The Pogues

THIRD TIME SEEING THEM,ALL ON ST.PATRICKS DAY. SHANE WAS ON HIS GAME.THE OTHER BOYS IN THE BAND.....WELL,THE'RE ALWAYS IN THE POCKET! GREAT SHOW.GOOD CHANCE IT MAY BE THEIR LAST.

Since it was a general admission show, where everyone was going to be standing, we got there massively early, I had a Guinness or two while waiting, and we made sure we got a great spot. Second level, right up against the side railing, perfect view of the whole stage. At about 8:00 the opening act went on stage. Titus Andronicus (oddly enough, they're apparently from my home town of Glen Rock, NJ). Looking them up today, they've gotten lots of positive reviews for the two albums they've put out, but they were not good. The lead singer/lead guitar player could neither sing nor play guitar well, and their energy on stage was not positive. The singer and the girl guitar player/fiddler tried to fake it, but their attempts at energy came off as very fake and forced. The whole crowd was pretty much non-plussed by them, except for a couple of really drunk people. Then, after about a half an hour of switching the stage around and such, out come the Pogues. First, the band all runs out, full of energy, and then a minute after everyone else is in their places, out shambles Shane MacGowan. When he spoke, you could maybe understand a couple of words out of every sentence. For the couple of songs he wasn't singing, he staggered off stage, where he was kept by his handler and then sort of pushed back on to stage when it was his turn to sing again. Other times he sat down in front of the drums, and for a couple of songs had a chair brought out for him. In one great moment, a water bottle fell down on the stage, he tried to kick it, and missed. He smoked, he drank (a glass of what could have been anything from water to vodka, all I can attest to was that it was clear) At the end of the show, he went to smash and break the chair he had been sitting in, and it took all he could manage to get the back to break off. It could have been sad. It could have been funny. It wasn't. It was incredible. For all that he was visibly diminished, and at a point where the ravages of decades of whiskey and drugs had taken a huge visible toll, he was still amazing. From the moment they started with Streams of Whiskey to the end of the show, there was never a moment where you didn't feel like you were in the presence of greatness, and with there being only two more shows in this tour that's expected to be their last, there were definitely times where the emotion of the band was palpable. The energy on stage, was great. Even though he was incomprehensible when he wasn't singing (and occasionally when he was) MacGowan's personality and artistry shone through every moment he was out there, and they played a fantastic show. All in all, it was an experience that was amazing and unforgettable.

It was a very great and expected performance by the Pogues. It was good to see the band again and see them draw such a large crowd and give off such energy. I am very happy I went because I am sorry to say that I don't think Shane as many performances left in him. I brought guests with me who never heard of the Pogues and they had a great time and became instant fans.

Awesome! The Pogues put on a classic show. Shane was in his traditional rare form, Spider & the rest of the band kept it together well.

I've waited 20 years to finally see The Pogues live. It was worth the wait.

they played with the Detroit Cobras. Which really were pretty standard until the last couple songs, which were really good and started amping us all up. Reminded me of Blondie- i'd reccommend checking them out on Youtube to get an idea. Shane came out after about a 25 minute gap - took a while to set up the stage. With Spider and the rest of the crew, The instrumentation was top notch, sounded very clear! Shane was quite difficult to actually understand, but if you know the songs it's great. These are some classics, Bottle of smoke was amazing, and I have to say my favorite performance was Thousands are Sailing, and Shane did not sing that one. Spider is Rocking that tin whistle and performs Tuesday morning splendid! All in all it was amazing to see the Pogues, I'd been waiting for several years!! Shane does a damn good job and knowing the pogues history really helps you appreciate these guys. A+ Glad I was able to see them

In a beer drinking, singing, dancing good time. The pogues sounded great. generally the crowd was well behaved ,at a standing room only sold out event. Good time, everyone was a little Irish that night. Ant

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa shane is a genius

The Pogues put on a great show. Shane was difficult to understand when speaking between songs, but sounded great when he sang. The rest of the band was energetic and fun.

