Date: September 8th
Opening Act: Ted Leo
The Pogues, a band I never thought I’d see again, returned in a new form Monday night in Philly to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their classic Rum, Sodomy and the Lash album. Beloved Shane MacGowan is gone, along with Daryl Hunt, Philip Chevron, and, of course, Kirsty MacColl. But Spider Stacy, Jem Finer, and James Fearnley have picked up the torch and carried on, bringing fans the music of The Pogues. Honestly, it was exactly what I needed in my life.
I drove up from Milton, Delaware, which isn’t that far considering I’ve traveled to London a few times just to see The Pogues and The Levellers. Ted Leo opened the night, and somehow, after all these years of going to shows, I’d never seen him or his band, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. He gave a spirited performance and really rocked out on guitar. I didn’t recognize any songs, but I will make it an effort to look up his music now after seeing him.
Before The Pogues took the stage, Shane’s song “Haunted” with Sinéad O’Connor played over the speakers. Hearing it got me choked up, especially as the whole room sang along. That moment alone reminded me why these Pogues shows needed to happen, not only so the band could carry on but also to give fans the chance to pay tribute and celebrate Shane’s life through his music. The last time I saw the band was in 2011 at Terminal 5 in NYC, just before Phil was diagnosed with cancer. And of course, I’ll never forget seeing the band members play their hearts out at Shane’s funeral, probably the most unforgettable funeral I’ve ever witnessed, where people actually got up and danced in the church.
Spider, James, and Jem curated a fun group of musicians who brought songs to life that I honestly never thought I’d hear live. They played the entire Rum, Sodomy and the Lash album, including the instrumentals “Wild Cats of Kilkenny,” “Planxty Noel Hill,” and “A Pistol of Paddy Garcia.” The lineup included a harpist, a bagpiper, a horn section, and a massive percussion setup. What is this, a Clannad show? The three original members hit the stage first and kicked things off with “The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn.”
Spider then introduced the rest of the band before launching into “Wild Cats of Kilkenny.” The start was a little chaotic, but honestly, what Pogues show isn’t? That chaos is part of the magic: it feels like a wild pub session among friends, and the audience is invited to sing and dance along in the madness. The band members were laughing and shrugging things off basically “it’s live – what can do you?”
For me, the band really shined during the rowdier, rebel-rousing songs like “Billy Bones,” “Jesse James,” and “The Body of an American.” Beyond the core members, the standout was Iona Zajac, who sang alongside Spider on “Billy Bones” and other tracks. She brought fiery energy to “Poor Paddy Works on the Railway,” but also revealed a softer side on harp. Iona and Lisa O’Neill teamed up for a lively “London Girl,” dancing and trading verses. Lisa, who sang “Fairytale of New York” with Glen Hansard at Shane’s funeral, didn’t perform it here, but that wasn’t surprising since the Pogues rarely touched that song outside the holiday season. This tour was all about Rum, Sodomy and the Lash. About halfway through the set, Spider paused to honor Shane before the band played a moving version of “The Parting Glass.”
Thankfully, the band returned for an encore of five or six songs. James, Jem, and Spider embraced and bowed before jokingly calling for “the rest of their children” to join them. They closed the night with fan favorites like “The Irish Rover,” “Streams of Whiskey” (a longtime opener), “Dark Streets of London,” and, finally, “Sally MacLennane.”
It was amazing to see The Pogues again in this new iteration. I loved the added horn arrangements, Jem’s hurdy-gurdy action, and the way Iona and Lisa elevated the set. It would’ve been great to see Terry and Andrew join in, but I’m not sure where they are health or tour-wise these days. As with every Pogues show I’ve ever seen, my feeling remains the same: catch them now, because you never know if it’ll be the last time.
