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Soundboard 9.2 - A very clean, dry board with dramatic emphasis on guitar as it should. A study in how to rock the blues without falling into same old same old, I mean, the man was a living riff machine! -
Audience 8.8 - Frighteningly close to the stage with a good, clear sound! The dynamics and clarity of “Out On The Western Plain” is spooky, it’s literally as if Rory was sitting there in your living room. RORY GALLAGHER Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt Germany March 20th 1975 Disc 1 1 -Messin' With The Kid 2 -Tattoo'd Lady 3 -Want Ad Blues 4 -Cradle Rock 5 -Young Fashioned Ways 6 -A Million Miles Away Disc 2 7 -Walk on Hot Coals 8 -Out On The Western Plain 9 -Pistol Slapper Blues 10 -Too Much Alcohol 11 -Going To My Hometown 12 -Who’s That Coming 13 -All Around Man THE BAND Rory Gallagher guitar vocals Gerry McAvoy bass Lou Martin keyboards Rod de'Ath drums -
Audience 8.8/Audience 8.7 - Both recordings here (from the same taper) occurred on two different gigs at the same venue in the same year. Both are consistent, and good. The songs do duplicate but Rory has new material to offer at the second gig later in the year. Great set here! Rory Gallagher Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt, WG 1973-01-26 Disc 1 01 -Messin' With The Kid 02 -Hands Off 03 -I Should've Learnt My Lesson 04 -Laundromat 05 -Walk On Hot Coals 06 -Banker's Blues 07 -Pistol Slapper Blues 08 -Goin' To My Hometown Disc 2 09 -In Your Town 10 -I Could've Had Religion 11 -Bullfrog Blues 12 -Mellow Down Easy 13 -Used To Be Disc 3 Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt, WG 1973-10-24 01 -Messin' With The Kid 02 -Hands Off 03 -Hoodoo Man 04 -Cradle Rock 05 -A Million Miles Away 06 -Walk On Hot Coals 07 -As The Crow Flies Disc 4 08 -Pistol Slapper Blues 09 -Unmilitary Two-Step 10 -Banker´s Blues 11 -Goin' To My Hometown 12 -Who´s That Comin´ 13 -In Your Town 14 -Bullfrog Blues 15 -Laundromat Band: Rory Gallagher - Vocals Guitar, Mandolin, Harp Rod De'Ath - Drums Lou Martin - Piano Gerry McAvoy - Bass -
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
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Audience 8.7 - Better than average, the tape has dynamics to it and even if vocals sound somewhat distant, the bass and guitar have a nice attack with the low end having that chest pounding quality which adds a lot to the electrifying atmospherics. Rory is particularly savage, playing what is probably a really wild crowd since it is where he is from. The performance is worth the entrance fee, the sound quality is good enough to warrant extended engagement. Full disclosure: There is some tape hiss present although it only becomes obvious when the band is not playing. RORY GALLAGHER Rory's Stompin' Grounds National Stadium Dublin, Ireland December 28, 1978 Disc 1 1. Shinkicker 2. Do You Read Me 3. Bought And Sold 4. I Wonder Who 5. Cruise On Out 6. Brute Force and Ignorance 7. Calling Card Disc 2 8. Out On The Western Plain 9. Too Much Alcohol 10. Barley & Grape Rag 11. Goin' To My Hometown 12. Shadow Play 13. Tattoo'd Lady 14. Bullfrog Blues 15. Sea Cruise Rory Gallagher - guitar, vocals Gerry McAvoy - bass Ted McKenna - drums -
Audience 9.1 - A fascinating document! Well, for one thing, it has that visceral, thump to your chest power and immediacy while you are immersed in the pit with your bros…but the crowd only makes this better. Such amazing atmosphere! The other thing is that this is NOT your mid 70’s blues guitar pub rock – it is much more along the punk/grunge aesthetic in how Rory is playing and his tone. Sure, he plays a lot of blues, but it does not come across the same as it did in ’74…it comes across as music that can breathe new life into what could be considered a dated musical form.
