photos by Andrew St. Clair

NIGHT ONE, NIGHT TWO, and a set of pictures from the final of three nights of Pogues, the St. Patrick's Day show, at Terminal 5 (setlist & Titus Andronicus included), continue below...

Continue reading "The Pogues & Titus Andronicus @ Terminal 5 (night 3 pics)"

photos by Chris La Putt

The Pogues completed their short tour and 3-night NYC run at Terminal 5 on St. Patrick's Day. We already posted about the first NYC show. Here are some pictures from the second, and they continue below..

Continue reading "The Pogues & the So So Glos @ Terminal 5 (pics)"

photos by Dana (Distortion) Yavin, words by Andrew Sacher

The Pogues kicked off their three night run at Terminal 5 on Tuesday night with over an hour of non-stop crowd-pleasers. They performed with the ease and precision that comes along with being a well established band for nearly three decades. The devoted audience never failed to flaunt its admiration for the group with pride. Frontman Shane MacGowan sporadically left the stage during their set to allow other band members to sing, returning each time with a lit cigarette.

The show was opened by New Jersey's Titus Andronicus who filled the venue with their grandiose rockers that refuse to draw the line between fast, loud, raw punk and refined indie rock. Despite a lack of interest from parts of the audience, Titus delivered a tight set.

The Pogues continued their run at Terminal 5 last night with The So So Glos and conclude tonight, St. Patrick's Day, with Titus Andronicus again. More pictures from the first night are below....

Continue reading "The Pogues played Terminal 5 (do again tonight) -- night 1 pics "

Soak it up while you can. Because the really big news is that this appears to be it: When the Pogues head offstage after a St. Patrick's Day concert in New York, it will likely mark the end of U.S. touring for the much-loved band.

"We're kind of winding it down, really," says Stacy. "As far as touring in the future, we won't be coming to America, certainly not for what we would call a long tour like this one."

Stacy, who handled many of the lead vocal duties during MacGowan's absence in the '90s, won't be missing from the States. A periodic collaborator with the likes of Patti Smith and Tom Morello, he bought a New Orleans home with his wife last spring.

"If it was up to me, we'd just play America constantly," he says, laughing. [The Day]

The above-pictured Pogues box set was released in 2008 and is also still on sale now.

And in case you can't make any of the shows, or you just can't get enough Pogues, this Saturday (3/19) at The Rock Shop, The Fauxges are performing a St. Patrick's Day tribute.

The Pogues @ Roseland Ballroom in 2009 (more by Faith-Ann Young)

The Pogues will return to the states this March, hitting Chicago, Detroit, Baltimore, Washington DC, Boston and New York along the way.

And speaking of three nights in a row at Terminal 5, that's exactly what they'll do in NYC this time instead of Roseland as usual. They play Terminal 5 on March 15th, 16th and 17th. The final day is St Patrick's Day.

Tickets for the whole tour go on presale via the band on Tuesday, November 23rd at 3pm. Tickets to the NYC shows go on general sale Friday, November 26th at noon ($65 advance / $70 day of show). All dates below...

Continue reading "The Pogues announce March 2011 tour dates, St Patrick's Day in NYC included (presale)"

photos by Faith-Ann Young

The Pogues performed two of their three scheduled pre-St. Patrick's Day NYC gigs over the weekend at Roseland Ballroom (canceling Thursday, 3/12). Franz Nicolay opened Friday, 3/13. Lucero opened Satuday, 3/14.

"While the cittern and pennywhistle players chugged away at "Sally MacLennane," youngsters in tweed caps jigged along with linked arms, and although frontman Shane MacGowan slurred his way through "If I Should Fall From Grace With God," the crowd knew every word. In fact, the only intelligible phrases to come out of MacGowan's mostly-toothless mouth were 1) "we're drunk," and 2) "General Franco, everybody!" When the singer stopped the music with a stream of verbose garble, a thick brogue carried from the back of the packed hall: "Start singing, ya lazy bastard!"" [Village Voice - Saturday night]

On cue, "Straight To Hell" by The Clash blasted loud as the The Pogues walked on stage. Shane MacGowan came on in black shades with a bottle of wine and cigarette in hand. Starting strong with "Streams of Whiskey," The Pogues carried the crowd with ease and tight musicianship - particularly accordionist James Fearnley and a wiry, shrunken, Phil Chevron. If you didn't know every word, you were in the sad minority. [Faith-Ann Young]

More pictures from Saturday night below...

