Genre: blues rock
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title:  Rory Gallagher Live
Company: Polydor
Catalog: 2384-079
Year: 1977
Country/State: Ireland
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: UK pressing
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6224
Price: $15.00

From a marketing standpoint "Rory Gallagher Live" was kind of an odd release given it simply served to repackage previously released material. In this case the seven live tracks were cherry picked from 1972's "Live! In Europe" (three songs) and 1974's "Irish Tour 74" (four songs). True fans already owned both of those albums so this release had limited utility for them. If you were a casual fan the album provided a concise overview of Gallagher's live charms, but you were still better off with either of those other concert sets. Still, pretty much any Gallagher album was worth owning and this one focused on Gallagher's up-tempo rock catalog - always a good thing. The other thing that makes Gallagher's live output so good stems from the fact these performances captured the man's essence. Most acts struggle to replicate their studio sounds in a live setting. Not the case for Gallagher who actually had the opposite problem; trying to capture his live energy in a studio environment.

- Pulled from the "Irish Tour 74" album, 'Used To Be' kicked the album off in blazing fashion. Gallagher and company at their roughest, this one showcased everything that made Gallagher so good - a rough hewn voice just made for rock and that instantly recognizable Strat sound - who else can scat sing on a stratocaste .... Clearly a final candidate for rock's best guitarist ...  rating: **** stars
- "Tattooed Lady" captured Gallagher at his most commercial. Hard to believe this one wasn't a massive radio hit for the man.  rating: **** stars
- Admittedly, I've never been a fan of Gallagher's hardcore country-blues catalog so his cover of Blindboy Fuller's 'Pistol Slapper Blues' wasn't a highlight for me. I actually can remember seeing him perform this one - just Gallagher and acoustic guitar ...    rating: ** stars
- As Gallagher himself said "we're going to get the tempo back up" and that's exactly what 'I Walk On Hot Coals Does'. Another blistering rocker, this one's always impressed me in that it allowed keyboardist Lou Martin a rare opportunity to actually share a bit of the spotlight with Gallagher. This one includes one of Gallagher's all time best solos ... rating: **** stars
- Gallagher's best 'revenge' song ... Any crusty blues man worth his salt proud would have been proud to perform 'In Your Town'.   rating: **** stars
- Overlooking the fact it was one of the highlights in Gallagher's live repertoire, 'Who's That Coming?' was worth the admission price just to hear the opening slide guitar segment.   rating: **** stars
- Though 'Messing with the Kid; slowed things down a bit, the spotlight clearly remained on Gallagher's amazing chops. One of the best performances in terms of displaying the full range of his arsenal.   rating: **** stars

Again, not the perfect Gallagher concert documentary - get the double LP "Irish Tour 74" if you're only going to invest in one release, but this serves as kind of a nice abbreviated 'best of' effort.


"Rory Gallagher Live" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Cradle Rock (Rory Gallagher) - 
2.) Tattooed Ladty (Rory Gallagher) - 
3.) Pistol Slapper Blues (Blindboy Fuller) - 
4.) I Walk On Hot Coals (Rory Gallagher) - 

(side 2)
1.) In Your Town (Rory Gallagher) - 
2.) Who's That Coming? (Rory Gallagher) - 
3.) Messing with the Kid (Wells) -