Rory Gallagher-Live In Europe (1972)

After two solo albums, Irishman Rory Gallagher had established himself as one of the great British blues-rock guitarists. His career, which had begun years earlier with his seminal band Taste, culminated in a short but successful run after a superb performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Those first two albums were his self-titled debut and "Deuce", two magnificent canvases of the best British blues-rock, seasoned with traditional Irish folk sounds. It was just after the release of his second album that Rory Gallagher embarked on a long tour across much of Europe, from which the material for his first live album was drawn. Accompanied by bassist Gerry McAvoy and drummer Wilgar Campbell, on this live album Rory Gallagher delivers a stunning and glorious musical performance, playing everything from his own compositions to masterfully executed covers. Among the covers, highlights include Junior Wells's exhilarating "Messin' With The Kid", Blind Boy Fuller's folk-blues "Pistol Slapper Blues", and the galloping blues "Bullfrog Blues", an old traditional song from the late fifties. His own compositions include the energetic "Laundromat", the hypnotic blues "I Could've Had Religion", and the dizzying boogie-blues "In Your Town". "Live In Europe" is undoubtedly one of the best live albums of the 1970s and a true historical document of one of the greatest Irish guitarists, alongside the legendary Gary Moore.