FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Shameless Promotion Presents
The Boys from the County Hell 3rd Annual Halloween Concert
at HAPPY DOG 5801 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland (216) 651-9474
The show begins at 9 p.m. $8 at the door or $6 with a costume.

Contact info:
Billy Scanlon or Corinne Henahan (216) 651-9474
Written by Leslie Basalla (216) 773-2567

The Boys from the County Hell howl into the Happy Dog for Halloween

Fast becoming legendary on the Cleveland rock scene for their incendiary, whiskey-soaked live shows, Pogues tribute band the Boys from the County Hell will return to the room that spawned them on October 29, when they bring their Celtic punk to the Happy Dog’s annual Halloween party.

“A lot of people think our first gig was at the Euclid Tavern,” mandolin player Chris Allen said. “But it was actually at the Happy Dog. We had to try out the live show first, so we played the warm up to the St. Patrick’s Day show here.”

Since that initial show in 1999, the band has garnered praise both locally and worldwide, and amassed a fiercely devoted fanbase for its authentic reproduction of the true Pogues sound and experience. The band’s reputation reached its zenith last year, when the Boys were asked to play a series of shows in Las Vegas and Bangkok, Thailand during the week of St. Patrick’s Day. The group has even attracted the attention of original Pogues tin whistle player Spider Stacy, with whom they toured in 2003.

The Boys are still awestruck by how far an act that started as something of a lark has carried them. When asked if they ever expected the group to take on the life of its own that it has, Allen and singer/guitarist Doug McKean both responded with a rousing, “hell no.”

In spite of all its international glories, the band still seems to have the most fun at home, playing for its loyal Cleveland crowd, and members continue to pay respect to the venues and people who supported them from the beginning. Its return to the Happy Dog this Halloween marks something of a homecoming for the band.

“It’s good to be back at the Happy Dog this year,” Allen said. “We
played our first Halloween show at (owner Billy Scanlon’s) old
place the Starkweather two years ago, and we wanted to play at the
Happy Dog last year, but the bar wasn’t ready, so we had to move
the show. We told Billy we’d be back this year.”

As in past years, the band will appear in a group costume. This
year’s get-ups promise to be the most humorous and elaborate yet,
but the Boys won’t reveal the theme. Past costumes included McKean dressed as Batman with the rest of the band in Robin costumes, and last year’s outing as the cast of “Ghostbusters.”

Like the band’s usual array of Christmas, New Year’s and St. Patrick’s Day shows, Halloween serves as yet another occasion and excuse for fans to revel in the alcohol-drenched spirit of the Pogues’ music.
“Even if there isn’t a holiday attached to the gig, I think the show itself becomes the occasion,” McKean said.

“We’ve a thirst like a gang of devils, we’re the boys from the county hell.”

Admission is $8 at the door or $6 with a costume. The show begins at 9 p.m.

Happy Dog is located at 5801 Detroit Avenue, in Cleveland. For directions or more information, call (216) 651-9474 or visit www.happydog58.com

View the poster by Parker
The Boys from the County Hell official website
Shameless Promotion
View the old poster from March 9, 2000
Happy Dog Entertainment Schedule