He never received the due he deserved, but blues guitarist Rory Gallagher was Ireland’s answer to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Emerging in 1969 as the leader of a blues/rock power trio Taste (they were signed by Ahmet Ertegun to Atco Records in 1968, but were overshadowed at the label by acts like Cream, Blind Faith and Led Zeppelin), the group made three albums before disbanding in 1970, in order for Gallagher to go solo.
His 8th album “Calling Card“, released in 1976, was created with Deep Purple/Rainbow’s Roger Glover as producer, introducing hard rock elements to break new ground and gain new fans. It was recorded for the popular American radio program King Biscuit Flower Hour , The set list on the day is 17 songs including encores, but nine songs are selected due to the program’s airtime. The show consists of songs from the new “Calling Card” and the previous album “Against the Grain”. The audience responded well to the new song, which incorporates the essence of hard rock, and has a great performance
By the time he embarked on the ’76 tour Gallagher had expanded his power trio to a four-piece band with the addition of Lou Martin on piano, organ and synths. They blast off with “Moonchild,” which borrows heavily from the riff The Moody Blues used in their hit, “The Story In Your Eyes.” Next up is “Secret Agent” (a different song than the one made famous by Johnny Rivers with the same name). The show moves forward with “Calling Card,” which was Gallagher’s new LP at the time. The rest of the show is a mix of tracks from “Calling Card” and staples that had long been part of his set list, including “Souped-Up Ford,” “Western Plain,”(featuring Gallagher on acoustic guitar), and the balls-out rocker, “I Take What I Want,” (which nicks The Beatles’ riff from “I Feel Fine” during Gallagher’s solo).
By the late 1970s, Gallagher’s brand of blues rock fell out of favour and like artists such as Robin Trower and Steve Marriott, he had to focus on a smaller, but fiercely loyal, following. Although he never quite received the worldwide recognition of Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, and Jimmy Page, he certainly deserves to be remembered for the many excellent albums and tours he had during his career. Sadly, he died after receiving a liver transplant in 1995 at the age of 47.
Rory Gallagher – vocals, guitars, harmonica; Gerry McAvoy – bass; Rod De’ath – drums, percussion; Lou Martin – keyboards
Setlist: 1. Introduction 2. Moonchild 3. Secret Agent 4. Calling Card 5. I Take What I Want/Watch Your Step 6. Bought & Sold 7. Out On The Western Plain 8. Do You Read Me 9. Souped Up Ford/Want-Ad Blues
The Fat Angel Sings 