August 15, 1992 was an important day for me. It was to be my last time catching Rory Gallagher live. Of special importance was that it was my son’s first time going to a live concert. He was a baby in a pram so of course we stood close to the back to protect his little ears. I’m so very proud of that moment in his life because Rory was also my first live gig back in 1978 when I hitchhiked as a teenager from Waterford to Macroom to attend his life changing performance at the Mountain Dew Festival. Father and son can say that Rory was our first live gig. He’s kind of proud of that too.

I’d grown up in Australia so music in Ireland was new to me when I moved here as a teenager. Richie Blackmore was my childhood guitar hero and when I found myself in Ireland knowing very little about Irish music it took some time for me to find music that spoke to me. Hearing Live in Europe for the first time changed everything for me. Rory Gallagher was heavy, just how I liked my music!

As soon as I was old enough to leave home I made plans to attend my first live concert. It was a whole new world for me to leave the house not knowing how many days I’d be gone. No tent or sleeping bag, just whatever I could fit in my pockets. Rory was wonderful that day! I met some people that night who allowed me to share their tent and I smoked my first joint! All round a weekend I’ll never forget. 

The following year, I again left home to hitchhike to Cork in a blizzard to catch Rory bringing in the new year in the Arcadia Ballroom. I was front row and centre. My lasting memory of that night was Rory breaking a string mid solo. He whipped off the guitar, strapped on another and was back into his solo without losing a beat. My guess is that people at the back would not even have noticed the change of guitar. I hitchhiked home the following day in an even bigger blizzard but my head filled with joy.  

So it came to 1992 and the Temple Bar Music Festival. Our little family drove from Waterford to Dublin (no hitchhiking with a baby) and made our way down to College Green just in time for the master to arrive on stage and kick things off with “Continental Op”. The music that day was just wonderful! So many favourites and of course, the epic closer, “Bullfrog Blues”! A funny little aside, during the concert, my boss at the time (an unpleasant little man) happened to be walking past, saw me and berated me for listening to ‘this garbage’. What could I do but laugh.

Like many, I cried when Rory passed. He was a musical hero of mine. We never met but he changed my life in subtle ways that I’m forever grateful for. Most of the music I listen to these days and create is electronic. There are those occasional nights when nothing is going to scratch that itch than pulling out my few favourite Rory albums and turning them up to bring back memories of arriving in Ireland and discovering something wonderful and new. 

Only Rory Gallagher holds that place for me.