A good fun concert by the Pogues, never seen before, and am glad I finally got to see them. Great energy!

Houston House of blues gig coincided with the last night of our two week tour of Texas. It just put the cream on our cake! The venue is great, purpose made for bands in the tradition hall style, we opted for the balcony being coffin dodgers, Not heard of Justin Townes Earle but he was fantastic, bought his cd at the venue, Very different live to recorded but both are well worth covering, hope he tours UK would travel to see him again. Nashville has pulled another ace of country music. The Pogues gave all and Shane spent more time on stage than I expected him to which was a bonus, The songs where the vocals are taken on by other members of the band live up to the mark and whatever your favourite Pogue styles are you were sure to have heard a couple of your favourites.Two encores each of about three songs. Go and see em if you get the chance I'm sure you wont be disappointed. So I raise my Parting Glass to Justin, Shane and the boys to a fantastic finale to a terrific holiday.

Everything I expected & then some. The band know their stuff & deliver it as the Pogues have always done in their own unique style.

It was great to see such an iconic band. It was even better that Shane McGowan actually made it on stage. The performance was excellent even if a little slurred. The beer prices at House of Blues are way too expensive, espcially after paying over $45 dollars for tickets.

The Pogues were great last night! Can't wait to see them at House of Blues next year!

I saw the Pogues in Houston. They were wild and wonderful. Shane was a little too drunk but sang great. The crowd was VERY lively.

Lead singer way to drunk to sing, needs to sober up prior to show. Band was good. Venue echoed way to much

What can be said about the most prolific singer/songwriter of our generation. Waited twenty years for this event and it went well beyond my expectations. The quality of musicians on stage last evening was top notch. Shane showed and blew me away. Ready to be a roadie and travel with them on the remainder of their tour. What a night! Come back again soon. We love you guys.

fantastic sound fantastic show, great venue. thanks

Great setlist. 2 encores. Riddle me this: how can someone so wasted be more coherent whilst singing than speaking? Because he's Shane effing McGowan. Do these guys realize their age? They brought it. I was apprehensive when Shane came stumbling onto the stage - and I use the term stumbling generously - and mumbled incoherently into the mike.... I was afraid he'd physically shown up but hadn't actually "shown up" for the show... Once they launched into their set I realized it hasn't dawned on any of these guys that they're in their 50s. Should someone tell them? Nah. I've always loved the juxtaposition of the bands' technical musicianship set against Shane's vocals. Seeing them live makes you fully appreicate how truly talented the band members are. Only personal faves missing were Fairytale of NY, Waltzing Matilda, & Summer in Siam. I adore Shane... but I now understand why The Pogues has 7 other members... It takes that many people to keep Shane in check for 2 hours. Heard throughout the crowd throughout the course of the night... "What's he saying?" "How old is he?" "Is that whiskey or wine he's drinking straight out of the bottle?" "Why's he rambling on about Napoleon Bonaparte?" All in all awesome show. If you've ever considered seeing the Pogues live but haven't, it's a definite must.

The Pogues what can I say a lifelong DREAM to see those guys rock out!! It was to say the least AMAAAZZZZZIIINNNGGGGG...FANTASTIC AWESOME...I was so stoked just being there! I am in awe of the whole thing and a diehard fan of those guys!! THEY WERE INCREDIBLE!!!

Was in front row. 2nd time to see the Pogues. Shane is still hanging in there. He needed repeated breaks..but its still Shane MacGowan. The crowd was lively up front. Lots of jumping around and lots of drinking.

I feel blessed the Pogues came to Kansas City. I only discovered this band a few years ago but their music will truly be with me the rest of my life.

It wasThe Pogues with the original band members. Nuff said.

Great Irish music. The band is tight! Very well polished and extremely talented. Shane was his usual drunk self (when is he not?), but was able to growl out the lyrics like he always does. Can't understand a blinkin' word he says when he speaks to the crowd, but that's part of the charm. He only missed a few lines, or came in late once or twice. By now the band knows how to keep up w/ Shane, or to wait until he catches up. They are in sync with each other. All in all, an outstanding performance by a veteran band.

