Live And Dangerous

"Is there anyone here with a little Irish in them ?" Crowd screams yeh. "Any of the girls want a little more in Irish in them"

A live Thin Lizzy album is not high on my list of things I want to listen to. The music is pretty middle of the road and this album lacked the energy of most good live albums. Turns out, that's because Thin Lizzy straight up cheated and overdubbed a bunch of the parts after the fact. So it's only kinda live. The result is a the audio equivalent of flat beer. You can taste what it should be and it'll deliver alcohol... But it's just not enjoyable.

I have checked, and this is the only Thin Lizzy album on this list. So, outside of a comparison I made in the KISS review, this is the only mildly public chance I might have to discuss Thin Lizzy. I should try to make it a good one. Thin Lizzy are my Dad’s favourite band. As such, I have grown up listening to their music in a way I have not listened to any other music. They are an integral part of my musical education, one of the reasons why I picked up the guitar as an instrument. And as such I am approached this listening of Live And Dangerous with more scrutiny than I would most other albums on this list. And that scrutiny is not affecting the listening experience in any bit. This is one of the great, if not the greatest, examples of the live double album that bands in the 70’s put out with worrying regularity. The band is on as tight a form as a loosely funky, bluesy, semi-improvisational Rock group could be. All of the playing is exceptional, all of the solo’s are exceptional, all of it is emblematic of tight group of sympatico musicians performing to their highest standard. There’s a controversy about how much of Live And Dangerous was overdubbed, and the obvious answer to the problem is that ‘all live albums are overdubbed, why does it matter so specifically in this case?’ but, in Lizzy’s case, the problem has been answered. There was a subsequent live album released called Still Dangerous, which was a full concert recording from the concerts that Live And Dangerous was taken from, with no overdubs. And guess what? It’s as good as Live And Dangerous is. It has the same energy levels, the same dynamics, the same virtuosity, that made Live And Dangerous such a good record. And let’s not forget the figure without whom the whole thing would fall apart. If Iggy Pop is the consummate Punk front man, Phil Lynott should be in the conversation as consummate Hard Rock front man, partly because he’s the only Hard Rock guy whose sex appeal I have no problem with. Robert Plant would spend too much time talking about Lord of the Rings, Steven Tyler the less said about the better, I would fuck Ozzy but that’s just because I think it’d be a story. That leaves Lynott, who was both incredibly attractive, effortlessly cool and charismatic, and also as a black Irish man, the eternal outsider, which further added to a sense of style and mystery to his persona. And Lynott wouldn’t have been as sexy if he weren’t also so damned talented. The songwriting is immaculate, full of Irish-American mythology and character pieces, written with the style of the best Gaelic sages, and the heartbreaking irony of the best American songwriters. Live And Dangerous is a great representation of what it feels like to be in the crowd of a good Rock gig, with all of the sweaty exuberance, excitement and euphoria that goes along with it. And the songs, and the solos, and the writing, and the performances, and the arrangements, and the guest stars, and, and, and…

Glorious, seemingly effortless hard rock. Some absolute classic tracks. Fave track - on this play through, "Massacre" really jumped out at me. Tends to get overshadowed by their more well known tunes, but it landed for me this time...

I'm not a fan of this one. There is so much guitar/bass/drums music from the 70s, I really had enough of it. I can only remember fondly or listen to G/B/D bands that had something really special (originality or virtuoso musicians). And this isn't the case with this group and album. Yeah the guitar, bass and drums are good but there are many better and moreover there is nothing original about the instrument playing or songwriting that makes me want to keep listening. The 70s had guitar phenoms so good they could that they could make a band that's not original stand out. Jimmy Page was so good he made Led Zep good. (Overplayed to the point I can't listen to them anymore but that's another story). The guitars don't get Thin LIz there. The bass player is also good but what is he doing that Entwistle hadn't done years earlier and a lot better? The drummer's slapping the gong at the end of Southbound puts a cherry on my point that they are followers rather than leaders. I thought even Kiss was ringing the gong before Thin Liz. How embarrassing is that? I'm was a little surprised to learn there are two guitar players but I did hear duelling solos. This would have been fun to see in concert but having two guitars also gives the opportunity for consistently good rhythm and there is really not much rhythm guitar to get excited about. I planned to listen until they played Boys are Back in Town but ended up listening to it all. Unfortunately, I was reminded of the worst part of 70s rock concerts: the tiresome drum solo. The 2+ minutes of TL's drum solo are minutes I will not get back and could've spent listening to more of the 1001 albums I need to listen to. Fothermucker! Apologies to any TL fans out there. Also apologies in advance to fans of "The Song Remains the Same" if that's on the 1001. That bad boy will get max 1 star based solely on the length of the drum solo.

