Customer Reviews

Shadow Play: The Rockpalast Collection [DVD] [2009]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Is over 9 hours of Rory Gallagher on DVD playing live enough? No - of course not! This is a fan's dream, because few artists have the talent to be (arguably) captured on record better live than on a studio album; but in front of a crowd Rory Gallagher was repeatedly really quite phenomenal.

His appearances on the Rockpalast show have been collected before. In fact, the only difference I can see between this DVD and the 1995 "The Complete Rockpalast Collection" is the inclusion of a 20 minute interview, filmed shortly after Rory's gig in 1976. He looks visibly shattered, but answers each question with the courtesy he was famous for. It's a gentle interview, but there are some interesting close ups of his playing as he demonstrates his different styles and the guitar he uses, which I'm sure guitar players will no doubt enjoy.

But what of the music? If you know Rory's albums you can guess the answer already - it's just fabulous. Five full concerts and two very entertaining 'jam' sessions, you can't help but feel slightly spoilt. Given Rory's prolific output, only a small collection of songs feature more than once, and each gig captures Rory and the band playing with all their usual impressive levels of passion, energy and musicianship.

If I'm allowed one gripe then please indulge me. I have seen the 1977 concert in Essen on DVD before, and was disappointed back then that original audio commentary from the German TV studio was heard over the opening song "Messin' With The Kid", and then later in the set during "Garbage Man". Sadly, this is found on this box-set too. You have to assume it hasn't been possible to remove it from the audio track. Added to which, in other scenes mid-set the gig cuts to presenters chatting in a German studio, and these haven't been edited out either! So overall the 1977 gig does feel rather disjointed.

But still, it's a fraction of this whole brilliant experience - and if you feel any disappoint then just choose another song from another gig and you'll quickly forget what you were annoyed about.

Fans of Rory Gallagher do really need to own this DVD. He was a great musician, and this would be money well spent.

If you know Gallagher: this is a very good and complete collection of his appearances at RockPalast. The German rock and blues TV program which played an essential role in Rory's carreer. Therefore a must.

If you do not know Gallagher yet, but you are interested in good blues/rock music and/or excellent guitar skills. This is a must. Buy the Irish Tour CD first. After that you will need more... and this would be a good follow up. After this, you will go back into history and will embrase the CDs Rory Gallagher and Duece. You might even go back to the brilliant Taste CDs.

If you do not know Gallagher yet, but you are interested in music in general and/or "pop idols"... This is the real thing. The best "guitar hero" money can buy. Skilled and a real human.

In short: once you have Irish tour CD, this is an essential piece in any collection.

My personal story: I grew up with Rory and Rockpalast from an early age. This stuff was (almost) mother's milk for me.

If you love Rory & Rock and Roll, buy this. I have never stopped playing it since it landed. Wonderful.

Well, there isn't much that I can add to the other reviews here. This is a fine collection of performances by Rory & band, which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the man's music and particularly when in a live environment. At the current price of 11 quid there really shouldn't be too much thinking to be done about whether or not to buy.

Very nice collection and a great retrospective. Partly poor video quality but the music is weighting it out by far. Rory is a legend and still around in our hearts and memories...

The price is a joke for the value!

Everything you need to know about the late Rory Gallagher is on this DVD. The man was a guitar legend, a great player who never lost touch with his home or his loyal fan base. If you like blues guitar, watch one of the best there has ever been.

These DVDs cover some of Rory's concerts in the mid to late 1970s, early 1980s and a show from 1990.
There is some magnificent playing from Rory, the sound is amazing and as value for money this must be one of the best DVD sets I have brought.

From the brilliant acoustic set from the 1976 set to the fiery shows from the 1980s this has to be one of the best collections of Rory Gallagher there is to offer.

7 live concerts from 1976 to 1990 on 3 DVD's. 9 hours 51 minutes of Rory at his best. This one's a keeper, pure and simple.