Staff was helpful and very friendly. Venue is beautiful. The Pogues were AMAZING! They sound just as good as ever and I highly recommend catching them play live. Shane MacGowan is as entertaining as ever but the genius of the musicians themselves should not be overlooked.

The band sounded great. Shane was drunk as usual but put on a good show, even after falling face first on the stage.

the show was great. what a beautiful venue. the sound needs work thought. vocals were drowned out and distorted. but shane slurs alot so it was not so noticible.

I saw the Pogues the first time round in Brighton, UK, towards the exit of Shane McGowan from the band due to his heavy drinking. At that time he could barely walk let alone sing, extremely disappointing. I read the comments that this tine round he had sobered up but this was certainly not the case in Kansas City, once again musically brilliant but Shane McGowan half slurred, half shouted his way through the set, designed to give him a break after every couple of songs. While I tried to imaging the brilliance of the early days and Rum Sodomy and the Lash, sadly it was not there. I will not try a third time!

The Pogues didn't let the crowd down. Great musicians and of course Shane was in his glory. Of course it was evident he was out of it, he even fell on the stage but that made the event even more exciting. His voice was good and the band was unreal. Tight would not be a good enough word to use. The venue was grand and very nice looking but the sound lacked clarity. It was a shame that the sound was so murky. I was hoping that the bands tightness would have been showcased by the sound but sitting in the balcony it was clear to us that something wasn't sounding right. All in all a great evening I would tell anyone looking to see a legend in person to not miss the chance.

To see old guys play with such energy and enthusiasm was great. I am assuming that this is the only time I will see them in Kansas City. Especially if Shawn keeps drinking. However, his voice was the usually rasp and he sounded "perfect". Spider is a wonderful pipe player .

The Pogues are the Pogues. Shane's singing is unintelligible which is to be expected. Unfortunately, generally, throughout the show, (opening act also) vocals were the same. It's fairly common but I wish venues could learn to bring instrumentals down so that you could tell the vocalist is singing by more than the movement of their lips. Though I'm not a huge Pogues fan, I wanted to hear them if for no other reason than the historical difference. I love Celtic rock/fusion/punk and they are early innovators. The band rocked hard throughout, but by encore time I'd grown tired of Shane's voice and I don't think I could have taken another encore. When banging the head with a baking sheet became a music instrument, I'd had enough. Oh I know, I'm not cool and I don't get it. If you're a Pogues fan, clearly this was not to be missed.

The show was awesome!!! I have never seen The Pogues live and I was not disappointed. They are an extremely tight and talented band. The opening act was mediocre at best but maybe they were having an off night. The Pogues were absolutely amazing though. Probably the best live performance I've seen in my life.

The Pogues were great. It could have been longer. Shane needs a drink.

I knew Shane was going to be somewhat "tipsy" but sloppy drunk was funny at first then very sad. The concert was a disappointment to say the least.

I'm a huge Pogues fan so I knew Shane McGowan was going to be in pretty tough shape. If you haven't been following him you were probably in for a pretty big shock. His alcoholism has really hurt his ability as a performer. That being said.... The band is amazing and the rest of the crew really carries Shane. The audio at this particular venue was pretty rough. I wish they didn't play it so damn loud! As a fan I loved the show, but the audio quality wasn't good and Shane was kinda sad to watch.

We attended concert by the Irish band The Pogues last night at the Midland in Kansas City. It may have been the only concert among hundreds that I ve walked out of and we were not alone. The star, Shane MacGowan, lived up to his lengthy reputation as being a drunk. After finally starting at 9:20, it was immediately evident that MacGowan was barely able to perform. He fell once while leaving the stage, was frequently unable to replace microphones on their stands, and slurred his words throughout. His comments between songs were unintelligible and confused. His performance was an insult to the audience and to his excellent fellow performers. I would ask for my money back but I d prefer to have the money spent on rehab for MacGowan.

