Mysterious Glow

Saw the Pogues last night. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. The opening act was awesome. Nashville guitaritst, Justin Townes Earl, Steve Earle’s kid, played some awesome honkytonk guitar as well as Woody Guthrie style folk songs. He was able to create such a sound with a single acoustic guitar, no effects, that I watched it all with my jaw dropped.

When the Pogues hit the stage, Shane MacGowan had to remind us, “Hey! You’re the town that killed JFK!”* Even though that is a sensitive subjects to we Dallas-ites, I forgive him. I’m convinced that my town has no other history than that. He also violated the strict no-smoking policy of House of Blues, by lighting up a cigarette, but Shane only breathes smoke and not oxygen like your or I. It would have been nice to have subtitles on a video screen, like you see at the opera, because I couldn’t understand a word Shane MacGowan says even if he were stone-cold sober, which he wasn’t.

The band was incredibly tight. I think the line-up was the same as If I Should Fall From Grace With God, which might be my favorite Pogues album. Shane was not too drunk. I was happy with the songs they played, although it would have been nice to hear Fairytale of New York, but maybe that is a Christmas song.

Chris and I were going so bezerk, that we probably should have been in General Admission. Maybe next time, but I suspect there won’t be a next time. The last time the Pogues played in Dallas was twenty years ago.

After the show, Chris and I were going down the stairs, to get out the place. A guy stared at us and said something. I couldn’t hear, so I thought he asked if we liked the show or something. I gave him the “okay” symbol my hands and said, “It was great!”

Chris later said the guy was saying, “Padres…Padres.” That is not even a real slang word. I guess I could imagine someone calling a guy “Padre” but it would be stupid to call my wife a “Father”. In his defense, we were wearing black — but only because we’re cool, — and not because we were entering seminary school.

Perhaps he was looking for someone to confess to and absolve him of sin. If I would have known that I would have given him a quick In nomine Patris et fillii et Spiritus Sancti , ask him if he had Jesus in his heart, touch his private parts, and then send him on his way. Can’t be that difficult to be a priest.

* I would make the case that Dallas isn’t responsible for killing JFK. I won’t get into conspiracy theory, but for sake of argument, let’s say that Lee Harvey Oswald killed the President. He wasn’t fucking from here, ok? He was from Louisiana, so everyone should be mad at them. Horrible Lousianananans. A terrible bunch.