The Pogues have opened a time capsule from 1987, releasing the first ever live performance of Fairytale Of New York, captured at Glasgow Barrowland on 17 December 1987. The moment marks the first time Kirsty MacColl ever sang the now iconic duet with the band, during a show that has since become part of Pogues folklore. The newly restored recording has been revived by original producer Steve Lillywhite, who has brought fresh life to the raw desk tape while preserving the ferocity of the night.
Fairytale Of New York had only reached the world weeks earlier, recorded in August 1987 and released that November. The song had already begun its journey towards becoming an enduring Christmas anthem, although no one present at Barrowland that night could have imagined the legacy the track would carry. Written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan, Fairytale Of New York had endured two years of rewrites and studio reshaping before the recording finally came together with Kirsty’s defining vocal.
The Barrowland gig marked the first moment Kirsty ever performed the duet on stage with The Pogues. Her entrance triggered an immediate eruption from the Glasgow crowd, chanting her name before the now unmistakable piano line began. Shane delivered the opening verse with his trademark grit, then Kirsty answered with the same fierce energy that helped shape the track into a classic. Although she was plagued by stage fright at the time, the performance reveals no trace of nerves, only the conviction that made her delivery unforgettable.
Lillywhite recorded the original desk feed himself, unsure at the time whether the moment would matter to anyone beyond the band. With modern production tools, he has rebuilt the recording from its rough and distorted roots, retaining the electricity that defined every Pogues show of the era. The result captures the band performing slightly faster than the studio version, driven by the atmosphere of a room ready to erupt. Lillywhite describes the restoration as a labour of love, a chance to honour the song, his late former wife and the band’s legacy.
The revived track arrives as part of a new limited edition Zoetrope 12” vinyl EP, available from 12 December. The EP features artwork inspired by the original Fairytale Of New York music video, a visual reference that connects the new release with the era that produced the song. The EP includes the original version, the newly released Barrowland live performance, an instrumental version and a live recording of Dirty Old Town from the same 1987 show. The EP also arrives on streaming and download services.
EP Tracklisting
Side A
Fairytale Of New York (Original Version)
Fairytale Of New York (Live At Glasgow Barrowland, 1987)
Side B
Dirty Old Town (Live At Glasgow Barrowland, 1987)
Fairytale Of New York (Instrumental)
Fairytale Of New York has grown far beyond its original impact. Since 1987, it has returned to the UK Top 20 more than twenty times and has become the most played Christmas song of the 21st century in the UK. Its story of battered dreams, immigrant struggle and damaged love continues to resonate, turning the track into an unlikely seasonal anthem that remains unmatched for emotional honesty.
The Pogues released Fairytale Of New York during a creative peak that produced their 1988 album If I Should Fall From Grace With God, an era marked by folk influences, punk energy and a deep sense of cultural memory. The Barrowland recording serves as a rare snapshot of that moment, capturing Shane and Kirsty embodying their characters with complete abandon. The song has endured through reissues, charity releases and tributes, including its return to number one in Ireland following Shane MacGowan’s passing in 2023.
This new live version exists as both a historical document and a celebration. It offers long-time fans a glimpse of the song’s earliest life and introduces newer listeners to the raw force that shaped The Pogues on stage. For a track that has defined Christmas for decades, hearing its first breath live adds new meaning to a song already loaded with emotion.
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