Listened Before? N Holy S**T! What an amazing introduction to Thin Lizzy. This live album is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end. Banger after banger lined up in a row. The lead guitar is absolutely face-melting in every song, and the band's energy is full-tilt. I am unsure how I have basically completely missed this band until now. Everyone knows "The Boys are Back in Town", and I was familiar with "Jailbreak" but every other song here is wonderful as well. I see no real cons here. This will be my first 5-star album. Added to Library? Y Songs added to Playlist - The Boys are Back in Town

A double live album that's pulled from several different shows and later overdubbed is bound to be rather unenjoyable, and that's before considering that it's mediocre 70s rock. I have no idea how this made anybody's list of essential albums. Completely disposable. Best track: Massacre

This is the kind of music that got me into music in the first place. Rock guitar and great hooks. Will be listening to this album a lot.

I was already predisposed to enjoying the tough guy streetwalker tracks that still get radio play, and the slower more romantic songs are well done even if they're not my preference, but the more intense songs about historical violence that Iron Maiden basically took wholesale blew me away (and sure enough, as I write this I discover that Maiden actually did in fact record a cover of Massacre). They're lucky this album kicks as much ass as it does, or I would've been more upset about the blatant overdubbing. Key Tracks: Emerald, Massacre, Cowboy Song

Let's just get this right out of the way early: Huey Lewis is on this album, playing harmonica on "Baby Drives Me Crazy". So this automatically gets 2 stars just for that surprising little nugget. And I'm not especially a Huey Lewis fan at all. Thin Lizzy gets my consideration as one of the more underrated bands of all-time. Most people only know them for "The Boys Are Back In Town" (a stellar version of which appears here as part of a seamless one-two punch with "Cowboy Song"). Most of Thin Lizzy's output holds up quite well. I don't usually like live albums, but I love this one. I wouldn't be upset to also find the Jailbreak album on this list. Apparently there's a sector of folks who immediately dismiss this album, claiming it's "overdubbed". Don't ALL Live albums have overdubs? The only unpolished live albums are bootlegs. And down at Dino's Bar'n'Grill the drink will flow and blood will spill, and if the boys wanna fight, you better let 'em.

Awesome album. Such a distinctive sound both musically and vocally. Dancing in the moonlight is the best song amongst many great songs. It kind of reminded me of a Van song, who was idolised by Phil Lynott and whose bandmates in Them, later joined Thin Lizzy.

What a live album, what a voice. I can't believe I had gone my whole life without listening to Dancing in the Moonlight. Never making that mistake again

I don’t know if ‘Live And Dangerous’ is the best live album of all time, or whether it’s not a true live album at all because it was re-recorded in the studio and overdubbed with crowd noise to make it sound live. What I do know is that it rocks hard and is lots of fun, with many moments throughout to indulge in the hedonistic dream of being a rock god whilst perfecting one’s air guitar skills. ‘Live And Dangerous’ won’t change the world, but there’s worse ways to spend 75 minutes.

I tend to not love live albums unless there is something really unique in the performance. This one, being a double album, I found to drag on a bit toward the end. I liked the 4 song run between "Dancing in the Moonlight" and "Johnny the Fox," gravitating more toward the slower songs.

Boys are back, Rosalie, Don't believe a word, Cowboy Song, Whiskey, Still in love, Dancing, Jailbreak

Music I listened to growing up. Still like it.

Ok, now i get it with Thin Lizzy. Their studio albums leave a lot to be desired compared to this “live” record. This is heavy duty, man.

Odd to get two live albums in a row (the previous was MC5's "Kick Out the Jams"). This one is definitely a lot more tame--and less inflammatory too, somewhat disappointingly--and I was kind of disappointed overall. I think part of the disappointment is that this album essentially bypasses the whole no-compilation/best-of stipulation in the project (especially since they cherry-picked from multiple performances), yet I kept thinking "this is their best stuff?" nonetheless. Part of the problem is simply that live recordings are often pretty poor quality (especially from this era, and despite however much overdubbing they may or may not have done), but I guess I also expected Thin Lizzy to rock more than they do; I kept wishing we could the rawness of the MC5 album as I listened to it. There are times I was reminded of Iron Maiden's dueling guitars (in "Emerald" and "Massacre" and their classic "The boys are back in town" especially), and there are several strong performances--especially the Bob Seger mashup "Rosalie/Cowgirl's song", "Suicide" and the ending "The rocker"--but too much of the too-long double album has so-so renditions of their biggest hits, albeit with some pretty fun guitar solos thrown in. I don't begrudge Think Lizzy's appearance in this collection, but I kept thinking it would have been so much more fun to listen to Ozzy Osbourne's much better live Randy Rhoads tribute album in its place. Ultimately, though, I realized as I listened to this album that I would have enjoyed this album a *lot* more if I'd been a big Thin Lizzy fan, which apparently I'm not.

