Rory
Gallagher stormed across the boards of the National Stadium last night
to be greeted by fans with such ecstatic recognition as to prove him
still the inspiration of Irish rock. It was Gallagher's first Dublin
concert in two years and the first date in his grueling tour of
Britain and Ireland , during which he plays 23 concerts in six weeks.
The man
without an image was, as always, vibrant, unaffected and striving to
give his all; for Rory Gallagher's music is written for the road.
Few
performers can match his ability to bring an audience to its feet and
the Corkman who has achieved international acclaim for his guitar
playing and blues composition would not, it would seem, have it any
other way.
Last
night's concert was almost a complete sell-out with many teenagers in
the audience proving that with a two year break since the release
if Gallagher's last album "Calling Card", his music weathers well the
test of time.
His present
band, consisting of himself, Gerry McAvoy on bass and Ted McKenna,
former drummer with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, while still
displaying the explosive qualities of the legendary Taste - Gallagher's
first line-up - seems to have achieved a variable and pleasing harmony.
Now
Gallagher has, at last, finished and released his latest album " Photo
Finish". It looks as if his band may be settling down to the
"definitive work" of which Gallagher spoke two years ago.
Answering
the feverish requests of fans, the band gave such established numbers
as "Calling Card" and "Bullfrog Blues" and during an acoustic solo
performance, Rory was more than content to be accompanied in "Pistol
Slapper Blues" and Out on the Western Plain."
Try as the
stewards did to keep fans seated and away from the stage, some of their
attempts being a little too ungracious, there was no way to stop people
coming forward to voice their appreciation.
Rory
Gallagher is now almost 30 years old with 13 albums to his credit and
the promise of even greater things to come. But in the meantime, Rory
is back in town to show that natural talent reveals what good blues
music is all about.
The
Gallagher Band's Irish tour continues nightly until Saturday, then the
Cork Arcadia on New Year's Eve and New Year's Night and finishes at the
the Belfast Ulster Hall on January 3, 4, 5 and
6. Donal
Bryne From the Evening Press 28
December 1978 Thanks to
Declan Doyle for passing the article along reformatted
by roryfan
