The Pogues playing on St. Patrick's Day in London's Town and Country serves to remind fans why we loved the band and possibly why their breakup was inevitable. A thoroughly sloshed Shane MacGowan mumbles and screams his way through most of their hits to that point in time. Of course, real fans like the mumbling and the screaming. Lots of energy, great guests - The Specials, the late Kirstie MacColl and especially the late great Joe Strummer - who not only gets up on stage for a stirring rendition of London Calling, but serves as a kind of host for the evening as he discusses what made the Pogues so great. The video times in at a paltry 60 minutes which leaves you begging for more, but between the singalong Wild Rover and the silly string silliness of Fiesta, it is a jam-packed entertaining piece of music history.
Score
The songs are the point — messy, transcendent, unforgettable
Acting
Shane's performance: train wreck as high art
Production
Joe Strummer's hosting holds the chaos together
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This captures the Pogues at their breaking point — Shane would be fired within two years, making this a document of the last gasp.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
GB
