I’ve often compared Russia and Ireland, two countries on the opposite sides of Europe. Both countries are known for their love of alcohol, depression in their culture (Russian literature is known for being depressing and Ireland is well known for lament songs), a strong tradition of literature and dance, one of their greatest writers was part black, and their most loved rock star is a mixed race man. Russia’s most loved rock star was none other than Viktor Tsoi. Alexander Pushkin is considered Russia’s greatest poet and the father of Russian literature. For Ireland, it’s Phil Lynott, and there are parallels between Lynott, Tsoi, and Pushkin. Both of them are remembered as authentic and gone too soon. Both musicians have had many tributes. In Moscow there’s a Viktor Tsoi wall and throughout the former USSR you can find Viktor Tsoi statues, murals, and memorials. In Dublin, you’ll find quite a few tributes to Phil Lynott, the most famous one being the statue. I’ve taken pictures with it a few times before:
I’ve previously reviewed the Phil Lynott documentary, Songs For While I’m Away. For a while now I’ve known about a Phil Lynott musical/play called Moonlight: The Phil Lynott Enigma. I’m a big fan of Thin Lizzy, got into them when I moved to Ireland and wanted to learn about music from there, and I think they’re one of the most underrated bands in rock and roll. If all you know is “Whiskey in the Jar” and “The Boys Are Back In Town”, dig through their discography and you’ll be rewarded with amazing songs that I’d argue are even better than those two. I still can’t believe they’re still not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I suppose it’s Americanocentrism, but come on! Phil Lynott is not only Ireland’s greatest rock star, he’s also the Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Poet and just insanely cool. For the band as a whole, the twin lead guitars are incredible. Thin Lizzy were one of the best twin lead guitar bands. Hard to think of bands who did it better… perhaps The Allman Brothers Band or Iron Maiden? Ahhh! They’re all great!
The reviews I’ve seen of the show is that it’s not just a musical tribute, but a play of sorts with actors playing Phil Lynott’s mother as well as authors Oscar Wilde and Brendan Behan, both mentioned in witty wordplay in the masterpiece “Black Rose: A Rock Legend”. Well, that’s not what we got here in Birmingham, and if I’d known it was going to be a tribute concert I’m not sure if I would have gone. The marketing of the show should have been a bit clearer because in previous dates it was more of a play and it was longer because of that, I believe. To be fair though it did say “A Tribute”, but musical plays can be tributes too? I think the visuals on the screen behind the band could have been stronger or more interesting than just static images, but it costs money to get rights to use images or video footage you don’t own. At the same time, I’m happy I went and it was still a good show and a good tribute to Phil Lynott. I don’t regret going at all.
An example of clear marketing for live shows that I think was very good was when I went to Dita Von Teese: Diamonds and Dust in London last year. Dita was not performing at every single date and it was made explicitly clear which dates Dita was going to be there and which ones she wasn’t and they even had you tick a box if you pick a non-Dita show to confirm you are aware that Dita’s not going to be there.
The actor playing Phil Lynott, Peter M. Smith, a Dublin native did a good job portraying Lynott and singing wise he sounded a lot like him, but I wish he could play bass because it doesn’t quite feel like Phil Lynott without the bass since he’s one of the best known bass playing frontmen alongside Paul McCartney and Geddy Lee. One thing Phil Lynott was famous for is he’d point it at the audience with the budgie mirror trick. Learning bass isn’t easy though to be fair. The band were great and I kind of got a kick out of one of the guitarists looking like one of my friends (my friend doesn’t play guitar though lol).
The real highlight for me was original Thin Lizzy member Eric Bell making a guest appearance at the very beginning telling the story of Thin Lizzy’s beginnings and how he and Phil Lynott had met and him joining the live band playing on “Whiskey in the Jar”. He was the writer of the Jimi Hendrix inspired “Ray Gun”, so it would have been cool if he had played on that one too, but I understand that he’s nearly 80. He did a fantastic job on the”Whiskey in the Jar” guitar solo and the audience gave him a standing ovation. It’s a real privilege to see classic rockers live and I think if you have the chance to see a classic rocker live, take that chance because you never know if there will be another opportunity.
As for the setlist, it’s a good mix of popular songs that everyone knows and are rock radio staples, fan favourites, and some deeper cuts, plus three original songs written by creators/producers/songwriters John and Danielle Merrigan: “Moonlight”, “Skid Row”, and “Can You Hear Me?”. The Thin Lizzy songs were: “Are You Ready?”, “Don’t Believe a Word”, “Song For While I’m Away”, “Dublin”, “Look What The Wind Blew In”, “Ray Gun”, “The Rocker”, “Whiskey in the Jar”, “Jailbreak”, “Emerald”, “Rosalie”, “Still in Love With You”, “Southbound”, “Parisienne Walkways” (Gary Moore song that Phil Lynott guested on), “Dancing in the Moonlight” (twice, one acoustic MTV Unplugged style arrangement and electric at the end to close the show since it’s called Moonlight), “Old Town” (Phil Lynott solo song), “Waiting For An Alibi”, “Running Back”, “Cowboy Song”, and “The Boys Are Back in Town”. I loved how “Cowboy Song” segued into “The Boys Are Back in Town”, that was easily another highlight.
I think the setlist was too heavy on Jailbreak, I wish there had been more songs from Fighting (I really wanted to hear “Wild One” and “Fighting My Way Back”), and I wish there had been a song or two from Chinatown and more songs from Black Rose. I really wanted to hear “Black Rose: A Rock Legend”, that’s my favourite Thin Lizzy song. It wasn’t a bad selection of songs, much of the songs were on Live and Dangerous and I was so happy to hear “Ray Gun”, one of the best early Thin Lizzy songs. This is really just my personal preference.