Continue reading "The Pogues & Lucero @ Roseland Ballroom, NYC - pics"

DOWNLOAD: Lucero - What Else Would You Have Me Be (MP3)

The Pogues have cancelled their March 12th show at Roseland Ballroom in NYC.

Due to unforeseen circumstances we regret to announce the cancellation of the New York show on the Thursday 12th March at Roseland Ballroom. All tickets bought for the Thursday show will be honoured for the Saturday 14th March show at the same venue. We are sorry for any inconvenienced caused.

Franz Nicolay of the Hold Steady (solo) is opening March 13th. Lucero is opening March 14th. Other tour openers include Tom Gabel of Against Me! on both Boston shows, and Ben Nichols from Lucero (solo) on two of the three shows in Washington DC.

The Pogues and Lucero were also scheduled to play Langerado in Florida, which was scheduled to happen this coming weekend.

After Roseland, Lucero will continue on a tour that now also includes a stop in Austin for SXSW.

Lucero @ Terminal 5 (more by Mike Lerner)

Lucero finished up their three-night run in NYC with a headlining show last night at Mercury Lounge (2/9). How was that one? The first two nights were as opener for The Black Keys.

Titus Andronicus are currently out on the road with Los Campesinos!. It's a tour that has both bands back in NYC at Bowery Ballroon for two shows that are very soon. Tickets for those are still on sale sold out.

Titus Andronicus is also playing Bowery Ballroom on March 13th with The Wrens.

And then in April Lucero and Titus will join forces for a tour that includes an April 18th show at Music Hall of Williamsburg (Titus's fourth upcoming show at either Bowery or MHOW). Tickets for that go on Am Ex presale Wednesday, and then regular sale Friday.

Ben Nichols of Lucero...

...released his highly anticipated solo debut album [in January], a "mini-LP" titled "The Last Pale Light in the West," via Liberty & Lament / The Rebel Group. Nichols layed down tracks in August 2008 with Rick Steff (Cat Power, Lucero) and Todd Beane (Glossary) for this seven track mini-LP, which features songs inspired by the Cormac McCarthy book "Blood Meridian."

"The Last Pale Light in the West" is a stripped-down piece with Nichols' gritty vocals at the forefront. Nichols added acoustic guitar to the record, alongside Steff on piano and accordion, and Beane's pedal steel guitar.

Continue reading "LUCERO played Mercury Lounge, going on tour w/ TITUS ANDRONICUS - 2009 dates "

There are occasional rumbles as to the point of the Pogues' now-annual Christmas reunions (and St Patrick's Day US equivalents). In the seven years since the joyous release of seeing Shane MacGowan return to his old band at the Manchester Academy, these chaotic, maudlin occasions have too often relied on the crowd's memories of what MacGowan might have been singing, if he could only remember his name.

Pogues gig reviews have often resembled medical bulletins on the alcohol intake of their errant singer-songwriter. Fingers have also been pointed at the failure of a man with a great lyric gift to record a single new song in 11 years, content, it has seemed, to hold court in north London's Boogaloo bar until he falls off his stool. But this is a man living the life he wants, with his great work completed - every boozing poet's dream. And any complaints about the Pogues rehashing that songbook again are blasted to tinder tonight. [The Independent]

Continue reading "Langerado Fest, in Miami, in March - initial 2009 lineup"

Tickets for the upcoming Pogues shows are now on Nokia pre-sale at LiveNation.com (password = cove). Check out some videos from years past at Roseland, below...

Continue reading "The Pogues - 2009 presale, live video from 2008 & 2007"

Another year, another set of Pogues shows in the United States in March. There's no mystery this time though whether they'll be a show on St. Patrick's Day in NYC. There definitely won't, because the March 17th show is already announced and that's in Washington DC. The current NY dates are March 12 & 13 at Roseland and tickets go on sale Friday at 10AM. All dates below...