Rory Gallagher Inselwiese Dinkelsbühl, Germany 05. Juli 1986 Disc 1 01. -Ansage - Moonchild 8:03 02. -Shinkicker 6:39 03. -I wonder who 12:22 04. -Nadine 9:34 05. -Bad Penny 9:08 06. -Seven Days - I'm Ready 12:03 07. -Tattoo'd Lady 8:46 08. -A Million Miles Away 8:42 Disc 2 09. -Follow Me 7:01 10. -Out On The Western Plain 6:39 11. -Walkin Blues 7:06 12. -Rollin & Tumblin 5:43 13. -Big Guns 7:48 14. -I'm A Man 2:58 15. -Messin With The Kid 8:39 16. -Bullfrog Blues 6:37 17. -Seven Days - I'm Ready 10:22 18. -Follow Me 5:32
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First Show Audience 8.5 - A jagged recording that reflects the kind of music this man played every night. It’s not super clear nor is it muddy, and it’s not dynamic nor is it monophonic. It’s a tape that seems like it has promise, if it was re-mastered I think it could be vastly improved but I like it because it’s so raw and honest…like a bar fight ha ha! The second show is also an audience recording although it is much better coming in at an 8.8 on the ratings scale. Clear, and some better dynamics going on. A good one, and a good show. Rory Gallagher City Hall Cork, Ireland January 5, 1974 Disc 1 01 -Intro - Messin' With The Kid 02 -Cradle Rock - Band Intros 03 -I Wonder Who 04 -Tattoo'd Lady 05 -Walk On Hot Coals 06 -Laundromat 07 -Too Much Alcohol 08 -Hands Off 09 -A Million Miles Away Disc 2 01 -As The Crow Flies 02 -Pistol Slapper Blues 03 -Banker's Blues 04 -Unmilitary Two-Step 05 -Goin' To My Hometown 06 -Who's That Comin' 07 -In Your Town Disc 3 City Hall Cork, Ireland December 28, 1974 01 -intro - Messin' With The Kid 02 -Tattoo'd Lady 03 -I Wonder Who 04 -Cradle Rock 05 -Jam - Cradle Rock - I Don't Know Why (Start Of World War Three) 06 -A Million Miles Away 07 -Walk On Hot Coals 08 -Too Much Alcohol Disc 4 01 -Pistol Slapper Blues 02 -Goin' To My Hometown 03 -Laundromat 04 -Hands Off 05 -Livin' Like A Trucker 06 -Who's That Comin' 07 -Bullfrog Blues 08 -In Your Town -
Audience 9.4 - I love recordings like this! Super loud but not distorted, and right in your face like your sitting on Rory’s side of the PA. It is like the sound is ripping the cloth off the speaker and filling the entire room with fury. Killer! Rory Gallagher The Agora Columbus, Ohio 11/13/82 Disc 1 1. -Shinkicker 2. -Double Vision 3. -Moonchild 4. -I Could've Had Religion 5. -Follow Me 6. -Bad Penny 7. -Jinx 8. -Big Guns 9. -Tattoo'd Lady Disc 2 1. -Philby 2. -Wayward Child 3. -Brute Force & Ignorance 4. -Shadow Play 5. -Drinkin' Down The Bourbon 6. -Bo Diddley 7. -Messin' With The Kid -
Soundboard 9.0 - Great guitar tone, but when did Rory ever not have that? But, it just leaps outta the speakers here. A really tight gig, the band is HOT HOT HOT! -
Pro Radio Broadcast 8.8 - A fine recording that manages to allow some nice atmosphere into the mix. -
Audience 8.3 - I find these early club dates fascinating. It sounds closer to Taste than anything he was doing on subsequent tours. The guitar work is more off the cuff, edgier maybe. This recording features a pretty clear and up-front guitar, with vocals next and kick drum following. It’s good, a little hiss present, but to have tapes like this to hear the early period Rory post-Taste is most welcome. RORY GALLAGHER The Allen Theatre, Cleveland, OH September 8, 1972 Remastered by PR CD 1: 1. Laudromat 2. Used To Be 3. I Should've Learnt My Lesson 4. Messin' With The Kid 5. You'll Be Mine 6. Pistol Slapper Blues 7. I Don't Know Where I'm Going 8. In Your Town 9. I Could've Had Religion CD 2: 1. Don't Mess With My Baby 2. Goin' To My Hometown 3. Bullfrog blues 4. It Takes Time 5. Messin' With The Kid - Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH, September 3, 1973 -
Pro 9.7 - Studio recordings of impeccable quality. -
Audience 8.9 - Raging electric blues recorded as if you were right there. Fantastic! -
Audience 8.3 - Somewhat thin and rather raucus, with an outdoor venue quality and perhaps taper somewhere right in the middle – not close up and not too far – but even so, I find the guitar almost too overwhelming and can imagine what it was for the concert-goers that day. So, if you like your guitar really loud, here is your tape. RORY GALLAGHER Parc des Expos, Bordeaux, France October 19, 1978 CD 1 01 Shinkicker 02 Do You Read Me? 03 Secret Agent 04 I Wonder Who 05 Cloak And Dagger 06 Bought And Sold 07 A Million Miles Away 08 Moonchild CD 2 01 Out On The Western Plain 02 Too Much Alcohol 03 Goin' To My Hometown 04 Shadow Play 05 Tattoo'd Lady 06 Sea Cruise 07 Bullfrog Blues 08 Country Mile 09 All Around Man Rory Gallagher - guitar, vocals Gerry McAvoy - bass Ted McKenna - drums -
Audience 8.6 - What is great about this tape is that again you have a situation where the highs are completely intact, in some parts maybe too much, but it lends itself perfectly to EQ’ing since you have no worry about losing highs. Great live energy, a great performance (when does he not?) also. -
Soundboard 8.8