Legendary.

One of the best live albums I've listened to.There isn't one bad song on the album. And the transition from one track to another is pretty amazing. As I read there is a big debate about how ‘live’ Live and Dangerous is. My opinion is who fckin cares? Live and Dangerous is a great sounding album, it’s perfectly produced and mixed. I'm gonna exclude the 2 songs I already knew, "The Boys are Back in Town" and "Jailbreak". Most favourite tracks from the album: Southbound Rosalie/ Cow girl's song Dancing in the Moonlight Still in Love with You Cowboy Song

Rollicking good time. Surprised how much I like this band! I'm glad to discover so much beyond "The Boys Are Back in Town." Also, I always thought they were American. That voice sounds like a cross between Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen, and lyrics have a similar quality to many of their songs.. But it turns out they're Irish, which just interests me more.

The album rocks hard.

Goat

Ahhhhahh fuck yesss this is great. So my vibe. Every song is an absolute tune FUCK YESSSS Classic Boys are back in town, yessss Fantastic album. First 5/5 I reckon

This was AWESOME. It was like Kiss, but enjoyable

Reaching middle age and the self acceptance that hopefully comes with it is what changed my take on Thin Lizzy from a guilty pleasure to a proud pleasure. The Boys Are Back, baby!

Consider my rating a 3.5. Nice! I went into this expecting to not be a fan, especially since I'm usually not a fan of live albums, but this was good! This would have been a solid 4 instead of a 3.5, but I found out that a lot of this was overdubbed after the fact and no one knows just how much of this is actual live audio so...that doesn't really sit right with me. Oh well. This album was still very enjoyable and made me want to listen to more Thin Lizzy, so I gotta give it that! P. S. Being a metalhead also helped my appreciation of this, as it's easy to see how Thin Lizzy influenced a lot of bands.

Started off thinking this would be dull, generic cock rock but I got quite into it and found that lots of it was really good. Most of it is indeed generic cock rock and variations on the 12 bar blues but they could rock out and it has all the energy and grime you want from a live album. It’s probably a 3.5 but I’m feeling generous for some reason with this one.

This is of a type peculiar to the seventies, the studio-enhanced live album, and I wonder whether this will confuse the angry sorts who rant whenever a live album rocks up on this list. They'll be furious anyway, I suppose, which is a shame, as this is a formidable set of sets, with volcanic guitar and even drum solos that genuinely melt my old visage, a rare occurrence nowadays. This has slumbered on my drive for over a decade, mostly or totally unlistened, so I am thankful; I can imagine putting this on over a long drive. There's no small measure of Van Morrison in these songs, which surprises me, and not all of it is Lynott's voice and call-outs. A hard-edged soulfulness, particularly in the ballads, is present in both. Not on this record is Spirit Slips Away, which is the only Thin Lizzy song I’ve heard that’s sublime. Listen to that!

Feels a really poignant album as it was recorded a few years before they split and Phil Lynott's death. Doesn't capture the 'live' feeling as much as some live albums do, but its a fantastic performance with some absolute tunes on it. Can't believe they were still only in their mid to late 20s when they recorded this

A 3 (and not a 4) due to controversy over how much of the album is live, and how much was dubbed. A 4 if perhaps title was "Live, Dubbed, and Dangerous". ;)

Another live album already? I just got one a few days ago! Anyways, This one wasn't quite as good, but was still one of the better live albums I've gotten. First of all, I'll start with the problems. For one, it's pretty long. It was long enough for me to feel great when the album ended, but as I've said about many albums, it certainly isn't the worst 76 minute long album I've ever listened to. This being a live album definitely makes the length more understandable. Secondly, the album is a bit repetitive. It's not the most repetitive album I've listened to, but it's noticeable. Now it's praise time! This album's pretty fun. It's just some good simple hard rock akin to something like Def Leppard and even Van Halen at times. I'd say I like this more than the former but not quite as much as the latter. The vocals are pretty decent. The writing is too. The sound is the highlight of this album. There's definitely some talent that you can hear through the basslines and guitar riffs/solos. There's not much else to say. It's a good fun hard rock live album. High 3/5.

