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Thin Lizzy Still Dangerous: Live at Tower Theatre Philadelphia 1977 Review by Gary Hill This is a live recording of Thin Lizzy from back in the glory days. It’s just being released for the first time and it’s a shame it was never out before. This is a killer set and a great live recording. I’d highly recommend it to all Thin Lizzy fans, but also to anyone who wants an idea of what this band sounded like in the day on the live stage. It’s a great album. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2009 Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review

Soldier of Fortune This has a classic slower Thin Lizzy sound. Phil Lynott’s voice is simply impeccable and this is a great cut.

Jailbreak A Thin Lizzy classic, this rocker is still as potent as it ever has been. They were on fire with their set and this song is no exception. Thin Lizzy – definitely still dangerous. I’ve always loved the main riff on this.

Cowboy Song Another TL classic, this one is less mean than “Jailbreak,” but still scorches either way.

Boys Are Back in Town The classics just keep on coming – and perhaps this is the biggest of the bunch. It’s a scorching version that is quite close to the studio take, but perhaps a bit more energized and extended.

Dancing in the Moonlight Here’s another classic cut. This one has an almost Van Morrison meets Thin Lizzy texture. It’s a lot more groove oriented and even includes saxophone. That said, it’s still a great tune. It gets pretty powerful before they end it.

Massacre Here’s a screamer that becomes a serious guitar showcase. This is one of the hardest rocking numbers here and just plain awesome.

Opium Trail The hard-edged riff that drives this is 100 percent Thin Lizzy. That said, I keep hearing bits of early Rush and even Judas Priest on this cut. It’s another killer number and just plain rocks. This might be my favorite cut here. It has some extremely plaintive vocals from Lynott, some scorching guitar work and even some intriguing bass fills.

Don't Believe a Word Here’s another killer rocker. It’s not as strong as the last one, but that one’s hard to meet.

Baby Drives Me Crazy This feels a lot to me like a Thin Lizzy take on the same rock and roll riff that makes up Pat Travers’ “Boom Boom Out Go the Lights.” It’s a good cut and includes introductions of the band members. It’s not really my kind of thing, though. In other words, if I had to pick a weak track here, this would be it.

Me and the Boys In many ways this almost feels like an extension of the previous cut. It’s another fiery rock and roller, but perhaps not as strong as some of the other material. It does serve as a good closer thanks to the extended outro.

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