UK & Ireland December 2010

[in_the_morning]

Hi everyone!

I've traveled in many cities to see The Pogues... Boston, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Vitoria Gasteiz...
But I always wanted to see them in their home country.

What prevented me to do so was that their annual UK/Ireland tour was always in December.

When I see The Pogues in a place I've never been, I always took a couple of weeks to visit the city and explore nearby attractions. If I was to go to this tour, I would surely want to visit London, Edinburgh, Dublin and maybe more cities (but at least those three).

I've read that in December, it's cold, windy, rainy and it's dark (days are shorter). I still haven't made up my mind yet about whether I should go or not.

I'm asking for advices from local people.
Is this a good time to explore those cities in December?
Should I visit those cities in the summer instead (because I want to visit them someday for sure) and see The Pogues elsewhere (or maybe summer festival).

Please be honest in your answers
I wouldn't want to put a lot of money and effort and not enjoy my trip because of the weather (and darkness).
As a background, I'm from Quebec City, Canada (near Montréal).

Thanks !

I saw the Pogues last christmas in London (Brixton Academy) and the whole trip was marvellous. Of course, it was rainy, cold, days were short and in the end it was snowing and we weren't sure whether our plane at Stansted Airport would fly us back under those circumstances...we waited quite long at the airport. But London is just magic itself, really. And around christmas, the atmosphere in the city is very special. Now I was there last August as well, so I got quite different feelings in December, because the whole atmosphere changed. It certainly is a wonderful thing to "wander the dark streets of London" when you have christmas lights and stuff everywhere and it's just magnificent. The only thing you have to bear is the cold weather of course. Another thing is, that the streets are pretty packed (especially Oxford Street) because everybody wants to buy presents and stuff like that, but the streets are packed during the summer as well, because it's London with 8 Million inhabitants...I think it's always worth visiting the city, and especially during the christmas period, because of the special atmosphere. When you can combine this with seeing the Pogues a few days before Christmas, it's really something that I don't think about for very long, just booking a cheap plane and hotel and having fun. So, hope to see you there this christmas

[Paddy Q]

your fellow Canadian Adam is right on the money! There's plenty to do in Dublin during the Xmas season. We've stayed several times at Eliza Lodge in Temple Bar. You're within walking distance of everything--shopping on Grafton O'Connell and Nassau St., Trinity College, Stephens Green, National Gallery, National Museum, St Pat's and Christchurch, Dublin Castle. Temple Bar is a little pricey but there are several pubs with trad, or you're within walking distance of others with trad like O'Donoghues, Brazen Head, O'Shea's Merchants.

Paddy Q there is a 24 hour parking garage on Fleet St. in Temple Bar, expensive but about the only one in that area. Driving in downtown Dublin is not fun. If you don't absolutely have to I'd avoid it.

Thanks mcguck...planning needed i think

[Fr. McGreer]

your fellow Canadian Adam is right on the money! There's plenty to do in Dublin during the Xmas season. We've stayed several times at Eliza Lodge in Temple Bar. You're within walking distance of everything--shopping on Grafton O'Connell and Nassau St., Trinity College, Stephens Green, National Gallery, National Museum, St Pat's and Christchurch, Dublin Castle. Temple Bar is a little pricey but there are several pubs with trad, or you're within walking distance of others with trad like O'Donoghues, Brazen Head, O'Shea's Merchants.

Paddy Q there is a 24 hour parking garage on Fleet St. in Temple Bar, expensive but about the only one in that area. Driving in downtown Dublin is not fun. If you don't absolutely have to I'd avoid it.

Thanks mcguck...planning needed i think

Paddy Q, what direction are you coming into Dublin from and are you driving home straight after the gig? I don't bother driving into the city. From the south i park at the Red Cow and get the Luas in. Saves sitting in traffic for an hour.

[Paddy Q]

I'll be coming from Belfast on the new road...after that i'm relying on google maps to be honest

[Paddy Q]

And yes i was goin to go back that night.

But i don't mind staying if its worth saving the hassle of tryin to get back.

[philipchevron]

And yes i was goin to go back that night.

But i don't mind staying if its worth saving the hassle of tryin to get back.

For what it's worth, Dublin hotel rooms, even very good Dublin hotel rooms, are currently the least expensive they're ever likely to be.

[Paddy Q]

Thanks Phillip, maybe i'll get the tickets first before making any big plans

[mctoon]

Heres hoping the Manc gig will be a saturday night, the toon on a thursday and Manc on a saturday, happy xmas, happy days , close guess Mr C?

[Mark_Wafc]

THE POGUES O2 Academy Glasgow Glasgow MON 13/12/2010 19:30 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:30
THE POGUES O2 Academy Newcastle Newcastle TUE 14/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Sheffield Sheffield THU 16/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES Apollo Manchester FRI 17/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham SAT 18/12/2010 18:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Brixton London MON 20/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Brixton London TUE 21/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00

[philipchevron]

THE POGUES O2 Academy Glasgow Glasgow MON 13/12/2010 19:30 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:30
THE POGUES O2 Academy Newcastle Newcastle TUE 14/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Sheffield Sheffield THU 16/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES Apollo Manchester FRI 17/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham SAT 18/12/2010 18:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Brixton London MON 20/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00
THE POGUES O2 Academy Brixton London TUE 21/12/2010 19:00 tickets on sale
03/09/2010 09:00

Dublin Olympia - Wed 8 and Thur 9 December
Killarney - Sat 11 December

[MissWalshy]

Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !!!!

[Manni]

See you in Dublin..... Yipiiiieh

[Ginger Man]

Mr Chevron,

My copy of Time Out has just dropped through the letterbox and I see the London gigs are billed as part of the "Farewell Christmas Tour". Is it Christmas that's going or should we looking at this as the last Christmas tour?

[philipchevron]

Mr Chevron,

My copy of Time Out has just dropped through the letterbox and I see the London gigs are billed as part of the "Farewell Christmas Tour". Is it Christmas that's going or should we looking at this as the last Christmas tour?

This claim does not come from me and I will neither be supporting it nor discussing it. You may consider it a marketing ploy if you wish.

[Spider Stacy]

This is the last Christmas tour for the foreseeable future. That's not to say we won't be showing up at festivals here and there or maybe even the odd gig around the UK and Ireland and certainly in Europe. But we're tired of dragging our weary, freezing carcasses around these drowning islands every December, so we're going to give it a rest before you get tired of it too.

Go and see the Libertines. They're the best.

Spider