Rory Gallagher livestream tribute concert announced to celebrate debut album’s 50th anniversary

A Rory Gallagher livestream concert celebrating the late blues guitar icon’s 1971 debut album is set to go ahead later today (September 9), which will feature tribute group Band Of Friends performing key tracks from the eponymous record.

The concert – available via Gallagher’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel – will kick off at 6pm BST (1pm ET), and will see the original bass guitar player from Gallagher’s debut album Gerry McAvoy line up alongside his Band Of Friends bandmates for the special one-off performance.

A handful of numbers from the 10-track offering – which first introduced hits such as the high-octane Laundromat, melody masterclass I Fall Apart and slide-heavy Gypsy Woman – will feature on the setlist.

It’s the most recent entry into a slew of celebratory offerings that seek to pay tribute to Rory Gallagher and his self-titled debut studio album after the release of a 50th Anniversary boxset earlier this month.

The Abbey Road-remastered, five-disc special featured as-yet-unheard alternate cuts and mixes, a 50-minute DVD of Gallagher’s first-ever solo concert and much more.

Coinciding with the anniversary offerings was Newstalk’s Ireland’s Greatest Music Artist award, which saw Gallagher storm to the number one spot ahead of U2 and Thin Lizzy by a 30 percent margin.

The radio’s guest host Tom Dunne announced the award, and described Gallagher as “the most loved, the most gentle, the most unaffected and the most down to earth man” and “one of the greatest guitar players of all time, without question".

“I’m delighted to see Rory [win],” he said at the time. “I think his gigs in the ‘70s will literally never be forgotten. He has a place in the heart of Irish music fans.”

Head over to Rory Gallagher's official website to purchase the mammoth 50th Anniversary boxset.