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The support act 'The Crocketts' were not good at all. Ocassionally they would hint at a sound which was a little more considered and listenable to, but overall they were brash and noisy. Sounded a bit like the same distorted chords being struck again and again to a repetitive beat. The audience reaction was suitably subdued.
By the time Shane and the Popes came on, sometime around 10:00pm, Rock City was buzzing with people. In the true tradition of Pogues/Shane concerts, the near-stage crowd reacted with great energy to the opening numbers 'If I Should Fall' and 'Paddy Rolling Stone'. And so the night continued...
When Phillip Chevron came on stage for 'Bottle of Smoke' and 'South Australia' I had deja-vu..two years ago at the Pogues 'Pogue Mahone' concert at Rock City, Phillip also turned up. Great to see him on stage again....does he live near Nottingham or something (or has he made appearances at Popes gigs elsewhere?).
Live, the Popes played their own songs really well and Shane's singing really was good (although too quiet at times). I still can't help thinking though that the Pogues were/are a tighter band. The Popes have a different sound though- and that's great- more rough and ready and more electric, so it's probably unfair to make comparisons. For me though, I miss the more folky edge of the Pogues where the mandolin/cittern/bouzouki and the banjo are really at the fore. The Pogues used these instruments to produce a really crisp sound and - the key to it - seemed to give space to every instrument so that the overall sound was intricate and really powerful. Let's have The Pogues back for another outing with Spider at the front.!
All the best to Shane and The Popes, though. The 'Crock of Gold' is great and last night's gig was great. (Never seen Shane drumming until last night too...!)