With the nano set to random in the car yesterday, up came Fairytale of New York, the Pogues song written by Shane MacGowan and Jem Shiner and featuring the voice of one of the few women who could have gone toe to toe with MacGowan, the late Kirsty MacColl. It’s not just one of the few Christmas songs I can tolerate, it’s one of the few that sounds good any time of the year. How can you not love a Christmas song that includes the lyrics, “You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot, Happy Christmas your arse.”

I saw the Pogues in concert when they were first getting started. It was in London circa 1984 and they were opening for Elvis Costello. The crowd loved them and I did too but I confess to thinking that they were at best a novelty act. Had you told me then that I’d still be listening to them 25 years later, I would have scoffed to say the least.

And then, through the vagaries of the shuffle programming, up came my favorite Kirsty MacColl track, My Affair. Lyrically it’s about a woman declaring her independence and it matches that theme musically – starting off with some guitars and violin in a western swing mode, then the horns kick in and it swerves free-form between pure pop and salsa; by the end she’s singing in Spanish. It’s kind of criminal that most people who know MacColl know her more for writing a song that was a minor hit for Tracy Ullman than for her own work. Never got to see her live, I’m sure it would have been memorable though.

Another Irish singer I’ve never seen, Gavin Friday, headlined a benefit tribute concert at Carnegie Hall in NYC last night. The show, produced by Hal Willner, was a benefit for RED. Accompanying Friday at various points were U2, Courtney Love, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Scarlett Johansson, Rufus Wainwright, Lydia Lunch, Shane MacGowan, Joel Grey, Flo & Eddie, Antony Hegarty, Bill Frisell, Martha Wainwright, Andrea Corr, Maria McKee, John Zorn, Lady Gaga and a reunion of Friday’s group the Virgin Prunes. All on one stage, all in one night.

Sigh.

What live shows are coming up in Hong Kong? Oh yes, the “Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Concert” starring Tony McKay, the “world’s number 1 Michael Jackson impersonator.” “Tony McKay is born with a Michael Jackson face. Incorporating this appearance with his natural ability in dancing, he is able to resemble the original by 90%.” I presume that was scientifically calculated, but given Michael Jackson’s frequent dramatic physical changes, shouldn’t they tell us if he resembles the 1981 or 1991 or 2001 versions? Kind of like going to see an Elvis impersonator and getting Old Fat Elvis instead of Young Skinny Elvis.

Over at the Venetian Macao, this weekend there’s the “Kinky Malinki Pool Party.”

At least the Global Battle of the Bands is also on this weekend, I’m judging again on Saturday night, 9 PM at the Melting Pot in Soho. I think there are eleven bands competing that night (2 songs each). So be there or … be someplace else, I guess.

Hongkie Town
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