Dublin 1974 Soundboard 9.4 - This is a sweet one, it’s early in the new year (a year he would tour extensively during), and he’s in the beautiful city of Dublin, possibly thinking maybe this is how he’ll kick off the ambitious tour, and he just kills it!  I would rate the recording higher but for some sizzle on the highs (cymbal crashes, etc.) that don’t hurt the tape so much as they don’t belong on a professionally made for release recording, if indeed that is what this was for. So, that being said you can still dive into this with the full knowledge that it will live up to the rating and then some!

Limerick 1972 Soundboard 8.8 - Sounds like this originates from TV or local radio and suffers from some compression limitations and occasionally drop outs due to sheer age. It’s still professionally recorded, so it’s got bones to work with and you’ll be able to get into it but because it is made for TV (or radio?) there is interruption for interviews – so you have to take this short piece for what it is. It’s filler for the excellent Dublin ’74 and it is fine in that capacity.

Rory Gallagher Carlton Cinema Dublin, Ireland January 2, 1974 Disc 1 1. -Cradle Rock 2. -Tattoo'd Lady 3. -Hands Off 4. -Walk On Hot Coals 5. -Laundromat 6. -Too Much Alcohol 7. -A Million Miles Away 8. -As The Crow Flies 9. -Pistol Slapper Blues 10. -Banker's Blues Disc 2 11. -Unmilitary Two Step 12. -Going To My Hometown 13. -In Your Town 14. -Bullfrog Blues Savoy Theatre Limerick, Ireland May 11, 1972 15. -I'm Tore Down 16. -Interviews 17. -Laundromat 18. -Interviews 19. -Pistol Slapper Blues 20. -Interviews 21. -Patch Of Grey Cloud (AKA Don't Know Where I'm Goin') 22. -Interviews 23. -Bullfrog Blues

Soundboard/Audience matrix 8.8 - This recording is pretty clean but is just a touch…how would I say, maybe doesn’t highlight the upper high end so it almost sounds like the edges were trimmed on the rock bush. It still delivers a punch to the gut, particularly if you like your drums to rattle your insides a bit because they do here, in a good way.  Overall, this is a real fine set of tunes and is rather long and includes a pre-show interview at the end of the 3^rd disc.

Rory Gallagher Cardis Houston, Texas, U.S.A. May 26, 1985 Disc One 01 - Double Vision 02 - Moonchild 03 - I Wonder Who 04 - Shinkicker 05 - Mississippi Sheiks (with Rain) 06 - Tattoo'd Lady 07 - Off The Handle Disc Two 08 - Big Guns 09 - Failsafe Day 10 - Out On The Western Plain 11 - Seven Days 12 - Banker's Blues 13 - Philby Disc Three 14 - Bought And Sold 15 - Shadow Play 16 - Bullfrog Blues 17 - Sweet Little Sixteen 18 - Nadine (encore audience cheering) 19 - Messin' With The Kid 20 - All Around Man 21 - Interview by FG (Pre-Show)