Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour 74

Artist:

Gallagher, Rory

UPC:

826992019529

See Also:

Faces Stewart, Rod

Description:

All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Personnel: Rory Gallagher (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Lou Martin (keyboards); Rod De`Ath (drums, percussion).
Audio Remasterer: Tony Arnold .
Liner Note Authors: Charlie Stanford; Shu Tomioka.
Recording information: Belfast Ulster Hall (01/1974).
The companion piece to director Tony Palmer`s documentary of the same name, Irish Tour 1974 was recorded that January in Belfast, Dublin, and Cork at a time when precious few performers -- Irish or otherwise -- were even dreaming of touring the trouble-torn island. Northern Ireland, in particular, was a rock & roll no-go area, but Gallagher never turned his back on the province and was rewarded with what history recalls as some of his best-ever gigs. Irish Tour 1974, in turn, captures some of his finest known live recordings and, while it`s impossible to tell which songs were recorded where, across nine in-concert recordings (plus one after-hours jam session, "Back on My Stompin` Ground"), the energy crackling from stage to stalls and back again packs an intensity that few live albums -- Gallagher`s own others among them -- can match. Highlights of a stunning set include dramatic takes on Muddy Waters` "I Wonder Who" and Tony Joe White`s "As the Crow Flies," a raw acoustic rendering that is nevertheless totally electrifying. A frustratingly brief snip of the classic Shadows-style "Maritime" (aka "Just a Little Bit") plays the album out in anthemic style and then, of course, there`s "Walk on Hot Coals," a marathon excursion that posterity has decreed Gallagher`s most popular and accomplished statement -- a status that Irish Tour 1974 does nothing to contradict. It`s foolish playing favorites, however. Even more than Gallagher`s earlier (1972) Live in Europe album, Irish Tour 1974 confirms Gallagher not simply as the greatest bluesman Ireland ever knew, but as one of the island`s greatest-ever performers. The 1999 remaster adds nothing in the way of bonus material (shame), but greatly improves the sound quality. ~ Dave Thompson

Track Listing:

DISC 1

1. Cradle Rock
2. I Wonder Who
3. Tattoo`d Lady
4. Too Much Alcohol
5. As the Crow Flies
6. Million Miles Away, A
7. Walk on Hot Coals
8. Who`s That Coming?
9. Back on My Stompin` Ground (After Hours)
10. Maritime

Album Information

Release Date:

04/12/2011

Type:

Performer

Genre:

Blues

Subgenre:

British Blues

Label:

Eagle Records (USA)

Producer:

Rory Gallagher

Catalog Number:

ER201952

Original Release Year:

1974

# of Discs:

1

Studio/Live:

Live

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Runtime:

71 : 45

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