Things I Think I Heard Shane MacGowan Say at the Nokia Theatre, NYC, 3/16/06

*** "Who's queer?"

***"Death, where is thy ting-a-ling-a-ling?"

***"I'd like to introduce, again, Spider Stacy [pause to look at setlist]. Actually, I'd like to introduce myself. And I'll be singing 'Rainy Night in Soho.'"

***"Didja hear the Beatles are reforming?"

***"This is called 'Body of an American.' That's a dead body."

***"This isn't 'Brokeback Mountain.' Ssssssssssssssss."

***I think there was also something involving the word "Negroes," but I can't be sure of that. It was after Spider dedicated a song to the Canadians, and Shane started mentioning that there were all types of people in the crowd. I lost his train of thought slightly after that, but I think I heard "Negroes" once or twice. Might've been "There's a shortage of Negroes." Hard to say.

***And there was also something that sounded like "suck on my ding dong" right when the show started.

###

Aside from trying to decipher what Shane was saying between songs, it was really just an OK show. The band sounded good, and Shane sounded best on the slower songs, like "The Old Main Drag" and "Dirty Old Town." But any lyrics to a song with a fast tempo had a hard time making it out of Shane's mouth fully formed. Of course, some would argue that that's part of his charm. And it is--to a point. But sometimes it's just kind of annoying. And a little sad.

But he seemed to get better as the night went on, or maybe my ears just adjusted to it. In any case, it was cool to see the Pogues, something I honestly didn't think I'd ever see. It was especially fun to watch the barely controlled pandemonium of "Fiesta," with Shane racing through the lyrics, James Fearnley darting across the stage, and Spider repeatedly banging an aluminum tray on his head. Plus, they were selling a special Pogues Hatch Show Print, so that was almost as exciting as the show itself. I loves my Hatch Show Prints.

So, was the show worth $50? Absolutely. Would I go again if they came back to the states? I don't know. I can't imagine Shane getting any better, and I think five Shane shows may be my limit.

But don't hold me to that.