No, I don’t think so, given the huge, raucous cheer ringing around the Ironworks, Inverness, last Thursday when he finally arrived onstage.

Still, whatever the motivation, the place was packed. No doubt with many more than respectful of the talents of international star Sharon, her fine band and a set which majored on traditional delights such as the impressive solos of The Mighty Sparrow plus much reelery, jiggery-pokery.

Not to mention the folk as funk the tour-“exhausted” line-up snuck in to keep us on our toes.

And early treats included the spontaneous-feeling turn from crewman Decci the Techie giving us Thin Lizzy’s Dancing In The Moonlight with a half-ton of gravelly vocal.

While waiting for the arrival of special guest Shane, there was time to watch Sharon in action – though she must be one of the most static band leaders ever. From her chair, she presides like a queen over her court of prime musicians, her boldly mini-skirted knees adding female allure to the winning smile and lightning fingers combination.

And it was like a proud sister that she welcomed sizzling chanteuse Camille O’Sullivan as her first special guest onto the stage for her own mini-set.

Ballsy, brash and beautiful to watch, Camille soon had the place wrapped round her little finger with a gutsy, fabulously-cabaret version of the late Kirsty McColl’s song In These Shoes – wearing red sparkly shoes apparently borrowed from The Wizard of Oz.

But what with Kirsty’s partnership with Shane McGowan on Fairytale Of New York, the song was a sensitive and crowd-winning choice. And Camille’s cavortings continued to impress – as did her voice recalling everyone from Marlene Dietrich to Leonard Cohen – as she gave Nick Cave’s Ship Song and Jacques Brel’s Amsterdam the Camille twist.

Pogues frontman Shane McGowan. Paul Campbell

Her ability to seem to live every song with every fibre of her being as long as it lasted meant that when Shane appeared for THAT Fairytale duet, she was more than up to filling Kirsty’s feisty shoes.

But as Sharon promised, it was time “for the maddest person in the world” and perfect choice for Shane McGowan’s arrival was the rousing Irish Rover.

The years, as they say, have not been that kind to Shane in the tooth department. But with a shock of grey hair, leather trousers and specs he kept taking on and off, he looked like your favourite professor having a go on the mike after a night on the piss.

The timing might have been off at times, but at least the voice was there, sometimes reduced to a growl, and not exactly oiled by the bottle he kept pouring down his chin instead of his throat.

A few kicks and a possibly-accidental Nazi salute were as close as Shane got to matching Camille’s moves, as he gave us Pogues’ favourites Rainy Night In Soho and Fiesta. She returned to duet with Shane on his song Mama Lou before the two ripped the place up with Fairytale Of New York – their waltz an undoubted highlight of the night for Shane fans who might not count Sharon’s own hit version of Steve Earle’s Galway Girl.

Few might have realised how close we came to missing out on the Shane experience, as a cancelled ferry meant the star facing his flying fears to make it to our dirty old town on time. MC

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