Joe Bonamassa: Five talking points from the first Rory Gallagher tribute at Marquee in Cork

Irish Examiner

02-07-2025

1: Joe Bonamassa's awe while playing Rory Gallagher's guitar
There was a slight quiver in his voice when Bonamassa sat down with the borrowed 1930 National Triolian Resonator for his first encore song, As The Crow Flies. 'I'm trying my best with this one. I'm trying my best with all these songs,' he told the crowd.
A mellow acoustic rendition, it was one of the softer moments in a primarily powerful rock set. Rory had bought that guitar for about £100 while on tour in the USA in 1973, and it was bought by a fan last year at auction for £95,650. Bonamassa thanked the owner for lending it to him for these Marquee shows. For anyone unfamiliar with guitars, a Resonator is an acoustic guitar, often with an ornate, perforated round metal plate; a good example familiar to many is the guitar Mark Knopfler used for Romeo And Juliette.
2: Bonamassa'a interaction with the audience
While this was a night of homage to Rory Gallagher, it was also a platform for Joe Bonamassa to show this Irish audience why he's deservedly heralded as perhaps the greatest blues guitarist of his generation.
Fans at the Marquee: Matt Laernoes, Marscha Leukfeldt, Netherlands; Hendrik Laernoes, Gaby Scholl, Germany; Michael Daehn and Patrick Van De Scheur, Offaly, all in Cork to see Joe Bonamassa. Picture: Darragh Kane
While the New Yorker plays many forms of music and has 16 studio albums, 20 live albums, Grammy awards etc, he parked all that to deliver on a special request (a flight of fancy, really) from promoter Peter Aiken, as Bonamassa explained to the Marquee audience: 'I got a call from Peter Aiken a year and a half ago with a proposal to come and play at Live At The Marquee in Cork. Without hesitation, I said 'Hell, yeah'.
"But then he said there was a twist. I met with my good friend Donal Gallagher [Rory's brother] and his son Daniel, and we talked about whether I'd be interested in doing a night of Rory Gallagher's music. Back in his home town of Cork. And, without hesitation, I said: 'Fuck, yeah'. I signed up for it, and here we are. I am so glad that we are doing this in our own way.'
Note to all tribute acts: homage to the music, no wigs, no replica costumes and definitely no hammy attempts at mimicry.
3: A cameo by Gerry McAvoy
The audience was elated when Joe said: "Please give a big welcome to Gerry McAvoy on the next two songs. You'll know him from Rory's band.' McAvoy brought his unique energy to Bullfrog Blues and Treat Her Right. Aongus Ralston, also bass player with The Waterboys, smiled warmly at McAvoy as he walked onstage.
Donal Gallagher, Peter Aiken, and Gerry McAvoy in Cork last year. Picture: Chani Anderson
Gallagher's bass player on so many epic tours and albums, including Irish Tour '74, the record that provided the core of the songs on the setlist for this show. The others credited on that epic double live album were Rod De'Ath and Lou Martin on keys. McAvoy delivered huge energy and joy to the occasion, a major highlight for all present.
4: A Million Miles Away
If ever a closing song came with a gold-plated guarantee of an encore to follow, this is that song. Gallagher wrote it for his 1973 album Tattoo and it was arguably the single greatest moment on a night of many highlights at the Marquee.
Looking around during the song, I noticed a number of fans wiping their eyes while singing 'I'm sailing like a driftwood on a windy bay.' People really connect with this line.
The central character in A Million Miles Away is in melancholy humour, despite being on a seemingly great night out, in a bar full of people being entertained by a great piano player; he knows he should be happy and struggles to understand why his mood is 'adrift'.
Joe Bonamassa onstage with his band at Live at The Marquee, Cork. Picture: Darragh Kane
Bonamassa's vocal on this song was a real bravura performance, probably his best singing of the night; his guitaring, as you'd expect, was off the charts. If that weren't enough for us, add the cherry topping of another great cameo, this time from regular Bonamassa guest vocalist Jade MacRae.
A star in her own right, she lifted the performance levels skyward, bringing an already great song in the direction of Pink Floyd's The Great Gig in the Sky. Just like Peter Aiken's decision to match Bonamassa's guitar genius with Gallagher's songs, the decision to close the set with the addition of MacRae's vocal was a moment of divine inspiration.
5: The standing ovation
People's elation at the end of the gig was expressed with a thoroughly deserved standing ovation for Joe Bonamassa and his incredible band. And, of course, all three seating blocks were on their feet, along with everyone out on the main standing area. Something special had been promised, and something really special was delivered.
There was a shared sense of satisfaction for those onstage, for those backstage and for the rest of us looking on. Everyone wanted this night to go well. Every emotion was in there, from local and national pride to a collective sense of joy and relief that the night had gone to plan. All that was missing was for Hannibal of the A-Team to walk onto the stage and say: 'I love it when a plan comes together.'
Bonamassa ended the show on an emotional high, his joy and relief very evident on the big screen as the cameras zoomed in on his face.
At the end of the first gig of Bonamassa's three-night series, I spoke briefly with two of the key players. Donal Gallagher said: 'This was a huge gig for Peter Aiken. His first 'job' was with the Rory crew. His father, Jim, had asked us to show him how our UK and European shows worked. This week, Peter did both Jim and Rory proud.'
Meanwhile, Peter Aiken sums it up succinctly: 'It was unbelievable. It really couldn't have gone any better.' Did it turn out as well as he'd imagined it might when the idea first entered his head? 'I'd honestly have to say that it turned out even better than I'd hoped for.'