The Undertones at le Poisson Rouge

The Undertones formed in 1974 in Derry, Northern Ireland. Vocalist Feargal Sharkey, guitarist brothers Damian O'Neill and John O'Neill, bassist Michael Bradley, and drummer Billy Doherty learned about music by listening to British radio and mail order records, and reading an occasional British music publication. They rehearsed cover songs at the O'Neill home and in the shed of a neighbor. In 1976, the band began playing local venues, including schools, parish halls, and the scout hut where Sharkey was a scout leader. Sharkey also worked as a television repairman and delivery man, and used his job's van to transport the band's equipment to the shows. Soon named the Undertones, the band in 1976 gravitated to the new punk rock scene and began performing three-chord pop punk material. "Teenage Kicks" and other songs made the Undertones a U.K. hit, with marginal success in America. After four studio albums, Sharkey left the Undertones in 1983 and the remaining members disbanded. In 1999, the Undertones reunited and recruited vocalist Paul McLoone (Sharkey declined to rejoin), and recorded two more studio albums. The Undertones' sixth and most recent album is 2007's Dig Yourself Deep.

The Undertones headlined at le Poisson Rouge tonight, with another show tomorrow at the Gramercy Theatre. After a fine opening set by Baby Shakes, the Undertones performed all 14 tracks of the group's debut album in celebration of its 40th anniversary, plus 16 additional songs from the band's later catalogue. The fast-paced set matched pop melodies to loud guitar riffs, raging power chords, and firm rock and roll rhythms. The songs' intrinsic arrangements were as basic as they could be, with virtually no extended instrumental solos or experimental flourishes. This simplicity was perhaps the charm of the Undertones' performance, demonstrating that vocal hooks floating over three chords is the eternal definition of rock and roll.

Setlist:

1. Family Entertainment
2. I Gotta Getta
3. Jump Boys
4. It's Going to Happen
5. Tearproof
6. I'm Recommending Me
7. Jimmy Jimmy
8. When Saturday Comes
9. Girls That Don't Talk
10. Thrill Me
11. The Love Parade
12. Male Model
13. Here Comes the Rain
14. True Confessions
15. Teenage Kicks
16. Here Comes the Summer
17. Dig Yourself Deep
18. I Know a Girl
19. Nine Times out of Ten
20. Oh Please
21. You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!)
22. Wednesday Week
23. Girls Don't Like It
24. (She's a) Runaround
25. Get Over You (with Baby Shakes)

Encore:

1. Billy's Third
2. There Goes Norman
3. Listening In
4. Hypnotised
5. My Perfect Cousin