My God. First The Welch Boys opened up the show, and rocked the house. They were really good, good enough in fact, to convince me to buy their CD. That was just the begining! Next up was "The Threat" or "A Global Threat", take your pick. I wouldn't buy their CD, but I'd see them in show again. Then after a 35 minute equptment change/ small riot with people hanging from the rafters, breaking the non-working ceiling fan, and sexurity using bottles of water to "controll" the crowd.
Then the lights went dark, and as the "Lets Go Murphys!" chants rose up from the crowd, "The Foggy Dew" by the Chieftans, with Sinead O'Connor on vocals started to play, and the crowd pushed forward, and they broke the house down! We had a real treat when Kay Hanley performed The Dirty Glass with the guys! They tore through a set list of some 25 songs before they even took a short (2 minute) intermission after The Spicy McHaggis Jig.
As soon as intermission ended, they performed "Teenage Wasteland" by The Who (which is my friend Nicks favorite band) and then after two songs from their latest Album 'The Warriors Code' they ended their show like they always do, with "Skinhead on the MBTA", The fans are allowed on stage. So everyone was jumping the rail but security was trying to stop it so by the time I made it, my boy Nick didn't get up, so I grabbed his arm and yanked him clear over the security guard and the rail and up on to the stage.
The band was ripping into the song, the microphone was passed around and we all got to help sing the song! It was the coolest thing I have ever experienced! Then, after the band ended the show, I shook the guitarists hand, and then helped Nick look for his keys he lost crowd surfing. Then the band came back out to meet some of the fans, and rather than get autographs, I was fortunate to have a few short meaningful conversations with the guys from the band!
Man it was so sweet! My ears are still ringing, I'm bruised up pretty good from the pit, and I have more new T-Shirts than I know what to do with!
Kevin