Review: Rory Gallagher Rockpalast DVD

222 minutes of Rory at his best. This DVD will be an absolute treat for not only fans of Rory Gallagher but guitarists everywhere. It features Rory in concert for WDR's "Rockpalast" TV show from the 70's.

Show One - Studio L Koln '76
For me, this is the pick of the bunch. An intimate setting, with a small audience. Captured shortly after the release of my favourite Rory album, the Roger Glover produced "Calling Card". Featuring the Lou Martin/Rod De'Ath/Gerry Macavoy line-up.
It begins with an acoustic set featuring Rory switching between DADGAD and open-E tunings, and using his steel resonator. "Pistol Slapper Blues" is a loose rendition with Rory really stretching out and warming up on the instrumental phases. On "Too Much Alcohol" he sets the pace with a wonderful slide rendition, pausing to slip into DADGAD for "Out On The Western Plain" which is beautifully rendered, and the most passionate live rendition of this song you'll find. "bankers Blues" and "Nothin' But The Devil" and "Rag mama Rag" follow, then its time to introduce the band for the very familiar "Goin' To My Hometown" which doesn't quite sparkle like the Irish Tour '74 version, but still shows how he blended celtic and american influences and is well recieved. Then its full band electric, Rory switching onto his battered '61 strat for the remainder of this set. He blasts into "I Take What I Want" and "Calling Card", then allowing Martin and De'Ath to shine after setting the tone perfectly with some mellow blues soloing on "Secret Agent". "Do You Read Me" isn't one of my favourites, but it's well executed here, with a loose feel. In fact, Rory himself comments about the venue having a small club atmosphere and its clearly obvious he's having a blast. He's figuring harmonic pinches and double bends into every song now, he's ablaze! Great energy in this performance, and its contagious. If you're a guitarist you'll want to play after watching this. And it's not over yet - Rory leads the band through storming versions of "Bought And Sold" and the under-rated "Country Mile". He brings the tempo down temporarily for the start of "jacknife Beat", finishing off stage in about the nuts and bolts of the studio for an improvised boogie. The restrained German audiencemust surely have wanted to stand up and let their hair down a bit more. This is the best set on this DVD - a great introduction to this line-up of the band. De'Ath is worthy of praise indeed for his ambidextrous abilities, and on the phrases where Lou Martin is given a few bars of freedom you realise he is in total control of his keyboard. MacAvoy, Rory's longest serving lynchpin is as solid and bottom heavy as ever. He does, however, sport a rather ill-advised pair of white flares which I'm sure he'd rather forget. 10/10

Show Two - Grughalle, Essen '77
Fully packed venue for this one - it was broadcast live in something of a landmark event on German TV, a satellite link up known as "Euro-Vision" (not the song contest, thank Christ) beamed across Europe and Eire. This is a bit of a mish-mash. The beginning of this gig was only ever broadcast on Radio, so we suffer a horrible talk-through by a rather anonymous host, as well as the intro of EuroVision and the nervous looking presentation team. However, once we get started, this is a belter. Theres a killer triplet from Calling Card - "Moonchild", "Secret Agent" and "Calling card". Just as its beginning to flow though, its time for the Acoustic interludings. Rory struggles slightly with a slightly out-of-tune DADGAD on "Out On The Western Plain" - but still makes it lilt as it should. Time then to switch back to electricity for a few stage favourites (and by 77, oldies!) "Tattoo'd Lady" ("anybody still remember this one?"), a thumping "Souped Up Ford" is a set closer most bands could only dream of having written. Rory and band head off stage, and Rory is cornered by the host with some of the most inane questions ever posed - Rory is clearly wired after a killer performance and is being asked utter shite like "were you satisfied with the crowd?" and "how do you feel".
Regardless, he re-appears for a double encore (was he ever asked for anything less?) dusting off "Bullfrog Blues" and "Bought And Sold" once again. This performance is less indespensible than the first, but for those of us with dusty old VHS of it its a godsend.
So, with the minor shortcomings accounted for I give this set an 8/10.

Show Three - Wiesbaden '79
This concert was an exhibition, a guitarists masterclass. Unfortunately we don't get to see it (I have it on video and I can tell you it was scorching). What we do get is the encore/Jam session from the tail end of it. We get Rory (now sans De'Ath and Martin) encoring with "Bullfrog Blues" before a clearly pissed (but still legendary) Frankie Miller is wheeled out to participate in "Walkin' The Dog" (great version, mind) and "Sea cruise", "Around and Around" finishing up with a blast through "Roll Over Beethoven".
The only thing I'll say about this is that it must have been included because there was space left on the disc - although maybe Rockpalast could have included the full gig and maybe even Loreley '82 and made it a double-disc? This set 6/10
OVERALL 9/10
Picture Quality - slightly patchy at times, but hey, its the seventies 7/10
Sound 5.1 - 9/10
Packaging - nice liner notes in German/English
Its worth it. Buy it!

tomScotland