Coming from Galway, Irish folk-rockers The Saw Doctors have built a 40-plus-year reputation as one of the finest live bands around. Rising to prominence with their 1990 single ‘I Useta Lover’ and the 1991 album ‘If This Is Rock and Roll, I Want My Old Job Back’, The Saw Doctors have maintained the quality and character of their music ever since. After taking a gentle hiatus, the band are returning to the stage for their first 02 City Hall Newcastle show in several years, as part of a short UK winter tour. Damian Robinson caught up with lead guitarist Leo Moran to find out more.
Where do we find you today?
I’m out in Galway for a walk along the sea. It’s a lovely day here – sunny, calm, and I’m enjoying what feels like the tail end of summer.
It’s great to have The Saw Doctors back after a few years away, and returning to the North East…
Thanks! I’d say we were less on a break and more having a bit of a long sleep. With COVID and everything that came with it, it wasn’t easy to get out and play live for a while. But we’ve really enjoyed being back. It’s been refreshing, and I think we all appreciate the live shows even more now.
You’re back at the City Hall for the first time in a while. Do you have any particular memories of Newcastle or the City Hall?
I do indeed. We love playing those older, legacy venues like the City Hall – they’ve got so much history and atmosphere. We always have a great time in Newcastle, one way or another. It’s such a warm city, and people are always up for a sing-a-long and a bit of craic. I remember one show years ago where some of the lads from Lindisfarne joined us on stage – that was a special night. Newcastle always feels like home away from home for us.
What can fans expect from the upcoming tour?
We’re planning a really lively show, as we always do. We’ve only got four shows lined up this time, and Newcastle’s one of them, so it’s a short but special run. Being just before Christmas, people are usually in great spirits and ready for a good night out. We’ll be playing a mix of the old favourites, of course, but we’ve also been working on some new material which we’re excited to share.
Great. So there’s new music on the horizon?
Yeah, definitely. We’ve been writing and recording bits and pieces over the past year. We’re not quite sure yet whether it’ll become a full album or a series of singles, but we’ll probably put something out online once it’s ready. It’s nice to keep things fresh – new songs always energize us and the crowd.
For fans of heartfelt lyrics, anthemic sing-a-longs, and high-energy Irish folk rock, The Saw Doctors’ return promises to be one of the highlights of the winter gig season. They play 02 City Hall in Newcastle on Friday 5th December. Tickets, priced from £46.00 in advance, are available at seetickets.com.
