The Pogues might not have originated from New York City, but their sound and swagger can be found in every Irish bar in New York and the boroughs. It’s not just because they sang the ultimate Christmas tune “Fairytale of New York” — it’s because their emotional, gritty, heartbreaking and fist-in-air anthems and ballads reflect the streets of the Big Apple.
This Saint Patrick’s Day weekend, the music of The Pogues, will be brought back to the city through the musical stylings of the band Dark Streets. Nate Palan and Caitlin Oliver Gans reunited in 2020 after spending the late ’90s and early 2000s in another Pogues tribute (The Kissers) to bring the happy sounds and dark lyrics of Shane MacGowan and company to New York. This weekend the band will bring The Pogues’ iconic album Rum, Sodomy and The Lash (Writer’s Note: One of my dad’s favorite records) to The Bitter End and jumping on board a boat for our friends over at Rocks Off for a show dubbed “Ferrytale of New York.”
We caught up with Nate Palan to discuss the band’s love for The Pogues, the other artists they pay tribute in their shows, the Pogues’ staying power and what lies ahead for Dark Streets.
Dark Streets Are (Band Members & Instruments They Play):
Nate Palan- Vocals, acoustic guitar, whistle
Caitlin Oliver Gans- Bass, harmonica, vocals, whistle
Matthew Iselin- accordion
Bill Bell- Mandolin, tenor banjo, electric guitar
Tom Burmester- banjo, acoustic guitar
Jason Isaac- drums
Year We Formed: 2020
The Story Behind Our Name: There is a song on the first Pogues record called “Dark Streets of London”, and we decided to use that. One of my original concepts for us was to play happy-sounding music with dark lyrics. Turns out, that’s pretty much what The Pogues are all about.
You’ve Seen Us In Other Bands Such As: The Last Nites, The Silos, Half Step, Afroskull
Tell us your origin story — what brought you all together to perform the music of The Pogues?
Caitlin co-founded a Pogues tribute band in 1998 in Madison, Wisconsin called The Kissers. I became a regular attendee from their weekly Monday night show, and eventually convinced them to let me sing a song with them. In 2001, I joined as a full-time member. The band started incorporating original material, so we recorded a few albums and toured the country. Caitlin and I both left the group at different times and lost touch with each other.
After some years passed, we discovered that we had both moved to NYC and decided to start a new project to primarily play around St. Paddy’s Day. The group has since gained some momentum, so we’re playing a bit more frequently!
The Pogues, while they might not be the biggest bands in the world, are still absolutely beloved and staples for so many people around Christmas time and Saint Patrick’s Day. In your opinion, what is it about their music that still resonates with people?
Shane MacGowan deeply understood the merging of great poetry into song form. While being raised in Ireland at an early age before ultimately moving to London, his household celebrated the tradition of Irish folk music by playing these songs all together with the family, the way it was done years ago before radios existed. These experiences helped create the artistry in Shane’s approach to songwriting. The Pogues’ music can stand toe-to-toe with any traditional Irish folk song, and very much has become part of the vernacular.
Talk about your style of performance. I read an AM NY interview with you all, and it stated your sound leans more towards Americana. What was the impetus behind that decision?
There wasn’t any deliberate decision to do things one way or another, other than to really focus on honoring the songs. Although many of us have some Irish blood in the mix, Americana and roots music come from authentic selves. The musicians in our band are mostly Americans (other than Tom, who comes to us from London), so we all have deep appreciation for roots music in general, like The Band, Tom Waits, and Bob Dylan. Instead of trying to be a fake Irish band, we’re filtering the music of The Pogues and of Irish traditions through our own musical experiences. So far, people have appreciated that we focus on the music first. The debauchery side of The Pogues’ legacy is much further down the list of importances.
What are some Pogues deep cuts or forgotten classics that you have in the setlist?
Having performed the entirety of The Pogues’ first two albums, Red Roses for Me and Rum, Sodomy & The Lash, we have learned every album cut and B-Side of that era of the Pogues. The funniest deep cut we play is “Rake at the Gates of Hell,” which was featured on the soundtrack to Straight to Hell — a 1987 film that actually had members of The Pogues, as well as Joe Strummer, Courtney Love, Dennis Hopper, and Elvis Costello in it. It’s a great song that never made it to a proper Pogues record, and it’s a fan favorite.
The band is not limited to just Pogues songs, correct? Can you talk about the other artists you cover and why the band decided to diversify its musical repertoire?
Correct, we try and branch out as much as we can. Honestly, having an accordion in our band informs many of the decisions we make as far as what songs we choose to cover, but it hasn’t limited us too much. It’s actually allowed us to try and reimagine certain songs in a different light. We have a rousing version of “ Aces High” by Iron Maiden. We also play “ Lovesong” by The Cure, “ Only Living Boy in New York” by Simon and Garfunkel, “ Jersey Girl” by Tom Waits, even “ Punk Rock Girl” by the Dead Milkmen. Hopefully, there’s something for everyone there.
You have a huge run coming up in New York to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Week — including the “Ferrytale of New York” cruise show run by our friends at Rocks Off. Let the people know what you have in store for these shows?
Why yes! Speaking of performing an entire album, Saturday, March 15th, we are playing the entirety of The Pogues masterpiece, Rum, Sodomy, & The Lash at the Bitter End, starting at 7:00.
Then of course, Sunday, March 16th at 12:30, the “ Ferrytale of New York” where we play as many nautical-themed songs as we can. Surprisingly, there are a lot in the Pogues catalog.
Later that evening, we will head down to Mama Tried (787 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, NY) for an early evening Paddy’s Day celebration starting at 5:00pm going until we’ve had enough.
On St. Paddy’s Day proper, March 17th, we play at our home, Paddy Reilly’s Music Bar, from 7 through 10.
What are 5 things you’re excited for for Dark Streets in 2025, beyond your Saint Patrick’s run of shows?
We generally shoot from the hip, so it’s anyone’s guess what we do next. I’m working on some originals for the band. We will continue to shock audiences with our unexpected cover choices and generally have a great time playing music with great people for even better fans. What more could a band ask for?
