All filmed by VH1 - part shown on VH1/ITV see also [Fleadh VH1/ITV]

The Fleadh - Finsbury Park 10th June 2000

See personal reviews by [Malc 'Old Boy Wonder'] [Cliff] The Set Here Comes The Summer You've Got My Number Family Entertainment Jimmy Jimmy Girls That Don't Talk She's A Runaround It's Going To Happen Male Model Julie Ocean Wednesday Week There Goes Norman My Perfect Cousin Girls Don't Like It Billy's Third Tearproof Let's Talk About Girls Teenage Kicks I Gotta Getta When Saturday Comes True Confessions I Know A Girl Get Over You

Paul From OK Issue 218

See reviews by [Malc 'Old Boy Wonder'] [Cliff] BBC Online "The real spirit of the festival came from the Undertones - surprisingly - who even without Feargal Sharkey gave the Fleadh a real kick - despite their hits being almost two decades old".

Irish Post Fleadh Magazine

"We don't look that old. We don't look ancient We haven't all lost our hair and got fat" So you've aged gracefully then? "We've aged gracefully. Yeah that's a nice way to put it."

Speaking on the phone to Damian O'Neill of The Undertones it's hard not to imagine "men of a certain age" pogoing to punk anthem Teenage Kicks and wondering if it really is a good idea. Former Undertones singer Feargal Sharkey certainly doesn't think so and will not be performing with his old bandmates at The Fleadh. "I have a healthy disrespect for ageing popstars" he said in the press recently when asked about The Undertones gigs. Any chance of a spat between two old punks then? "Ach no comment" says Damian diplomatically. "I don't want to get into a stupid slagging match. As far as I'm concerned he is missing out because we are having a good time."

It certainly sounds that way. O'Neill is in good form and sounds like he is genuinely enjoying being back with the band. "We're all getting blasts of just playing together again. I had forgotten how good it feels," he says.

The Undertones split up 17 years ago and there was no plan to get back together until The Saw Doctors intervened by inviting former bass player, Michael Bradley, and drummer, Billy Doherty, to join them on stage for a couple of The Undertones' songs. Damian and his brother John were also asked to join them numerous times and refused until they eventually succumbed to the Tuam charm at the Galway Festival last year. They went on to play a storming gig in their home town at Derry's Nerve Centre and now they are playing The Fleadh. Nevertheless, Damian is eager to point out that the band don't have any long-term plans and there aren't any aspirations to write new songs. Damian says: "This is just one sporadic gig. We also have one in Dublin in August and maybe if that goes well, then next year we will do one or two more again but that's it. Everyone's got their own jobs. I'm doing me own musical thing so, y'know - I'll be too busy."

"So the band are not officially back together then?"

"Some people may criticise us and say maybe you shouldn't be doing this, you're spoiling the name and the credibility of the band, but we are just doing a couple of concerts. We are not reforming."

A notable absence at The Fleadh will be Sharkey who is replaced by Paul McLoone, lead singer with Derry band The Carolines. The first time Damian and Feargal spoke in 10 years was at John Peel's 60th birthday party last year. Afterwards, Sharkey was asked to join the band for a couple of gigs but declined the invitation. How does Damian think the audience will react to Sharkey's absence?

"Well its going to be tough on Paul more than anybody especially the first few songs," says Damian. "The pressure is going to be on but it's going to be OK. Paul is a very good singer. There's going to be a lot of people there expecting Feargal Sharkey, who was a very unique part of The Undertones but I keep stressing that they are actually our songs, they're not Feargal's songs. We [Damian and brother John] were the songwriters so we have every right to do these songs with somebody else singing."

So what's in store for those of us that missed the band first time round?

"We're playing the songs as fast as we used to and we're determined to capture the spirit of the first record," he says. "I think there will be a lot of people your age who will be saying what's all the fuss about this band. I hope, well I know we'll win you over. We'll knock your socks off I"