There has always been something about The Pogues that has captivated me. When ‘Rum, Sodomy & Lash’ came out forty years ago I didn’t appreciate their music at all. Over the years as my tastes became more adventurous, I found myself exploring the world of The Pogues and the album that was recommended I start this journey with was in fact this record.
Unfortunately, we lost the incredible lyrical mastermind behind The Pogues in 2023, Shane MacGowan, but through this line up we still get to experience it. Celtic punk, folk, folk punk whatever you choose to call it. The Pogues invented this genre that has inspired so many since, something that has kept me revisiting the band over the years.
A fourteen-year hiatus changed a lot of things and that includes the structure of the band as we see them today. So how do The Pogues sound in 2026? Better than ever in my honest opinion and live they are just an incredible experience.
Kicking things off tonight was John Francis Flynn, who as it is revealed later an active member of The Pogues live. To be honest I went in without expectation tonight and in some ways I am glad I did. John Francis Flynn, what a great Celtic name by the way took to the stage and he along with saxophonist Pete gave us a set that was different to anything I had expected. You got the feeling from his name that we would possibly visit some traditional Celtic music, delivered in a familiar nature. How wrong could I be. What Flynn did was deliver a thirty-five-minute set of atmospheric Celtic tunes that were backed by sampled/looped Celtic inspired percussion, saxophone and Flynn himself on a fender telecaster. Now this could have worked if there was a personality behind it all. Flynn was bland, uninspired and almost looked as if he didn’t want to be here. No engagement with the audience and if this was setting the tone for tonight, we were going to be in trouble. I don’t have much to say about Flynn, he showed up did his thing and left me far from warmed up or inspired.
Perhaps this was a stroke of genius because from the moment The Pogues took to the stage there was an energy and electricity in the room. The crowd had been saving themselves for this and boy oh boy did they enjoy every moment of the twenty-four song set that included two encores totalling six songs, between them the setlist was nothing short of superb. It had everything you want from a show. It built and built and built and the joy in The Forum tonight was simply next level.
A show like this doesn’t need production, it doesn’t need bells and whistles (unless they are Irish of course), what it does need is charm, character and a rawness that comes from storytelling. What The Pogues do in a live setting is create a show that grabs you and smuggles you along on a songwriting journey. From the opening intro pre-recorded jig we were encouraged to clap along. A welcome to country was performed and received such a huge reaction. The real magic began and voices were loud and proud singing along with every word of ‘Sickbed’. The energy is simply electric and this kind of storytelling is exactly as you would imagine it would have been in the times they were set in. Lyric not only sung but spat at us just enhances the authenticity in which Spider Stacy delivers the words and phrasing of MacGowan shows that MacGowan’s spirit is still here and a part of this band. This kind of authenticity you simply can’t replicate without heart and passion.
Tonight’s performance I can only imagine as being one that fans hadn’t seen before. A cast of rotating lead vocalists Lisa O’Neill who made her debut on Australian shores, Daragh Lynch, Iona Zajic, John Francis Flynn along with Stacy create a whole new narrative, one that is rich in depth, stylistic honour and interpretation. To hear the female and male voices deliver this treasure trove of tunes is spellbinding. Each voice giving something special, unique and hauntingly familiar to the feel of the performance.
Seeing the original members in James Fearnley, Spider Stacy and Jem Finer, the bond they have bond created through the songs is just incredible. Through this trio MacGowan was never far from the stage, you felt it.
The band consisting of Pete Fraser, Holly Mullineaux, Jordan O’Leary, Daniel Hayes, Fiachra Meek, Ian Williamson and Jim Sclavunos (of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds fame) all wore the appropriate musical hats to deliver these songs with such an understanding of what they are. Some wearing more than one musical hat throughout the night Sclavunos taking on additional percussive duties.
However, I must say that I have never been quite so in awe of a piano accordionist as I was of James Fearnley tonight, at seventy-one years of age he was so much fun to watch and embodied the spirit of a twenty something as he performed. Jem Finer while he was quite subdued his presence and contribution are immense on the hurdy gurdy, banjo and mandolin. Spider Stacy well, he is in a league of his own, he gave the grit to tonight’s performance and stepped into the role of leader and centre point of the band.
As we worked our way through the ebbs and flows of tonight’s set the music and songs, we were taken on a journey quite like any other. It grabbed you by the shirtfront at times and moved you at other times cradling you in the stories and emotions. There was that snot nosed punk attitude when they pushed the crowd simply loved it. Tonight the Forum was packed tight, so much so that when the people next to you moved, you moved too. You moved with joy though, you couldn’t help dancing, bouncing, singing and leave any concern you had at the door, this is the power of music.
With all of this said you couldn’t imagine a show like this being too polished, it would sterilise the charm of it all, however the rough edges had purpose adding drama and magic. Rock, punk, folk and all the other genre boundaries that wove themselves into each other transported you into these songs and the storytelling. At times it felt like you were thrust into a dimly lit Irish pub, the air thick with smoke as you were told tales. At other times you were in the middle of a rowdy pub celebrating life, the little wins and living your best life.
Tonight’s performance of Waltzing Matilda was unexpected and my personal highlight of the set. It’s something you didn’t expect and as a first timer seeing the band it showed a love of our history and culture, a respect for our own story. The Pogues are nothing but a class act. I even warmed to John Francis Flynn as his place in the delivery of the songs held weight and earned a ton of respect from me. It’s the fun and camaraderie on that stage tonight that made this such a special and powerful performance. The joy in the audiences faces tonight along with their voices being loud and proud drew you in.
Somehow twenty-four songs and a near two-hour performance seemed to pass by in an instant, making good on the saying time flies when you are having fun. Tonight The forum and I had the best time, and I simply can’t wait to do it again. Many I spoke to said they were coming back on Tuesday night for the second show too.
If you can find a ticket somehow, somewhere to any of the remaining shows, I urge you to do it. These shows haven’t sold out without reason. I just wish it hadn’t taken me forty years to figure it out and discover the brilliance of The Pogues live.
Setlist : Sickbed, Wild Cats, Brown Eyes, Billy’s Bones, Navigator, Planxty, Jesse James, Man You Don’t, Body Of American, Old man Drag, Parting Glass, Dirty Old Town, Rainy Night, Pistol, Poor Paddy, Waltzing Matilda, London Girl.
Encore : Irish Rover, Dreams, Boys From Hell, Dark Streets, Sally
Encore 2 : Greenland
The Pogues Gallery
All image credits Shot by Slaidins Photography
With special thanks to Menard PR for the media access