. He and his backers truly hit stride with the back-to-back pub sing-alongs “A Pair Of Brown Eyes” and “Boys From The County Hell,” while Stacy offered stirring whistle soloing throughout “White City” and a compelling lead vocal come “Tuesday Morning” (one of the few nods to the Pogues’ post-MacGowan period and one of the band’s biggest singles).

When the full-time singer returned to the stage, he joyfully directed several dynamic shifts, including the ear-pleasing Celtic jig “Sayanara,” the jolly jam “The Sunnyside Of The Street” and the scaled back, almost whispered “Lullaby Of London.” The aggressive barnburner “Bottle Of Smoke” whipped the crowd into a mosh pit frenzy, while “The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn” still resonated as a tried-and-true, Irish-influenced punk anthem. Nods to the band’s homeland continued in the encore, including the fast paced romp “The Irish Rover,” signaling a welcome Stateside homecoming for one of the Isles’ most ingenious exports.

But even with MacGowan’s ability to veer back on course after the rocky introduction and the act’s remarkably tight chemistry, The Pogues’ true test will be a trip to the studio. In order to add additional credibility to this reunion, a new record is essential, especially because it has been over 15 years between proper projects with all the core members. As it stands right now, the market has been flooded with countless career compilations, and if that trend doesn’t stop soon, this latest gathering risks toeing the line of a mere nostalgia trip.

— Andy Argyrakis

Category: Live Reviews, Weekly