Since it wasn’t a musical with a plot, I think it would have been better to substitute Thin Lizzy or Phil Lynott songs instead of the original songs for the show since that’s what I think fans want to hear if they’re going to a tribute show. They weren’t bad songs, in all fairness. I think “Dancing in the Moonlight” is a good song, but I’d rather substitute in another song instead of playing it twice in two different styles. Also since it’s not a play or musical, I’m not sure why there was an intermission since usually at tribute concerts there aren’t intermissions and in total it was 100 minutes of music.
Overall I’d give this show three stars out of five. A play to me would have been more unique and special than a tribute show, especially because a lot of tribute shows are quite cheap and this wasn’t as cheap as those. It was good, but I’m not sure if it’s something I would go out of my way to see. Thankfully I don’t live too far from Birmingham.
My Top 10 Phil Lynott Poetic Lyrics:
I like to accompany my reviews with a top 10 list and this show focused a lot on Phil Lynott as a poet and storyteller and I wanted to share my favourite Phil Lynott poetic moments. No particular order here, just lyrics I think were absolutely brilliant. I was the type to fall asleep in English class, but if we were studying song lyrics I would have paid attention.
1. “Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend” – Black Rose (1979)
“My róisín dubh is my one and only true love
It was a joy that Joyce brought to me
While William Butler waits
And Oscar, he’s goin’ Wilde
Ah sure, Brendan where have you Behan?
Lookin’ for a girl with green eyes
My dark Rosaleen is my cailín
That Georgie knows Best
But Van is the man”
I’m gonna sound like a broken record, but that wordplay is brilliant and what an amazing tribute to your country. Make this Ireland’s national anthem.
2. “Do Anything You Want To” – Black Rose (1979)
“People that despise you
Will analyse then criticise you
They’ll scandalise and tell lies until they realise you
Are somebody they should’ve apologised to
Don’t let these people compromise you, be wise too”
Is this alliteration or rhyming, I don’t know, but the “I” sound over and over again is really good. This is A+ poetry.
3. “Emerald” – Jailbreak (1976)
“From their graves, I heard the fallen
Above the battle cry
By that bridge near the border
There were many more to die
Then onward over the mountain
Outward towards the sea
They’d come to claim the emerald
Without it, they could not leave”
I love how Phil Lynott painted pictures with his lyrics. Irish mythology but make it hard rock.
4. “Wild One” – Fighting (1975)
“And if you change your mind
I will be waiting here for you tomorrow
For I would beg for you
I would steal and I would borrow
I’d do anything at all, anything at all
To end this sorrow”
Beautiful lyrics and I love the rhyming of tomorrow, borrow, and sorrow. One of the things I love so much about Thin Lizzy is that they could do both heavy, hard rocking, tough guy songs, but also more sensitive, emotional songs.
5. “Fighting My Way Back” – Fighting (1975)
“I’m tough, rough, ready and I’m able
To pick myself up from under this table
Don’t you stick no sign on me, I got no label
I’m a little sick, unsure, unsound and unstable”
This is the next track after “Wild One”. Who knew that fighting can be so poetic?
6. “Mama Nature Said” – Vagabonds of the Western World (1973)
“Mama Nature said
‘You’re guilty of this crime’
Now it’s not just a matter of fact
But just a matter of time
Cruel will be the vengeance
So savage is the deed that’s done
And I got no solutions
To your own pollu-lu-lu-lution”
As someone who cares a lot about the environment, really cool to see some great lyrics in this song about nature and preserving it. We only have one planet, let’s take care of it, not just for ourselves, but also for future generations. Musically, I love the bluesy sound, makes me think a bit of early Fleetwood Mac. I love Phil Lynott’s repetition of syllables in words and that’s a really cool signature. Ween did a great tribute to this with their song “Gabrielle”.
7. “A Song For While I’m Away” – Vagabonds of the Western World (1973)
“These words I wrote, play and sing to you
Do not convey the love I brought and bring to you
For this is a song for while I’m away
To say all the things I’d love to say
You are my life, my everything, you’re all I have
You are my hopes, my dreams, my world come true
You’re all I have”
No wonder Phil Lynott’s poetry book was named after this song. It’s a beautiful love song.
8. “We Will Be Strong” – Chinatown (1980)
“We will be strong
I know we have the strength to carry on
I know my rights from wrong
I know you’ve lost, I’ve won
We will be stronger
And getting stronger every day
Believe me when I say it
There is no other way to convey it”
Motivational and poetic lyrics. Thin Lizzy are easily one of those bands I listen to when I need to cheer myself up in that motivational way.
9. “Don’t Believe a Word” – Johnny The Fox (1976)
“Don’t believe a word
For words are so easily spoken
And your heart is just like that promise
Made to be broken
Don’t believe a word
‘Cause words can tell lies
And lies are no company
When there’s tears in your eyes”
I’m not the most trusting person and these lyrics are just so real to me. Anyone who has been burnt by a lover or a friend can relate to these lyrics.
10. “Showdown” – Nightlife (1974)
“King of hearts he’s a lover and he give her everything
King of spades he’s a brother doing his own thing
King of clubs makes a dollar
King of diamonds is a wedding ring”
I love the playing cards analogy. I love the funky sound on this one. Much like Budgie (another criminally underrated classic rock band), they know how to mix funk and hard rock/heavy metal. I’m thinking about the Dita Von Teese Diamonds and Dust show I went to where it was cowboy themed and of course in a saloon they’re playing cards. Lady Luck was a big theme in it.
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