Thin Lizzy… What do those two words mean to me? They mean these five words ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’. Lizzy were one of THE great rock bands, and while Zeppelin, Queen, Sabbath are others also spring to mind, I still have those hazy visions of Philip Paris Lynott ‘Dancing In The Moonlight’ with those sexy Hot Gossip girls on The Kenny Everett Video Show’s of the late 70’s and early 80’s. Lizzy was the gang you wanted to be in, and Phil was the leader, it was almost like the rock version of West Side Story…

I saw the band several times between 80-85 and they were never short of stunning live, then in ‘86 Phil passed away, and I still remember sitting all day listening to his records; you can always hear the ‘Kings Call’.

As we enter 2011 I’m invited to drive up the coast a while and see Thin Lizzy!!!! Brian Downey is still kicking up dust (and what dust), Scott Gorham is trading licks for kicks, and Darren Wharton is tinkling those keyboards like friends. They also have Marco Mendoza playing the bass (no easy task as Phil Lynott was one hell of a player) and Vivian Cambell who has let the Leppard off the leash to trade up with Scott… But who’s handling the vocals? Who shall deliver the words, the wisdom, the wit and the sheer bloody poetry of the departed? Step up Ricky Warwick fresh from solo success and with the Almighty still ringing in his ears!

We arrive early and catch ten minutes pre-show with Ricky and it’s obvious that like me he is a fan; he grew up listening and watching Lizzy just like i did. He bought the albums, he sang every word louder than hell, only difference is tonight he will step onto the stage and deliver those songs with that famous backdrop behind him. I shall do what I’ve always done, just sit and watch…

Supersuckers open up tonight’s show, and they are really good funtime rock ‘n’ roll, get off yer arse and have a bop till u drop kinda vibe, I like it…

9pm and we get the intro rolling and in a flash ‘Are You Ready’ is screaming for vengeance, the band fireing on all cylinders, with that lit up Lizzy sign making it all seem so real. The stage set up is so 1979, the lights are mostly par cans, the only real addition to the modern world are cameras at the front projecting images to screens each side of the logo… It’s a one, two, three slap in the face wtih ‘Waiting For An Alibi’, ‘Jailbreak’ and ‘Do Anything You Want to’ (complete with front of stage side drums) all rolling out like thunder, and you know what? It works. Sound wise, that classic twin attack guitar sound is right on the money, the bass is deep, upfront and leading the pack, and Ricky pulls it all off, his vocal is sublime, sure you know it’s him, but the guy knows he songs so well, that he’s singing them like he’s in the shower listening to the albums, the phrasing is spot on. It would have been so easy for them to just get some Lynott clone from a tribute band and throw this together, but this ain’t NO tribute band… This is a Tribute To Philip Paris Lynott’s  memory and great songs, and boy does it sound good…

Something else Ricky told me was that each member was asked to choose 25 of their favourite Lizzy songs which were all brought to the table, and then whittled down to some kind of set list (Ricky admited he loved them all, so was happy with playing and singing whatever came out) but it’s this fact which becomes a trump card tonight. It would have been so easy just to do a ‘best of’ set list, and because they didn’t you get ‘Angel Of Death’, ‘Massacre’ and ‘Black Rose’ all thrown into the mix in-between the obvious ‘Whisky In The Jar’ and ‘Boys Are Back In Town’, each song blending into the other so seamlessly. After around an hour and three quarters they finish off with ‘The Rocker’ and depart…

There will be many detractors and cynics, you will read as much ‘bad’ as ‘good’ about this incarnation of Thin Lizzy. I still get people saying shite like ‘DC ain’t DC without Bon.’ Tell that to Mr Johnson and the millions of DC fans who are Back in Black! I urge you to get out there and watch this band and make up your own mind. For me it was a great night out, with great sounds, top tunes with some that will live forever. When those detractors come by ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ and remember above all else…

People that despise you will analyse then criticise you. They’ll scandalise and tell lies until they realize, You are someone they should have apologised to, Don’t let these people compromise you, Be wise too.

You can do anything you want to do, It’s not wrong what I sing it’s true, You can do anything you want to do, Do what you want to… Just Like I do’  Jj:2011

For More Exclusive Images Follow This Link:

http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/gallery/?album=3180&gallery=1719