Phil Lynott

Songs For While I’m Away

Thin Lizzy

The Boys Are Back in Town: Live At The Sydney Opera House October 1978 MERCURY STUDIOS

Flawed Phil documentary, plus Lizzy at their largest.

Thin Lizzy played outrageously well in 1978. Their Live And Dangerous record delivered the riffs, the tunes and the blarney, and made No.2 in the UK chart. The rough concert recordings had been boosted in post-production, but this sound became the gold standard for future shows. It was about Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson with the crossfire guitars, Phil Lynott romancing and rocking, while Brian Downey was reliable at the back.

But the fun was not rationed, and many breakthrough moments were mangled by the lifestyle. By the time Lizzy reached Australia in October 1978, Robbo had brawled his way out of the band, and Downey was recuperating in Dublin (he was replaced temporarily by Mark Nauseef). Meanwhile, Gary Moore was back on the team, sometimes termed ‘super-sub’ and always volatile.

Still, the Sydney gig was more than a salvage job. Moore, released from the burdens of his own band responsibilities, was playing fast and radiating joy. An audience of 100,000 was in agreement. This was a free show, arranged by local media channels and framed by the vistas of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Lynott was encouraged to be magnificent, and he rose to the task.

When we first saw rough bootlegs of this gig, the visuals were stunning but the sound was strangely limp. According to one story, the producers neglected to record an audience track. Over time, better renditions have followed. Now there’s a high-grade history of the event to enjoy.