A career peak, an essential guitar album
"Irish Tour" was essentially Rory's "Frampton Comes Alive" moment. FM "AOR" ("Album Oriented Radio") stations grabbed on to this one and would not let go. The 10 minute live version of "A Million Miles Away" accounted for the majority of airplay, especially on San Francisco's legendary station KSAN.

The album begins with a tightly-wound guitar riff that has more than a little Angus Young around the edges: "Cradle Rock" is one part roadhouse blues, one part arena rock, and a great opener.

"I Wonder Who" offers more blues, featuring a call-and-response tease of a minute or so between Rory's vocal and his guitar, before the band slowly joins the song. At the 1:45 mark, everyone's on board. Over the course of 8 minutes, there are ample solos and the rise-and-fall volume dynamics that are key to live blues dynamics.

"Tattoo'd Lady" is a mainstream rock song, on the fast side of mid-tempo, with more tight soloing.

"Too Much Alcohol," another 12 bar blues stomper, begins with Rory's signature slide playing. Many dabbled with slide, Rory was one of the few masters of the art. The song then benefits from an audience hand-clap backbeat (fortunately, they are in tempo with the song). It's just Rory and his guitar again, with the band coming in at the 2 minute mark.

"As The Crow Flies" is an acoustic blues, breaking things up a bit and setting the stage for the next track, the classic "A Million Miles Away." The song showcases Rory's talent as a guitarist and his ability to inject influences outside of the expected blues genres. This was one of those 10 minute "get lost in it" tracks, like Paul Butterfield's "East-West" and a few others, that had a beginning, a middle "adventure," and a ride back home at the end. 34 years later, it still packs a punch.

"Walk On Hot Coals" veers from the pensive mood of "A Million Miles Away" into another 11 minute track that plays off of shifting tempos but is more of an aggressive rocker.

"Who's That Coming" brings back the slide, and this one's Foghat-style road rock, essentially a framework for the band to jump into a propulsive jam.

"Back On My Stomping Ground" is another slide-fueled track, more measured and laid back than some of the longer jamming tracks, and a very satisfying finish to a powerful set.

34 seconds of "Maritime" close the album, similar in spirit to Santo & Johnny's legendary "Sleepwalk."

Simply put, this album belongs in any serious guitar rock / 1970s rock collection. Rory deserved much more mainstream recognition than he got in his lifetime, but the music still lives on, loud and strong.

Great album for any blues or rock fans!
2 Million Copies of this cd have already been sold worldwide. If that doesn't give you confidence in buying this record, I dont know what will. Anyone that is a fan of blues rock should get this cd. If you are new to Rory Gallagher's music, I recommend picking up this one! It was my first album by him and I've been a fan ever since. Every track is awesome and the majority of them last 7-10 minutes a song. Filled with crunching blues and rock guitar and Gallagher's bluesy voice make this album one of the best live cd's I've listened to.

Tracks Include:
1.Cradle Rock (7:40)
2.I Wonder Who (7:52)
3. Tattoo'd Lady (5:04)
4. Too Much Alcohol (8:30)
5. As The Crow Flies (6:02)
6. A Million Miles Away (9:29)
7. Walk On Hot Coals (11:13)
8. Who's That Coming? (10:04)
9. Back On My Stompin' Ground (After Hours) (5:20)
10. Maritime (0:33)

