Preview: The Legendary, Incomparable Pogues [Tonight at Stubbs]

What is left to say that hasn’t been said, written, or sung about this motley crew? Rumors of Shane MacGowan’s death have been greatly exaggerated, and 27 years on from their founding, The Pogues remain one of the rare bands that deserve to be on anyone’s “see before you die” list. The fact that we have an opportunity to witness the London troupe reunited with talisman Shane MacGowan at the helm is somewhat miraculous—after MacGowan was dismissed from the group in 1991 for his erratic and unreliable behavior, the band experimented for a brief time with Joe Strummer and then original member Spider Stacy on vocals before fizzling out temporarily in 1996. Most assumed the group would be relegated to the history books at that point, but the original members (including MacGowan, minus bass player Cait O’Riordan) reunited briefly in 2001, and since then have gradually worked their way up to playing several dates a year.

There’s no new material in the works, so they’re touring on the strength of their five outstanding albums recorded between 1984-1990, the first three of which are bona fide classics in any genre. We’ll spare you the boring rehash of the band’s well-worn talking points: the Irish folk/punk genre, MacGowan’s seemingly impenetrable liver and frightening dental situation, and “Fairytale of New York”, because the bottom line is that it’s the bloody Pogues playing in our own backyard. Their songs are ageless sing-a-long gold, they’re playing Austin tonight for the first time in 20 years, and it may take another 20 for them return. Yes, it’s Wednesday and the show definitely ain’t cheap, but God will be angry with you if you do not see the Pogues at least once in your life, and do you really want to risk incurring wrath of that magnitude? Follow the jump for a little taste of what to expect, we’ll see you there: