I 'ave faith in you...

Some of you might know how I feel about the Irish...or more accurately, Irish-Americans. For those of you who don't, I'm not so fond. I attribute this directly to working in a conservative Irish pub for years while living in the Italian Market neighborhood of south Philly which, yes, directly correlates to my distaste for most Italian Americans. (Am I verging on bigotry?)

Despite these marked nationality aversions I found myself at one hell of an Irish event. Dear-Friend and I went to the Roseland Ballroom to see the Pogues stumble and curse for an impressive, damn-near 2 hour set...with 2 encores...on the eve of St. Patrick's Day. The boys rocked surprisingly hard especially in consideration of:
A.) how aged they looked,
B.) the complete incoherence of front man Shane MacGowen,
and C.) the mighty fall said front man took on stage during song #2.

Functioning and unrepentant drunks as he have always evoked in me a sense of awe and wonder.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the Gaelic spitfire the Pogues provided the gem of the night, in my eyes, was Billy Bragg. I remember high school weeknights lying in my friend Angie's bedroom talkingabout boys and skateboards and taping Billy Bragg songs from her older brother's vinyl collection on to mixes of Morrissey and early Misfit's 7" B-sides. He played alone. Simple guitar riffs, simple melodies, and simple rhyme schemes, but damned if we didn't play them over and over and over again. How did he create the perfect combination of singer/songwriter, keeper of folk tradition, and still maintain such a rock'n'roll/punk stature? He just did.

His on stage schtick was the perfect mix of modest jokes, gentle ribbing at the US economy, and at the end, a charged yet uplifting political message. "I 'ave faith in you," he repeated over and over again to the crowd, and then he played the song of the same name. It was beautiful to witness someone who has made his image- and money- in the ire of social mal-content still full of piss and vinegar and positivity. A major aspect that has always turned me off of most punks and all anarchists is their lack of responsibility and solution. Yet here we are with an 50-something folk-punk who lives comfortable and across the sea playing guitar hero with his son, trying once again to light a fire under the idle and apathetic asses of America.

"It's such an awful thing to see the country who calls itself the greatest democracy in the world and only 46% of the population votes," he persisted. "The republican pa'ty relies on your cynicism. Get over your cynicism, its the only way. I 'ave faith that you can change this...Fuck Bush!"

I wish I could put up my fav Bragg song, but I don't have/ can't understand why its not on my iPod... so we'll go with my favorite Irish-American rockers... enjoy, and all you lads 'n' lasses, Erin Go Braugh!