Saw Doctors, Barbican
Distinctive Irish rock outfit The Saw Doctors gave a vibrant performance at the Barbican. The Saw Doctors’ audience know what they like and got it with an effective set of well-worn and trusty old tunes ("Clare Island", "This is Me" and the very catchy "Chips" for example) and some interesting new material.
The Barbican wasn’t full but the atmosphere was good. The Saw Doctor’s usual crowd were out in force, and having seen them in York before and in Nottingham a few years ago I have got to know the style of these gigs. There will be young studenty sorts (such as myself) but there will also be overweight middle-aged men in faded band t-shirts and questionable pony-tails. This idiosyncratic audience appeared to enjoy the array of familiar tracks and the more recent stuff as well (from the Saw Doctor’s latest album, Play It Again Sham!).
Having seen the Saw Docs live a few times now I maintain that the best track ever by this clever band is "Chips". The chorus lyrics; "just a big bag of chips and a burger to go" just about say all there is to say about the Saw Doctors, entertaining and ingeniously simple. This is a band that has to be seen to be properly appreciated and to pick up a genuine understanding of their musical character, which is almost unique. A witty blend of restrained rock, brilliant acoustics and matchless lyrics.
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