Good evnironment overall. The Midland is an exceptional place to catch a show. The crowd was great & had a high knowledge of the material. The Pogues are better musicians than I remember, no weak links in the band. Played an expected setlist, so no one left dissappointed. Shane McGowan was as expected. Slurring his way through a majority of the songbook, providing incomprehensible dialogue, and falling down once.

After an overly loud opening act the Pogues came out and opened up with Streams of Whiskey, and I was immediately transported back to the 1980s when I fell in love with this band from the opening notes of Fairytale of New York. Next it was If I should Fall from Grace with God and a long stream of standards from their early albums. I have all of the albums, but that did not prepare me for the intense high quality of the performance that night. Shane McGowan looked like hell, but he never sounded better on any of the records. The plus-sized accordion player carrying a plus-sized accordion flew around the stage with manic intensity. My personal favorite for the night was "Thousands are Sailing," and, oddly, they never sang Fairytale. Overall, it was one of the best concerts I've ever attended in my life, and I've seen nearly everybody. I hope it isn't true that this is the end of the road for them, but I feel blessed to have seen this.

This is our second time seeing The Pogues, once in Atlanta and then we travelled to NYC to see them this St. Pat's Day. Totally amazing show, very cool venue!

They put on a great show, really talented band. Terminal 5 in general is not my favorite venue but the band was great.

My husband and I are huge Pogues fans and when I saw that they were going to be in New York City for St. Patricks Day I knew it would be a chance in a lifetime to see them. We drove 14 hours from Chattanooga, TN and could not have been more pleased with the whole event! We had a great view of the stage and the sound was great. The Pogues totally rocked! It was a shame it had to end.

Had a grand night!! visitng New York for St Patricks Day and the Pogues were on top form. typical Pogues style but the atmoshere was great, non stop entertainment. great venue for this type of gig.

The Pogues were great, as always, even though they didn't play a few favorite songs. But Terminal 5 is a terrible venue. Dark, dreary, feels dirty. Employees are not very friendly.

The boys don't disappoint... lots of energy! Just what I'd hoped for on a St. Pat's show in NYC. Not thrilled with the venue, but large enough to hold all the fans... and boy, were there lots more than I'd thought!

Wow. The show was amazing and the venue was awesome. Being a chick is not always the easiest when you want to get down and dance with the boys, but everyone in the pit was in the best spirits and totally friendly. Love The Pogues. They never disappoint.

Opening act was absolutley terrible. They reminded me of the neighborhood kids that got together and jammed from their parents garage. Venue itself is not for the meek, tired, elderly, or short for that matter. Standing room only. No seating. Jammed packed with lots of drunk 20-somethings. Hot, loud, and sticky.

they were great. they were fun. they played all that i wanted to hear,as well.

Was it really Shane up there? Is that part of the act? How come he was the only one whose face one could not clearly see? Never mind that; the show felt corporate. One hour on the dot and it was time for the obligatory encore pleading. Nothing organic about the show, the band, accomplished and competent, but with the music precisely on time as if a metronome was the bandleader. None of those slightly off moments of musical magic which makes a show stand out.

Incredible show - music was great, crowd was great and the venue was great.

as usual, the pogues rocked. I've seen them many times since reuniting and this show was everything i hoped it would be. They pulled out some gems like "boat train" and "...waltzing matilda". didn't matter that they didn't play "fairytale" cuz they rocked hard. Venue was questionable sound wise but its never easy trying to mic an 8 piece band.

The show was absolutely amazing! Crossed it off the bucket list!!

What an amazing concert. First time since 1989 that I saw them live, they too got older, but still have the spirit(s) and it was a great show. Hope there will be another next year.

Great Venue, Awesome show! Wish I would have seen them sooner! A Perfect Show for St. Paddy's day too!

