THE SAW DOCTORS

Live Review

Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton (2011)

The Galway gang were back in Wolverhampton for what has almost become an annual ritual. 

The boys who come all the way from Tuam, otherwise known as The Saw Doctors, are celebrating 20 years of rousing audiences around the world and show little sign of slowing down. In fact frontman Davy Carton was so eager to get on stage he came on as a cameo backing singer for the support act. 

The Docs hit their fans between the eyes right from the off with Will It Never Stop Raining and from then on Davy and fellow frontman Leo Moran fed the eager crowd what they wanted for the next two hours. All the familiar stuff was there Tommy K, To Win Just Once, Never Mind the Strangers and Why Don’t We Share the Darkness. 

With extended versions of two of their best known anthems Green and Red of Mayo and Clare Island Leo got the chance to show what a fantastic and expert guitarist he is. He knows how to work a crowd and such is the atmosphere he, Davy and the rest of the band create it’s hard to tell sometimes who is entertaining whom. 

They of course gave the rendition of their latest single Downtown, the hit made famous by Petula Clark, in which Davy does a laudable stand-in for her. There were tracks from their latest album the Further Adventures Of… which included Indian Summer and Friday Town. 

The group never let up and were cheered back on stage for the encore which included Bless Me father, What She Said Last Night and of course the one song that has become their signature tune N17. Here’s looking forward to next year’s pilgrimage and long may it continue.