Say what you want about Pogues fans, but after overhearing those comments, we can say that they definitely aren’t deluded. Admittedly, Pogues’ lead singer Shane MacGowan wasn’t in the piss poor form of legend (no chair was needed to hold him up this time), but he still looked lost as he staggered haggardly onstage in his sunglasses, trench coat and Mardi Gras beads, as if forward movement was an epic struggle. However, one fan’s comment of “As long as he’s standing and singing, we’re fine,” seemed to be the prevailing sentiment amongst the audience. more ›

Another March, another run of sold-out Pogues shows at the 9:30 Club. Despite the propitious occasion of St. Patrick’s Day — the equinox 'round which the graying-but-still-preeminent purveyors of Emerald Isle folk-punk (funk?) book their East Coast tours in recent years — Tuesday night’s hootenanny was no more gleefully shitfaced than their 9:30 gig from last year on March 9. In fact, it was arguably less so: Frontman Shane MacGowan seemed more lucid than the last time he stumbled through town, and his snarled vocals more intelligible. And the other seven active-duty Pogues? Affable, enthusiastic professionals all -- especially Spider Stacy, the group's tin whistler and fill-in frontman who who bashed a metal tray against his head whenever additional percussion was required. The mid-show appearance of a two-man horn section gave a warm shading to several unabashedly sentimental tunes, but especially a late-in-the-game “Rainy Night in SoHo.” more ›