This coming Sunday (June 14) will mark 25 years since Irish guitar legend Rory Gallagher died – and although some planned events to mark the anniversary have been put on hold due to the lockdown, fans will still be able to celebrate Gallagher’s life thanks to a series of online streams.
Starting at 5pm BST on Sunday on both Facebook and YouTube, what’s being billed as a “mini Rory festival” will be broadcast.
It’ll be hosted by radio DJ David ‘Kid’ Jensen and include musicians who either played with or who have been inspired by Gallagher, including Band Of Friends featuring Gallagher’s former drummer and bassist Brendan O’Neil and Gerry McAvoy, singer/songwriter Dom Martin and Peter Donegan, son of Rory’s musical hero Lonnie Donegan.
Then, at 8pm, Eagle Rock, in partnership with YouTube, will broadcast Gallagher’s performance with Taste from the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970.
In addition, Germany’s WDR TV will be showing a selection of the guitarist’s Rockpalast performances, while other European countries are planning on broadcasting documentaries and concerts.
June 18 will also see Hot Press publishing a special Rory Gallagher edition and together with Fender, they’ll host the opportunity for someone to win a Rory Gallagher replica Stratocaster.
The unveiling of a statue of Gallagher outside of the Ulster Hall in Belfast had to be postponed due to lockdown restrictions, while the four-day festival celebrating Gallagher’s music in Ballyshannon, Ireland, also had to be called off.
