Rorys belfast and other memorabilia
i thought that it was time we had a belfast rory website.so this is the start of something that hopefully i can update as i get info photos interviews of rorys time here. .if you can help me with info or corrections please email
Belfast is really where it all started for rory in 1967 with his residency in the MARATIME HOTEL in college square north which hosted a kind of beat club. The hotel was formerly a police station before becoming a sea mans hostel which ran a friday nite rhythm and blues club and its coincidental that rory played the Grovesnor Mission Hall in belfast quite a few times.Belfast was a buzz of live music at that time in contrast to the general showband scene that prevailed in ireland . Rory arrived in Belfast on the advice and invitation of belfast man billy mccoy who having played with Rory at Dublin gigs told rory that the belfast scene would suit him better so onto his doorstep rory and taste arrived suitcases in hand and history in the making.to the best of my knowledge rory lived in the botanic area possibly crombwell road.Sadly the maratime club is now a redeveloped retail comlpex.Rory would have rubbed shoulders with many of belfasts now well known musicians from van morrisson to eric bell and gary moore to name but a few and this would have been where eric clapton would have first sceen rory.i can tell the story of a deceased friend who played in a band supporting clapton at Queens University.after the early gig they went to the maratime club where rory was playing. rory came onstage opening with a thunderous version of tore down clapton asked who he was and did he play every song like that to which my friend replied thats our rory and hes just warming up.The belfast audience enabled rory to develope his unique style and this was where the final taste lineup developed with john wilson drummer formerly of van morrisons THEM. Rory played various venus outdide of belfast, newry town hall,where im told Donal wrecked his sports car on the way to the gig and Martay Lunday of local supporting band Katmandu took rory and donal home in his car speechless in the presence of rory. Rory was a household name in belfast eventually playing support to Cream on their final tour and this is how i came to know of him.i wasnt old enough to go to the concert but my two older brother were and when they arrived home after the concert they told me "forget about clapton there was this guy called rory gallagher", luckily, shortly after, the local tv channel produced a show called "an evening with the Taste" and all became clear.
Rory did his first taste uk gig in may 68 supporting captain beefheart in nottingham ,later doing two sessions for john peels top gear show in august and october 68 . 69 and 70 saw the release of taste and on the boards.it was inevetable that rory would move onto london securing a residency at the marquee club but rory never really left Belfast coming back year on year to play the ulster hall, grosvenor hall and sometimes every hole in the wall despite the atrocious violence here, unlike so many other artists and we owe him a hughe debt of gratitude for preserving our sanity and giving us something to really lookforward to.Sadly many of Belfasts music venues have gone either bombed or redeveloped but the Ulster Hall still stands and is synonamous with Rory, having played it more times than any other musician even filling it 5 nites in a row.This year 2006 on 29th dec the Ulsterhall will once again resonate to the sound of rory with our friends from Sinnerboy doing the honours and i hope the plaster comes of the walls... long overdue .. but were not letting them have all the fun DOUBLE VISION BAND WILL BE PLAYING UPSTAIRS IN MORRISONS OPPOSITE THE HALL AT 11PM MAKING IT A RORY DAY AND RORY AT MIDNIGHT
welcome home rory