This one’s for the Gallagher fans, without a doubt – particularly those who possess battered copies of the old vinyl bootleg Denim And A Strat. Back in the ‘70s and early ‘80s a Long Island venue, My Father’s Place, was the frequent site of live FM broadcasts, and many, many great acts graced the doors of the club during its heyday. Those broadcasts also generated their share of hotly-traded tapes and, of course, bootlegs, so hearing this Gallagher show now is like getting a letter from an old friend. At the time Gallagher was still touring behind one of his best albums, 1973’s Tattoo, and I can personally testify, having seen him numerous times during this period, that the man was at the top of his game. From the throbbing pop-crunch of “Tattoo’d Lady” and the full-tilt boogie of “Cradle Rock” to the slow-burn anthem “A Million Miles Away” and the rousing hard-rock version of “Bull Frog Blues,” it all clicks here. The crowd feeds off the performer and vice versa, making it one of those “you should’ve been there” shows.
The sound is surprisingly good considering what must be the age of the tapes used for this bootleg. While it’s clearly an “old school broadcast” with all the inherent sonic limitations (the sound is slightly flat, lacking dynamics) compared to the digital broadcasts of today, it’s still quite enjoyable.
The bonus track at the end is a studio recording, quite possibly the last thing Gallagher put down on tape before passing away in June of 1995; it features Gallagher on mandolin and slide guitar covering a Peter Green tune, one which eventually surfaced in 2000 on the official Green tribute album Peter Green Songbook.
This is the Frog Eaters label’s second Gallagher release (the first one was called Powerful And Velvet, a “best of the boots” collection of unreleased tracks, French TV and an Old Grey Whistle Test appearance). It comes in a tastefully designed digipak with color photos and a clear disc tray. The CD has a picture label. -- OSWALD
