Irish Tour '74 is one of the great electric blues-rock documents from the 1970s. Throughout his life, Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher was celebrated among guitar geeks, but never received the kind of popular acclaim given to most six-string heroes of the era (insert your own here). This 40th anniversary edition of his glorious and now historic live offering (and the fantastic film documentary by Tony Palmer) has been painstakingly remastered by nephew Daniel Gallagher. Though the original release contained ten tracks from ... Read More
Irish Tour '74 is one of the great electric blues-rock documents from the 1970s. Throughout his life, Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher was celebrated among guitar geeks, but never received the kind of popular acclaim given to most six-string heroes of the era (insert your own here). This 40th anniversary edition of his glorious and now historic live offering (and the fantastic film documentary by Tony Palmer) has been painstakingly remastered by nephew Daniel Gallagher. Though the original release contained ten tracks from the Cork, Belfast, and Dublin gigs, this edition contains the entirety of the 16-song Cork City Hall performance. There are some different versions of tunes from the original album, some others are added, and still others are left off, because they come from the remaining two shows. As such, the track listing looks quite different. The package is a bit confusing because nowhere on it does it say this is the 40th anniversary edition. The Cork concert is presented in precise running order. It commences with an absolutely burning read of "Messin' with the Kid"; "Cradle Rock" follows immediately thereafter. Also included here is a different version of "Walk on Hot Coals," but it features some of Gallagher's thorniest solos, followed by "Laundromat" -- a song not on the original. "A Million Miles Away" and the long rave-up boogie "Hands Off" -- another new addition -- and J.B. Hutto's "Too Much Alcohol" close it out. The second disc kicks off with an acoustic set that features some excellent covers: Tony Joe White's "As the Crow Flies," a brief rag called "Unmilitary Two-Step" (a take on Jimmy Shand's "Military Two Step"), Blind Boy Fuller's "Pistol Slapper Blues," and Big Bill Broonzy's "Bankers Blues," before he picks up a mandolin accompanied by the full band on "Hometown Blues," a traditional tune. The electricity returns for "Who's That Coming," but it's a different version; the one on the original album was from the Belfast gig. Have no fear, Gallagher's slide work is every bit as inventive and intense. The set closes not with the relatively brief, intimate, loose jam "Back on My Stompin' Ground (After Hours)" and "Just a Little Bit," but a barnstorming, 16-minute workout on "In Your Town" that sends the crowd off demanding more. The original Irish Tour '74 is one of the greatest live rock & roll albums of all time -- even if a lot of people don't know it -- and this set doesn't replace it. That record is readily available, so purists needn't get worked up about rewriting history. But this is killer and irreplaceable all on its own, because not only is it inspired musically, but it sets the actual record straight for the first time on this amazing run of shows. [The complete tour is available on Legacy's eight-disc box set -- seven audio, the Palmer film, and a 10" vinyl record.] ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi Read Less
