# How many times have you seen The Pogues? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327 "2010-12-25T01:04:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/1 "2010-12-25T01:04:18Z")
How many times have you seen The Pogues in concert? ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/2 "2010-12-25T01:11:51Z")
Never. I’ve wanted to but a) they don’t come anywhere close to the ass-end of texas where I live or b) I’ve heard lately that a Pogues concert is more often miss than hit. That Shane’s really gone downhill. In fact, I think it was one of your posts that told of a very disappointing concert a little while ago. I’m quite afraid that I’ve missed by window of opportunity for a good concert. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/3 "2010-12-25T01:12:13Z")
Me: Twice at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, once at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills, once at The Wiltern in L.A., and once at The Showbox SoDo in Seattle. The show at The Wiltern was when Shane was booted from the band. Joe Strummer took his place. (Strummer also played at the second The Coach House show I saw.) There was an interview with Strummer in _The L.A. Weekly_, where he insisted that Shane was still in the band. But there was no Shane at The Wiltern show. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/4 "2010-12-25T01:26:34Z")
Twice. The first time was at a club in Hollywood. The second time was as an opening act for Bob Dylan in San Diego. Shane was ill and not with the band. His illness was only a few days before the show so they didn’t have a replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/5 "2010-12-25T01:30:06Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > That Shane’s really gone downhill. In fact, I think it was one of your posts that told of a very disappointing concert a little while ago. I’m quite afraid that I’ve missed by window of opportunity for a good concert. Possibly. Having seen them in their prime, the Showbox show was not as good. Shane was pretty much unintelligible when he spoke, but he was generally understandable when he sang. What struck me was how old the band were. I thought of how Joe Strummer is dead, and how Lux Interior (The Cramps) got old and dead. That was a little depressing. And I was there alone. I never enjoy things as much when I go alone. Still it was good to hear the old tunes again, and they played songs from the non-Shane period that were good. Did you miss your opportunity for a good concert? I wouldn’t say that. You’ve missed their prime, but the music is still good. I would have liked it better with friends along. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/6 "2010-12-25T01:51:27Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Me: Twice at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, once at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills, once at The Wiltern in L.A., and once at The Showbox SoDo in Seattle… Small world—Even though I live nearly 700 miles from the 4 venues that you mention, I have seen live music at 3 of them over the years (Thank God for the 800,000 unwanted Skymiles that were gifted to me several years back, now long gone). I have only seen the Pouges twice, (once in Denver, once in New Orleans) and then I saw Shane attempt a solo set in NYC at a Guinness Fleadh Festival. (he was dreadful, and there were several people throwing garbage at him onstage. I wasn’t willing to waste a 7 dollar beer by throwing it at him.) His drunken antics may amuse some, (tortured artiste, afterall) but I can’t respect a so-called musician who obviously dosent give a fuck about the fans who have paid to see them perform. Steady on Shane, you fucking drunken rotter…:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/7 "2010-12-25T02:15:18Z")
I saw them 2 years ago at the Electric Factory in Philly. Great show. Shane was shitfaced, but that’s to be expected. He was in pretty good voice, and the band sounded terrific. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/8 "2010-12-25T02:17:44Z")
I didn’t know what a pogue was until I googled it. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/9 "2010-12-25T02:33:43Z")
I should add that all three times that I have seen the Pouges or Shane McGowen live, it was at music festivals that I was attending for the opportunity to hear other bands on the line-up; in other words, I did not pay money specifically for a chance to just see the Pouges (whose music I actually like very much, except for Shane McGowen’s juvenile, self-indulgent antics) as I know full well how their live shows often play out… ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/10 "2010-12-25T02:59:37Z")
Hi, I’m the guy who’s seen the Pogues three times. All in NYC, all in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/11 "2010-12-25T03:07:21Z")
Once. Center Stage, Atlanta. 1988 or 1989. It was a fantastic show. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/12 "2010-12-25T03:17:03Z")
Missed them in their prime, but have seen them three times since they reunited in 2005, each time at the 9:30 Club in DC. And despite the rumors of Shane’s vocal demise, each show has been excellent. I’ll be seeing them at the 9:30 Club again this March. As a unexpected bonus, the opener is Titus Andronicus, one of my current favorite bands. I would have paid the ticket price to see them alone, but to get them and the Pogues together on one bill is extraordinary good fortune. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/13 "2010-12-25T03:23:31Z")
I’ve never ever gone to a concert in my life. Pogues are awesome though. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/14 "2010-12-25T04:13:23Z")
I guess I’m the only one who has seen them more than ten times… Two years ago (?) or so, they played a solid week at The Fillmore in San Francisco. I was there every night, but that was after years of having seen them elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/15 "2010-12-25T15:40:04Z")
Never had the chance yet, but my favorite concert review called one of thier shows “a bar-room brawl with instruments”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/16 "2010-12-25T15:54:45Z")
Saw them once. That was more than enough times. If I hadn’t been paid to be there, I wouldn’t have been there. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2010, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/17 "2010-12-25T20:33:08Z")
Never. And that number is likely to continue. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/18 "2010-12-26T07:37:42Z")
Wow generous array of choices. I don’t think I’ve seen any artist in solo concert more than three times. If you count festivals, then maybe I’ve seen some artists more than that, but it’s not like they play a full set. But I think that even if I had seen an act completely legitimately more than three times, I would have lost count as to the actual number. For some reason I momentarily thought this thread was about The Commitments. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/19 "2010-12-26T12:44:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > How many times have you seen The Pogues in concert? Club gig: Chestnut Cabaret in Philadelphia. Kat O’Riordan was still playing bass. Shane did the whole set (under an hour, IIRC) with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers were the opening act. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327/20 "2010-12-26T15:43:58Z")
> [@11811](#): > > Club gig: Chestnut Cabaret in Philadelphia. Kat O’Riordan was still playing bass. Shane did the whole set (under an hour, IIRC) with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. > > Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers were the opening act. Wow, that must have been a cool show. What year? Was Tommy good as well? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-times-have-you-seen-the-pogues/565327.md?page=2)