The Pogues Tour – 1987

March 14th 1987 – De Montfort Hall

Now, the newspaper article I have seems to suggest the concert was at the university……this isn’t my recollection or that of Setlist website or other websites. I’m pretty sure it was the De Montfort Hall, although I don’t have this ticket either to prove it…another pissed up youthful oversight!!!

I think I only saw The Pogues once at the Uni, previously detailed on October 5th 1985. I reckon I’d remember if the second gig was as hot and sweaty as the first time I saw them, so, unless anyone can prove me wrong and my memory is failing me earlier than I thought it was……..it was De Montfort Hall. It was also true that the Leicester Mercury journos, from where this article came, were not held in high esteem by us at the time and were prone to strange error in their writing. In fairness, this was a review I agreed with (apart from the location!).

The Pogues Irish folk rock music was just so different from many bands at the time. We were still a few months away from the release of the epic Fairytale of New York and also shy of the release in early 1988 of “If I Should Fall From Grace With God”, but some tracks from this album, we now know, were played tonight.

Shane was still at the top of his game, but becoming a little bit more erratic, heavily drinking and smoking on stage (stuff you just can’t do in venues anymore). As usual there was lots of dancing, singing and fun. I don’t remember loads of this gig, but it fairly likely involved starting at The Marquis for a few warm up Guinesses before the dancing got going.

The Balinalee best sums up the evening’s atmosphere….

Set List

• The Irish Rover ([traditional] cover)
• Streams of Whiskey
• Rake at the Gates of Hell (Shane MacGowan and The Popes cover)
• The Ballinalee
• The Body of an American
• If I Should Fall From Grace With God
• Lullaby of London
• South Australia ([traditional] cover)
• Repeal of the Licensing Laws
• Turkish Song of the Damned
• The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn
• The Broad Majestic Shannon
• Metropolis
• Dark Streets of London
• Dirty Old Town (Ewan MacColl cover)
• Transmetropolitan
• Sally MacLennane
• Encore: Jesse James (Bentley Ball cover), Greenland Whale Fisheries ([traditional] cover)
• The Irish Rover ([traditional] cover)