Ex Pogue Spider Stacy came to the ritzy Dtroit suburb of Birmingham, Michigan for a Pre-St. Padtick's Day bash at Dick O'Dows. The bar was wall to wall with the Friday afternoon yuppie-office crowd when we arrived at around 5pm. Seats were sparce but there were enough green neon glow sitcks and giant Bailey's foam leprichaun hats going around to make Brendan Behan barf in his grave. We guickly set up camp close to the stage and proceeded to down pints of Guinness. We were close to the front, but a bit away from the tables of bubbly, giggly, heavy make-up, Cosmopolitan martini and green Budweiser drinking white collar types.

The show had very little promotion but there were several obvious Pogues fans there among the normal wall to wall Friday night bar crowd. Around 11pm the singer from Spider's backup band, Cleveland, Ohio's The Boys From The County Hell (a Cleveland based Pogues cover band and Spider's backup band tonight) came out and did convincing versions of The Old Main Drag and a few others before being joined by the rest of the band for a couple of additional numbers.

After a brief break, Spider Stacy finally took the stage. The bar isn't really set up that well for bands and the sound was less than perfect. The acordion, mandolin, guitars and whistle were sorely missing from the mix but the muddy sound did not detract from the energy of the band or the spirit of the music. The set consisted entirely of Pogues songs and the band was definately up to the task. Obviously having a blast and honored to share the stage with Spider, there were smiles all the way around. Spider seemed in good spirits himself too, putting everything he had into the songs and dancing around with unabandoned energy, just like the old days. I was estatic to see him pull out the wistle on a few tunes and it was fun hearing him play on Repeal of the Licensing Laws and Waxie's Dargle.

THE SETLIST

(The Boys From The County Hell only)

THE OLD MAIN DRAG
KITTY
USA
PAIR OF BROWN EYES
BILLY'S BONES
BOTTLE OF SMOKE

(With Spider Stacy)

IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WITH GOD
SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET
STREAMS OF WHISKEY
TURKISH SONG OF THE DAMNED
JESSE JAMES
A RAINY NIGHT IN SOHO
REPEAL OF THE LICENSING LAWS
BOAT TRAIN
TUESDAY MORNING
DARK STREETS OF LONDON
BOYS FROM THE COUNTY HELL
WHITE CITY
BROAD MAJESTIC SHANNON
BODY OF AN AMERICAN

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SICK BED OF CUCHULAINN
SALLY MACLENANNE
WAXIE'S DARGLE
BILLY'S BONES
BOYS FROM THE COUNTY HELL

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