Fuck this app and how it randomly doesnt save notes properly. That out of the way, how good would Thin Lizzy have been live? A very solid live rock out with your two guitars and your cock out album. Mostly somevery solid blues rock throught ro hard tock style but they can groove - Johnny the Fox. I mean Huey Lewis is on this album FFS!

Fucking cool live album. Seems like a concert my dad would have taken me to had Phil Lynott not died so tragically young. The band is tight and the crowd is loving it, me included

yeah i can see that they are dangerous: because they are irish. and most irish are dangerous. also they have a bassist whos also the frontman/singer in the band. thats even more dangerous. and huh... its almost as good as talking head's stop making sense. and since stop making sense is the apex of live concerts according to me, this tell you how good it is. also im going to see sparks live tomorrow. so please give me kimono my house, thank you. 5/5

Leave it to the Irish to recognize the brilliance of Seger. But one song does not an album make. This English list is still pure rubbish.

Relentless, straight up, no nonsense rock n roll the way nature intended it. Thin Lizzy's harmonized dueling lead guitars are on full display with some of the juiciest riffs throughout. Phil Lynott was the essence of cool. Terrific frontman with silky smooth voice, funky bass, and commanding presence. The album cover says it all. This live album starts strong then just keeps picking up stream, snowballing to a crescendo. It's intense and is a must-have record. Favorite song: "Are you ready?"

Thin Lizzy, and this album, in particular, was the sound of every family holiday when I was a child, so I’m already nostalgic just seeing it pop up. For me, this is the classic Lizzy line-up and it showcases so many brilliant things well: the dual guitars, Phil Lynott’s showmanship, and the might of the band at their absolute peak. Obviously we all now know that the album is not quite as “live” as was advertised, with a bit of Tony Visconti knob-twiddling going on to make it the finished product, but I’m not a bit bothered.

Arguably one of the best live albums ever, comes out blazing with jailbreak and emerald, Southbound/Rosalie/Dancing is gets your dancing feet going, then Jonny the fox meets Jimmy the weed is unexpectedly funky, sha la la and the rocker are highlights on the backend. Phil Lynott has the crowd in his hand and is debatable the most charismatic bass playing singer. Expected a 5 and it held.

when i tell you she was cool, she was red hot // i mean, she was steaming

🗯 A live album so good it might be too good — but when it sounds this electric, who cares? Thin Lizzy finally hit a stable lineup here (before Brian Robertson inevitably cleared off), and you can hear the chemistry in every note. Produced by Tony Visconti — yes, Bowie’s man — it’s stitched together from three gigs between ’76 and ’77, whittled down from over 30 hours of recordings. It had to be good… and it is. This thing is massive — big, bold, and beautifully captured. Phil Lynott leads like a poet pirate, the dual guitars roar, and the crowd energy is infectious. Some performances here actually eclipse the studio cuts: Cowboy Song sliding seamlessly into The Boys Are Back in Town is sheer perfection, and Still in Love with You — slowed down and rearranged — becomes pure heartbreak. Of course, there’s that lingering question: how live is it, really? Rumours swirl about overdubs, touch-ups, and studio polish. But does it matter when it sounds this damn good? This is a band at their absolute peak, swaggering through the decade with charm, power, and Irish soul. Verdict: Essential (live? half-live? who cares — it’s perfect rock theatre) For fans of: AC/DC, UFO, Led Zeppelin, barroom poetry and twin-guitar glory.

Absolute classic and a must-listen.

The Boys are Back in Town! great album

I loved this

Still my favourite live album of all time. Saw them at 'Empire Pool' Wembley on this tour.

Yes! Greatest live album of all time!

Every Thin Lizzy album is like a hidden gem.

This is what a live album should sound like. Every band should be made to listen to this and told "If you are going to play live, you are aspiring to reach this level.

Damn good rockin. Favorite tracks are Warriors and Baby Drives Me Crazy

First time hearing anything more than the Boys are Back in Town, it was gray.

yeah, that was kinda fucking awesome. i have kinda mixed feelings about them overall, but that must've been one hell of a live show. also, huey freakin' lewis on harmonica! that's a fun surprise

I’ve apparently been heavily sleeping on Thin Lizzy. Fantastic album, only track I didn’t love was Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed.

Loved every second of this. Such a great stage presence and an amazing sound. I've listened to this album before, but it had been a while.

- so much fun, great vibes - great quality for a live album - left the album radio on all day - so many likes

Definitely seemed born to be a live album. I felt fully immersed. