Kicking things off promptly at eight was Montreal blues guitarist Shane Murphy, known in west end circles for his omnipresence in bars, clubs, and local media. As such, audience members could be seen milling about during his ten-song performance, while conserving energy for what they sensed was coming. Drawn-out periods for arrangement of the Byzantine musical setups allowed the charismatic front man to practice his French, gently provoke, and otherwise banter with his bandmates, keeping energies at a high as the throng stomped and shouted ‘Ole, Ole, Ole’. The Pogues finished their last of five punchy encores in dramatic fashion, plunging into high-tempo favourites ‘Streams of Whiskey’, and ‘Sally McLennane’. Donald is the host of Eastern Promises, an exploration of the music of Eastern Canada, on air every other Sunday from 8-9pm