Galway Advertiser 1999/1999_02_18/GA_18021999_E1_035.pdf 

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ENTERTAINMENT
GALWAY'S MOST COMPREHENSIVE ENTERTAINMENT G U I D E - E D I T E D B Y Jeff O ' C o n n e l l

Saw Docs play Rag Week...
Ihe Saw D o c t o r s h a v e travelled from one side of t h e e a r t h t o t h e o t h e r , bringing their blend of eclectic Irish traditional music, fused somewhat with a definite rock edge, to t h e masses. They n e v e r , despite t h e i r m u c h b r o a d e r a u d i e n c e in t h e USA, t u r n a w a y from either their roots o r playing to smaller crowds in G a l w a y city and hinterland. Next week is no exception. The Doctors take to the stage as part of NUI.G's college 'rag' week (The Warwick, Wednesday February 24), and bass player Pearce Doherty, while relaxing on a stool in the Front Door pub over a cup of coffee, explains why: "If we didn't play these gigs, there wouldn't be any point in going on. We would have lost the essential element of what the Saw Doctors are. We have always had a closeness to the crowd, and without it, we would become something we're not." This closeness to the crowd, and the fact their gigs are energetic and very entertaining either sitting watching from the back or jumping around close to the front, is one of the reasons the band chose to play Beal an Daingin just before their British tour last year. The venue, which is located in a very rural part of Connemara, has the capacity to hold 800, but on the night it was crammed with locals and visitirs to witness the Doctors in action. Songs from Sun Street, indeed all of the Saw Doctor's albums, have been selling extremely well in the States, although sales on this side of the Atlantic for their latest haven't been as impressive. Same Oul Town, released in 1996 on the Shamtown label, went to Silver status for sales of 60,000, and two singles of the album charted in the top 20 in the UK. Doherty explains that they have not done a full Irish tour in quite a while, and instead have been in the States for a long time. "The thing about Ireland is, since our last number one was "I Useta Love Her", it's what people automatically see us as. That was nine years ago, and until we peak the charts again, well be branded with that. We get people at our Irish gigs


by Keith Barrett

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TheSawDoctors
S O N G S F R O M S U N S T R E E T

and on the streets shouting, 'Hey, I Useta Love Her, wahey...', and we're like, 'great man, whatever'. We don't play that song anymore." I can still remember when it was number one, and it does n't feel like nine years ago. This latest album sees a number of interesting elements come together, one of which is the fact it was recorded entirely in Sun Street Studios, Tuam. Although the Saw Doctors have recorded a number of previous singles at the studio, they never recorded an entire album. And according to Doherty, it was an enjoyable experience. "Prior to this album, we recorded in London, which was initially great. But when you spend all day in the same stu dio, and all night in the same pub, with all the same faces around you for a number of weeks, and all away from our families; it loses its appeal. In Tuam, we worked all day, and sometimes ail night, but after a hard slog we returned home to our families, which was the best thing about the whole experience." Another side-effect of working in Tuam was the addition once again of Padraig Stevens to the recording process. A friend of Leo's from years gone by, he co-wrote and drummed on a number of the tracks on the album. While a second drummer in a group would appear to be a prime situ ation for friction, it was actually a mild affair. "While Padraig was in the studio with us, primarily as a songwriter, John Donnelly was off in Hawaii playing on someone else's album. When John returned, it all just slipped into place." So while many people haven't been keeping their eyes on the Saw Doctors for the past while, they've been far from quiet. Their latest album. Songs from Sun Street is in the shops, and well worth giving a whirl on the stereo. You never know, after all this time of not seeing them, you may find that they've lost none of their country charm, and a sort of we-came-here-to-play-so-let's-have-some-fun attitude. A band who take it all with a pinch of salt, they're one of the better bands on the bill for Galway's first rag week of 1999. Be there, if you have any measure of fun in your bodies.

IF

Win Saw Doctors stuff

rom the organisers of Rag Week, the Saw Doctors i themselves, and the Galway Advertiser, there's a them we* bit of a competition this week. Two winners! I will receive a pair of tickets to the forthcoming gig la the! Warwick aad a signed copy of the new album, Songs {from Sum Street each; while two runners up will get a signed copy of the album. All you have to do is this following question: Where was Songs from Sun Street recorded? Was it: a) Belgrade. b) The shores of Lake Kittakittaooloo in Australia, r I Tuam iswers on the back of a postcard to t h e Gals vertiser, 2 / 3 Church Lane, Galway. Entries to