February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Like these other groundbreaking artists, the Saw Doctors find themselves faced with the challenge of creating and defining a new style of music. And if that sounds like a lofty goal for the Galway-based band, one viewing of their new concert DVD, ?The Saw Doctors in Concert: Live in Galway,? makes it clear that they?ve got a shot at succeeding.
Filmed at the Black Box concert hall in Galway during the summer of 2002, ?Live in Galway? is a snapshot of the band during a period of transition. Directed by Steven Lock and produced by Tyrone Productions (the company that created ?Riverdance?) it was filmed shortly after the departure of longtime bassist Pearce Doherty, who?d had retired a few months earlier, and after the addition of new members, most notably former Waterboy Anto Thistlethwaite (bass, mandolin, harmonica) and Derek Murray (keyboards and accordion). The ?greatest hits? set list reflects the group?s past and present, showcasing both their enormous catalog of great material and their unexpected range.
Fronted by lead singer Davy Carton, the band slips easily from the trad-rock sound of ?N-17? to the showband-y vibe of ?Tommy K.? Old favorite ?I Useta Lover,? is reimagined as an all-out rocker instead of the usual swingy country number. Carton can convey a wistful sadness in songs like ?Red Cortina? and ?Same Oul? Town,? and then switch gears completely for raucous crowd-pleasers like ?Bless Me Father? and ?I?ll Be on my Way.? He gives his powerful voice free rein on ?Exhilarating Sadness? and the majestic ?Green and Red of Mayo,? whose instrumentals would not be out of place on a Bruce Springsteen track.
Though fairly quiet and self-effacing offstage, Carton morphs into a dazzling performer in front of a microphone. He interacts with the audience throughout the show, at times having trouble containing his sheer glee as he winks at friends or does a Chuck Berry-style duck walk through a musical bridge. He chuckles wickedly through ?Bless me Father,? and his laughter is contagious on the teenage boasting of ?That?s What She Said. ?
Guitarist Leo Moran can?t compete with Carton in the vocal arena, and doesn?t pretend to try. But his slightly reedy, average person-type voice adds texture to his delicate poem-songs, most notably ?Clare Island? and ?Galway and Mayo.? The latter is, surprisingly, the standout moment in a terrific show, as the main number segues into ?Maroon and White,? a poem half sung, half spoken by Moran over Thistlethwaite?s subtle harmonica playing. Moran also takes the lead on ?Hay Wrap,? a rambling conversation about farming set to a irresistible banjo-picking beat. This never fails to drive the audience into a frenzy, and the capacity crowd at the Black Box was no exception, as they danced around, hands flailing.
The DVD also includes a full-length documentary about the Saw Doctors, ?Different Kind of World.? The filmmakers follow the band as they saunter through the streets of Tuam and perform an acoustic set in a local pub. Featuring interviews with Carton and Moran, and commentary by former Minister for the Arts Michael D. Higgins, T.D. (the subject of one of the band?s catchiest songs, ?Michael D.?), Irish Times journalist John Waters and comedian Tommy Tiernan, the 50-minute film provides a rare view into the working of the band.
?There?s something slightly pagan about them,? says Higgins, who calls their music ?authentic.? Waters characterizes their music, which is centered in Tuam as ?universal? and ?undeniably rock and roll,? while Tiernan describes the Saw Doctors as ?great craic.? Moran sums up the band?s style as ?trash-ditional.?
The best thing about the documentary is the chance to hear a stripped-down version of some familiar Saw Doctors songs, as the guys perform around a campfire on the beach or in a pub. Drummer James Higgins, formerly of the traditional band Altan, is clearly in his element during the acoustic sets. It?s fascinating to watch him play the bodhr