Streams of Whiskey

Every now and then, a local band makes good. Long known for their regular gigs at Paddy Reilly's Music Bar and other dates around the city, the Pogues cover band Streams of Whiskey is about to release their first CD, "Streams of Whiskey," on June 1 at Paddy Reilly's. The band is made up of Steve Wickins on lead vocals and drums, Stuart Klinger on guitar and bocals, Sebastian McLaughlin on benjo and mandolin, Karen Kelly on whistle, Jeffrey Young on fiddle and vocals, and Brian Holz on bass.

Founded in 2010 to record the music of songwriter Shane McGowan, the band, whose members hail from Ireland, the UK and the US, play songs from both the Pogues and the Popes. So yes, in some respects, you might call them a "cover band."

But really, what they have done is to reinterpret the music of Shane McGowan. It's not drastic--not McGowan jazzed up or folked out--but it's all their own.

Paddy Reilly's Music Bar is at 519 2nd Ave., NYC.

Gwen Orel runs the blog and podcast New York Irish Arts