Rory At His Complete Best.
Ok,for the record this Rory Gallagher Album was titled Irish Tour '74 on it's initial release way back 34 years ago. A Live recording from his Irish Tour in 1974,the venues were Cork City Hall,Dublin and Belfast.I have in my possession the double vinyl on Polydor records which I bought way back in 1974 when I was merely a 14 year old kid(that makes me 45 now for all you matameticians out there,ha,ha).In fact when this album was first released on cd it's title remained Irish Tour but they dropped the year '74 and it came in a double cd format with the thicker box and much stronger than the present ones.It was released on intercord,Capo Records,but there is a track called Just A Little Bit which is not included on this new updated version.It had the exact same tracks as the Double vinyl otherwise but some of them are longer again that these ones.I also have that in my possession.Then I bought the Lets Go To Work Boxed Set and hey presto,it was also included in this brilliant set.I have bought this cd in 4 different formats,Why?Ok let me tell you why.Well firstly it reminds me of such a priveleged childhood I had where I could go and see Rory Gallagher perform every Christmas in Cork City Hall.It also reminds me so much of those great Summers when Rory was big news in the Music world.I'd buy the whole lot over again just to hear Walk On Hot Coals.It's astounding to listen and realise there's only one man playing what to me is the most amazing guitar solo i've ever heard.I love Tattoed Lady,Cradle Rock,and A Million Miles Away and Tony Joe Whites As The Crow Flies just as much.It is a great shame that Rory Gallagher was never really acknowledged here in Ireland(apart from a mediocre statue and plack name in Cork City.I was thinking more along the lines of replacing Father Matthew) let alone in The World,but then I suppose when you had long hair and were a musician here in Ireland in those days you were considered an outcast by all the powerful people like school teachers,priests,cops.Thank God for Donal Gallaghers persistence and love of his brothers music that we can still buy Rorys music and watch those amazing concerts on dvd now.This cd will change your musical tastes forever.Buy it now and re-invent yourself.

Smokin
For new and old fans alike, there is no better example of Rory's fire and intensity than this gem. One of the most underrated guitarists ever, Rory shows why he better than Clapton (dare I say?). Besides, his live shows were almost a religious experience-I saw him three times in Europe and this disc captures his sound perfectly.

Rory rocks Belfast
When Rory and his killer band toured Ireland in 1974, other reviewers have got it dead right that the majority of rock acts wouldn't go near the place. The Gaelic funsters were in the full throes of murdering and torturing their fellow man. So the Melody Maker, Britain's best-ever and sadly defunct music weekly (written by such five-star observers as Ray Coleman and Chris Welch - see my review of Chris' book "Cream"), had as its front-page headline, "Rory rocks Belfast," followed by an ecstatic description of not only his fantastic playing and band, but of his single-minded belief that music would break down all barriers.

I first saw Rory in 1968 when, as I said in many other reviews, he blew poor old Jimi H off the stage at the Woburn Abbey Festival. I got to know him quite well and have, among other things, one of Richie McCraken's bass guitar string cases on which Rory wrote his name and addresses of his agents for booking. I loved this man and his music, and preferred him to almost any other musician in the world. I find him much more intresting than Duane Allman (there is no law against playing in tune, D) or Stevie Ray Vaughan, and miles better than Hendrix, who was usually so awful live. He interpreted the blues in an unbelievably sensitive and skilful way, never forgetting his comprehensive respect and knowledge of the greats (he adored Muddy Waters, Blind Blake, Hutto, Albert King and so on). Coupled with that, he was a pretty good singer and a first-rate song-writer, as well as being a great guitarist, slide player, mandolin player, harp player and sax player. I lost count of the times (well over 38) I saw Rory say, "Thanks a million, thanks a million," in his inimitable brogue before holding an audience spellbound with one acoustic guitar.

This fantastic record of Rory includes "A Million Miles Away", Walk on Hot Coals,", "I wonder who,", "Who's that coming, " and a host of other gems, all played by the band of bands. Listen to Rod D'Ath's drums, Gerry McEvoy's bass and Lou Martin's drums. Primitive gear, stunning playing. Who can hold a candle to this gentle, polite, kind and decent man? Please let us stop comparing him to the usual suspects - he was in a different league in so many ways and the world is just beginning to wake up. He was quite unique in so many ways. Listen to the "London Muddy Waters Sessions" - he's the only one who really "got it."

Essential and vital listening. Much more enjoyable than the disjointed DVD by Tony Palmer.