By Marcy Smith. Published on 03/01/2011 - 11:48pm
As a long time Saw Doctors fan, I was thrilled to be presented with the opportunity to interview Leo Moran, lead guitarist and founding member of the band. I caught up with Moran by phone, after he’d spent a relaxing week fishing on the island of Inisheer, off the Irish coast.
The Saw Doctors US tour will be promoting their latest release, The Future Adventures of the Saw Doctors, released in late 2010. When I asked Moran about the response from the album so far, he said “It’s been very positive, we’re very satisfied. I can actually listen to it myself and enjoy it.”
The Saw Doctors have been together since 1986, formed in a town outside of Galway called Tuam. Though there have been some changes in the lineup over the years, both Leo and Davy Carton have stuck it out. When I asked Moran about the contributions of different band members, he said their sound has evolved over the years. The last four years have had a set line up. Their songs are based on events from their lives, and it’s hard to escape from some of the catchy lyrics. Says Moran “We just hopefully write things about our own lives, and people can draw parallels and see themselves in some of the songs.” Davy and Leo have written the majority of their songs, with many contributions from friends. He mentioned even the drummer has an interest in song writing.
Moran’s favorite Saw Doctors song currently is ‘Same Oul Town.’ He said that side of their repertoire often gets overlooked, and it’s a song he’s always loved. As far as a least favorite, he said the band tires of playing the same songs every night at the same point in the show, so Davy does the list for each show an hour prior. Depending on how the show is going they may drop or add a song. He said they have about 20 songs as a base to work with, crowd pleasers for sure. Those include N17, Green and Red of Mayo, Clare Island, among others.
I asked Moran about favorite venues or places to play, and he mentioned the band is just back from an Australian tour, which enjoyed much success. He longs to play in Japan. Favorite US city for him is New York, he spent time there as a teenager and there’s always loads to do. “Really though you can have a great gig anywhere, shows can be unpredictable, but fans and energy can make a great show, no matter where it is.”
The Saw Doctors US tour kicks off March 3, at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut. They will be playing in Cleveland on March 18 at the House of Blues.
If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of the Saw Doctors while in Cleveland, look for them in the Tremont area. Favorites of the band include Grumpys “for any meal,” 806, Stone Mad and the Treehouse. Moran said the band loves coming to Cleveland because of the great hospitality and lots of friends they’ve made over the years touring here. He also mentioned enjoying a younger crowd here, stating that young crowds are full of energy.
2011 US Tour:
Thurs Mar 3
UNCASVILLE, CT
Mohegan Sun Casino Wolf Den
http://www.mohegansun.com
Fri Mar 4
BOSTON, MA
House of Blues
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Sat March 5
JIM THORPE, PA
Penn's Peak
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Sun Mar 6
NORTHAMPTON, MA
Calvin Theatre
http://www.nbotickets.com
Tues March 8
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY
The Chance
http://www.thechancetheatre.com
Thurs Mar 10
ASBURY PARK, NJ
The Stone Pony
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Fri Mar 11
NEW YORK, NY
Irving Plaza
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Sat Mar 12
NEW YORK, NY
Irving Plaza
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Mon Mar 14
ALEXANDRIA, VA
Birchmere
http://www.birchmere.com
Tues March 15
PORTLAND, ME
Port City Music Hall
http://www.portcitymusichall.com
Thurs Mar 17
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Theatre of the Living Arts
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Fri Mar 18
CLEVELAND, OH
House of Blues
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Sat Mar 19
CHICAGO, IL
Vic Theatre
http://www.etix.com
Mon Mar 21
BOULDER, CO
Boulder Theater
http://www.bouldertheater.com
Tues March 22
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
The Complex
http://www.smithstix.com
Thurs Mar 24
LOS ANGELES, CA
House of Blues
http://www.ticketmaster.com
Fri Mar 25
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Slims
http://www.slimstickets.com
Sat Mar 26
LAS VEGAS, NV
Hard Rock Cafe on the Strip
3771 Las Vegas Blvd South
Across from Monte Carlo
http://www.ticketmaster.com
http://www.ticketweb.com
