On This Day 07/09/1980 Rory Gallagher

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On this day, 7 September 1980, Irish musician, singer, and songwriter Rory Gallagher played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

He was about to release his eleventh album Stage Stuck later in the month. It documents his world tour in support of his 1979 album Top Priority. Accordingly, it features many songs from that album, but it also includes songs from his previous albums.

The album sees Gallagher taking a faster-paced, more hard rock sound than on his previous blues-dominated live albums. Originally released with eight tracks, Stage Struck was augmented with two bonus tracks ("Bad Penny" and "Keychain") when reissued in 1999, four years after Gallagher's death, by his younger brother and manager, Dónal Gallagher.

On This Day 17/12/1974 Rory Gallagher

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On this day, 17 December 1974, Irish rocker Rory Gallagher played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre. Support was provided by Jackie Lyntons’ Grande.

Gallagher had earlier in the year had released his sixth album Irish Tour ‘74 live album compiled from performances during Gallagher's Irish Tour in January 1974.

The source concerts were recorded at Belfast Ulster Hall, Dublin Carlton Cinema and Cork City Hall using Ronnie Lane's Mobile Studio. "Back on My Stompin' Ground (After Hours)" was recorded from a jam session during the tour. Irish Tour '74 has sold in excess of two million copies worldwide.

An article in a Belfast daily newspaper stated: "Rory Gallagher never forgot Northern Ireland, he returned throughout the '70s when few other artists of his calibre dared come near the place.

During the heightened periods of political unrest in Northern Ireland, as other artists were warned not to tour, Gallagher was resolute about playing there at least once a year during his career. In 1974, they stayed in the Europa Hotel in Belfast, which was known as "the most bombed hotel in Europe". This approach won him the dedication of thousands of fans, and in the process, he became a role model for other aspiring young Irish musicians.

A number of guitarists, including Alex Lifeson of Rush, Brian May of Queen, and Eric Clapton, have cited Gallagher as an influence. He was voted as guitarist of the year by Melody Maker magazine in 1972, and listed as the 57th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2015.