This show was amazing!! And that doesn't really begin to cover it. The opening band, Titus Andronicus, was thoroughly impressive and emotional. The Pogues played a lot of what I wanted to hear, though I wish they had played closer to four hours than two. Next time around, which hopefully there is, I need tickets for all 3 nights, not just one.

Amazing,when we left the show we were walking 2 ft off the ground.......

The show was awesome. It was a bit of a wait for the opening band, who were godawfully boring and atypically of the hipster bands of the current day- but it was all worth it for the Pogues! Amazing; the perfect St. Patrick's Day.

great NYC venue; filled with kisses to and from the band, as they played songs of , freedom, life, love, and liberty for downtrodden peoples throughout the ages. Kisses to and from the original Pogue Mahone's established in 1982, as the band played on through Manhattan's celebratory, St. Paddy's day, warm, spring air, that held up all week long. Kisses to and from The Pogues, who have helped us all dare to say kiss my arse because no matter how low down we the people are put we will prevail in defiance, and still manage to have some fun with our working commrads. Kisses to and from The Pogues as a celebration of the snakes being driven out of Ireland marched on, and as the City begins to prepare for another parade of independence, for the people of Greece on March 27th, kisses to and from The Pogues because with or without legs we will dance in our hearts as the band plays Waltizing Matilda for all.

I've seen the Pogues 3 times now since their first reunion tour, and they're always great. A weird combination of a very buttoned-down, professional band, and a shambling hot mess of a lead singer. At least Shane MacGowan was upright this time- the last time I saw them he was in a wheelchair (but did the whole show nevertheless!). His voice was stronger, too. They played a lot of lesser known gems, but the live standards, like The Sickbed of Cuchulainn, The Body of an American, and Sally MacLennane, killed as usual.

Great show Shanewas in good form although he looked a little unsteady at times. the band was great hope they come back.

having seen show at royal oak,MI didn't thio nk it could get any better...but i was sure wrong! Shane seemed to come alive in NYC or was glad the tour was almost over! good to see some life from the lad.

I've never seen the Pogues and been disappointed. Even my brother, who is not familiar with their work, enjoyed them very much. The mosh pit was active, (perhaps overactive at times), and the audience joined in song throughout. I've seen Shane MacGowen And The Popes, as well as The Pogues without Shane Macgowen, but the magic doesn't happen 'until the gang's all together, and it flowed freely this night. The only mild disappointment was they didn't play "Fairytale Of New York", which should be a given when performing here. Happy Saint Patty's to all!

As if any show could be the last thanks to Shane MacGowan's reputation, the anticipation ran high at their Terminal 5 show in NYC and the Pogues destroyed any doubts as to their power over a crowd. MacGowan's voice was shockingly strong. Pulling from a huge catalog of hits, every song was greeted by waves of howling from the first beats. More than worth the price of admission, seeing this legendary band in its current incarnation is something to brag about.

The Pogues band was tight and played great, very entertaining. Shane McGowen was on, he sounded great and played the whole night. Awesome show, loved it.

Seeing as I've seen them many times, I was a little dissappointed with the overall performance. It just seemed played out with the same old shananigans. To be fair, I don't expect much more from Shane, as just still being alive is amazing to me. I really wanted to be there for their final NYC appearance, and the guys still get me moving like no other music. Thanks so much for all the great music over the years, and I think it is fitting that they end touring. Their music will live on forever, and that is what I will cherish and pass on to my children!!

What a show! I went with 2 friends on Tuesday, March 15th. 1 had never even heard of the Pogues and he loved it. Shane was in rare form, Spider sang Til Tuesday like a fine glass of brandy. The enthuiastic crowd, mosh pit, body surfers, etc. just added to the atmosphere. TRULY BRILLIANT! The only bad thing - they didn't sing Fairytale of New York or Love You Til the End.

A great venue, good bar service and the best live Pogues gig I've ever seen.

Shane MacGowan and the boys were brilliant as always. They played all of the old favorites and gave two encores. Pure class...