Rory Gallagher Irish Tour ‘74 -

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Rating: 5 Irish Green Stars

A very boring album cover for the Irish Tour, but the quality of the music is superb. Rory Gallagher never gave two hoots about marketing, just concentrating on the quality of the music and performances.

Audio CD (paid link)

This album captures one of Ireland’s most loved musicians in his favorite setting, live on stage. He is back in his native land at the pinnacle of his powers. Perfectly capturing the live connection between the audience and performer, Irish Tour is not only one of Rory Gallagher’s best albums but is surely one of the best live albums ever released.

The album was recorded in Belfast, Dublin and Cork and shows Rory putting in some performances of awesome power. The fact that, after nearly 50 years, it still makes you yearn to be there in the audience when Rory, in his check lumberjack shirt and battered Stratocaster in hand, drags the band back on stage for the fourth or fifth encore, speaks for itself.

*Rory Gallagher playing in front of huge crowds, no glitz, no sumashe, just Rory Gallagher and his band playing music. That’s all it took.*

This lineup of the Rory Gallagher band had already released two albums and been on the road for two years, so they were as tight as the British Lions front row on the 1974 tour of South Africa. Rory could just let himself go, knowing that the band would follow him anywhere with an understanding and passion of the music they played – like Barry John to a young Gareth Edwards, “You chuck it son, I’ll catch it.”

By 1974, Rory’s development and belief in his abilities are almost palpable, as is his confidence. He allows keyboard player Lou Martin plenty of space to shine with solos before Rory storms back to show who is the boss. Throughout this album the guitar tone is colourful and hard-hitting whilst still maintaining a controlled sensitivity. Rory constantly demonstrates his incredible guitar technique. It is definitely worth pointing out skillful backing chord work, volume control and his switching of tone, which deepen the musical expression of the album.

*Rory Gallagher sure loved his battered old Strat.*

The MC’s announcement and the sound of Rory tuning his guitar before the opening song, ‘Cradle Rock’, gives an atmospheric intro to the album.

The songs are a fine collection of self-composed numbers and splendid cover versions. Rory made J.B. Hutto’s ‘Too Much Alcohol’ one of his own. It perfectly captures the warmth between audience and artist, especially when Rory and the fans count from 91-100. Another classic originally recorded for the “Tattoo” album is the ten-minute workout of ‘A Million Miles Away,’ where the musical development from the original studio recording is outstanding.

*Rory hitting all those notes every night, never letting the fans down.*

The Irish tour shows Rory’s different characters, from the gutsy hard rocking guitar hero to delicate, gentle performer. His unique style shines through on every track.

This album has sold in excess of two million copies worldwide and is a must for any Rory fan wanting their live fix.

If there was one complaint about the album it was that a lot of staples from Rory Gallagher’s live set were missing. This was because Rory Gallagher did not want the fans paying out money for live recordings of songs that they already had on “Live in Europe, 1971.” Well, since the 40th Anniversary seven CD Box Set of Rory Gallagher’s Irish Tour became available, all that has changed. You now get six and a half hours of Rory Gallagher and his band going through their paces. This includes stunning versions of ‘Messin’ with the Kid,’ ‘Laundromat,’ ‘Pistol Slapper Blues,’ the full-length version of Rory and the Boys ripping through ‘Bullfrog Blues,’ plus a stunning 20-minute ‘In Your Town’ with Rory playing ringmaster to the adoring crowd, plus many more. If you only have one box set in your collection, this should be it.

*Hitting those correct notes brings joy to the soul.*

During the live set closer, ‘Who’s That Coming,’ you can almost hear the adrenaline pumping through the veins of both band and crowd as the music builds and accelerates into a truly dynamic sound with each band member playing his heart out and Rory really excelling himself on slide guitar. As the band leave the stage, you are left with the Cork crowd singing:

Nice one Rory

Nice one Son

Nice one Rory

Let’s have another one

Nice one indeed, Rory.