Continue reading "The Pogues - March 2009 Tour Dates"

Duffy @ FADER Fort, SXSW 2008 (Lorne Thomson)

The Pogues @ Roseland, NYC - March 16, 2008 (Hardcore Shutterbug)

Cut Copy @ Iheartcomix party, SXSW 2008 (ardenstreet)

* Adele is @ Joe's Pub
* Ash is playing Music Hall
* The Wombats are at Annex
* Ed Harcourt is at Union Hall
* Duffy is playing Hiro Ballroom
* Duffy is number one in the UK
* Today is not really St Patricks Day
* The Pogues are playing Roseland
* Counting Crows are at Blender Theater
* The Vines are playing Bowery Ballroom
* Today is the Day & Mouth Of The Architect are playing Knitting Factory
* Cut Copy, Holy Ghost!, El Guincho AND The Fashion are playing Mercury Lounge

What else?

DOWNLOAD: Billy Bragg - O Freedom (NEW MP3)

Billy Bragg & Kate Nash @ FILTER Courtyard, SXSW 2008 (jinners)

"Our friendship is based around an affinity for the Shangri-las," said Bragg as he strapped on Nash's guitar, suggesting that this was more than just a deft move by her people to insulate her from knee-jerk criticism ("Well if Billy Bragg thinks she's a bit of alright then maybe..."), while also placing her within a grand British tradition of songwriters like Ray Davies, Paul Weller and Bragg himself. The two traded lines like old friends, before launching into a three-song set of the Shangri-las' "Give Him A Great Big Kiss," Bragg's classic "New England" and Nash's "Foundations," a tell-off song that's everything "Dickhead" isn't: clever, introspective and fun. [Time Out]

Billy Bragg played a few shows while he was in Texas for SXSW, and then last night (March 16th) he opened for The Pogues at Roseland Ballroom in NYC.

Billy also has a new album coming out April 22nd on ANTI called "Mr. Love and Justice". The MP3 on the top of this post is from that album. Download that now. Then check out the videos of he and Kate below.......

Continue reading "Billy Bragg, Kate Nash, videos, new album & MP3, the Pogues"

For what it's worth....

The very rare collision of St Patrick's Day and Holy Week has already forced the Catholic Church to switch our patron's feast day to March 15 although the parade will go ahead as usual on March 17. [Independent Ireland]

Continue reading "St Patrick's Day is March 15th this year"

The third NYC Pogues show has finally been officially announced. Tickets for March 17th @ Roseland go on pre-sale Wednesday, and then regular sale Friday. March 15th is totally sold out, and March 16th with Billy Bragg is almost sold out.

Continue reading "The Pogues' St Patrick's Day show - on sale soon"

'Miss C's arm tatoos, Billy Bragg lyric included (Neil Fitzgerald)

What and where is your tattoo?
It's the start of a half sleeve on my right arm. So far it pictures Jenna Jameson and Dita von Teese (just missing a third girl) with Mucha style flowers and vines around them. It also says "to have an to have not" at the very top.

What does your tattoo mean to you?
Each of the girls I look up to in some way. Jenna was the 1st woman to take the sex industry and be the boss and take charge instead of being used like to many girls before her. She has also been through a lot in her life and is still going strong. For me she represents a strong independent woman. Dita to me is one aspect of what a woman should be. She's smart, classy and does her own thing. The Mucha aspect just comes from a love of his (and that movement) of art. "To have and to have not" is the title of a Billy Bragg song. I've always loved the song and what it means. In the context of my tattoo it reminds me to keep my feet on the ground. [Miss C talks about her tattoos]

Continue reading "Billy Bragg opening for the Pogues, Tour Dates, tattoos"

Tickets are on pre-sale for some shows by The Pogues (regular sale starts Thursday). Now an annual tradition, the Irish (and English) band will be in NYC for St. Patrick's day, although currently they're only scheduled to play two shows at Roseland Ballroom on the two days before March 17th. It is very possible of course that they'll end up adding a third show on the actual day (if not more than that). That would still leave them plenty of time to make it to their next show in Boston which is on March 19th.

Unfortunately, these shows will probably be without guitarist Philip Chevron, who - sadly, is on hiatus to fight throat cancer right now. All dates below....

Continue reading "The Pogues - 2008 Tour Dates, presale"