What a day, oh what a day.

After all of the debate about the terrorist threat we decided to leave for New York around 4pm. It was actually 3.45pm and it was a very pleasant drive into the city with Jills co-pilot skills at her highest. We had mapquest directions and it was plain sailing all the way to the Holland Tunnel. This is one of two major artery routes into New York and it actually goes under the water a 3 mile stretch of water. Jill has a fear of bridges and these tunnels and the recent tragic event regarding a bridge has heightened her fears. She was brave and we continued into Manhattan. The Fillmore Irving plaza was very close by, in factonly a matter of a few miles and we followed our directions and came across a street market, so we had to deviate from said directions. Eventually after some driving through pedestrian filled streets and asking directions we found our parking area which was promised on the Fillmore website to be discounted. In the end it turned out to be $8 dollars for around six hours, very reasonable. In the ideal un-terrorised world we would have come into New York and spent the whole day, but events in the previous post explained this was not possible.

We emerged from the parking out into the bustle of the city. I had a slight Ferris Bueller feeling after I left the car keys with the attendant, a man of asian decent. Anyway we walked around the block and found the Fillmore our venue where the Saw Doctors will be playing later that night. It seems a less than glamorous venue with scaffolding as a part of it complexion, however I know that most every act that is famous have played there at one point or another, in fact the Saw Doctors on their website tell an amazing story about leaving a message for U2 in the dressing room. Its time to grab something to eat and we walk around for a bit and find a vegan restaurant with an asian influence. Zen Palate is a casual-smart dining experience and without much fuss about where we are seated are taken to the edge of the restaurant nearby to the street and the bustle of the city in the weekend. The sun is strong on us but not oppressive. Jill orders Mango Halo, Tofu/Rice and Mango with decorative sring rolls, Marc has the veggie burger and fried Yams (a type of sweet potato fries). I have to have the Yams also and along with that I order the Dumpling Soup, oh my god!!!!...its massive a large large bowl of soup with various vegetables and many dumplings within. Full with food we can't order desert and Marc has to help me with my dumpling soup.
We walk the short distance to the venue where, while it is still early there is a large contingent of familiar Irish looking jerseys and shirts. Offaly/Galway and Mayo football jerseys are prominent and security are screening people in a casual manner. We get our parking validated for later and we are inside the front of the theatre, it has nice red decorative carpet and wooden stairs, not unlike the Olympia in which the Saw Doctors played in Dublin back in March. It is quiet now and not too many people are here, we decide to go upstairs as the area in front of the stage will likey be packed with people. We find a nice spot and get situated. Unfortunately no seats to be had. The big screen has very trippy designed graphics over cartoons of Fantasia and other disney stuff along with generic ordinary images. While the excitement builds this big screen seems to go on for a long while. Finally after a while and with the theatre filling with people we have our opening act "Emmet Scanlon" a Limerick lad and was just barely rnough to keep everyone interested until the main event arrived after another lenghty interval of trippy visions on the screen.

Anticipation builds and builds and finally to the sounds of "Tales of the Unexpected" that 80's show and with lights a flashing the lads come on stage.

Its great to have the gig start, however it starts out a little slow with for me some unfamiliar songs some slow ones and some covers and then we get to the familiar songs and have a rollicking good time. It always seemd like the gigs last for 4 hours when in fact they are more like 2 hours. Theres the usual banter with the crowd and even a guitar going on auction for a friend of the bands who needs an operation. There is guitar solos and the usual cameo from the keyboard player and there is harmonica solos and saxophone solos. The guys are at ease with the crowd and the gig is all the better for it. They finish the gig and leave, its then that the usual encore implorings come and the shrill sound of (ole ole ole)soccer chanting and banging on the floor boards and balcony boards in perfect harmony. After a steady and constant sound of noise and ole's the band come back for more. They announce that "ye didn't think we were finished did ya?" and they start into more tradmark Saw Doctors songs. Each song now is treasured more than the last one and each song is hoped not to be the last and indeed it is a steady stream of songs seeming to be 45 minutes long until the end does come and the Saw Doctors have had a good reception at the Fillmore Irving Plaza in the fabulous New York City. The band have found their feet again after only being in the states for a few days. The crowd depart and in a sea of "Docs" fans there is a real energy, the energy of a group of people who have had a great night eager to talk about it for the next three hours. A real buzz of excitement for what they had just witnessed, a communal and peaceful aura. The Saw Doctors had performed their magic once again. For us the self proclaimed "Freedom High School 4" we had seen the lads this summer and we had been at the TLA in Philly around March time. I myself had scheduled my trip back home to coincide with the Olympia gig in Dublin in March also. So were are dedicated fans and we will see the band again sooner we hope rather than later. Like junkies we have gotten our fix for a while. Thank you lads.