Irish punk rockers The Pogues have set themselves up for a nine-show stint on the East Coast this spring. The four-city run kicks off with a March 9 concert at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, GA, and wraps with a two-night stand on March 20-21 at the new House of Blues Venue in Boston, MA.

The St. Patrick’s Day run will round out with a couple three-night stands: March 12-14 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, NY; and March 16-18 at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC. The iconic band was supposed to open their U.S. run with March 7 appearance at the Langerado Music Festival at Bicentennial Park in Miami, FL, but the festival has been cancelled as of the afternoon of February 3.

Founded in the early 1980s and fronted by tabloid-hounded lead singer Shane MacGowen, the Pogues are notable for their blend of politically themed punk and traditional Irish folk music. Though they’ve had the most music chart success in their native UK, the band has built a sizeable U.S. following since the 1984 debut “Red Roses for Me.”

However, the band has had its fair share of troubles, largely fueled by MacGowan’s struggles with drug addiction and binge drinking. His personal problems interfered increasingly with touring and recording responsibilities, forcing the group to fire him in 1991 before disbanding completely in 1996.

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It wasn’t until 2001 that the Pogues reunited, with MacGowan at the helm, for seasonal tours of the UK, eventually branching out to include U.S. runs. Though the band has not released any new material since 1996’s “Pogue Mahone,” and despite MacGowan’s reputation for performing drunk, the band continues to receive positive live reviews.

In a March 2008 concert review, the Washington Post noted, “MacGowan still has a banshee wail to beat Howard Dean’s, and the singer’s abrasive growl is all a band this marvelous needs to give its amphetamine-spiked take on Irish folk a focal point.”


The Pogues itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)

March 7 Miami, FL Bicentennial Park
March 9 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
March 12 – 14 New York, NY Roseland Ballroom
March 16 – 18 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
March 20 – 21 Boston, MA House Of Blues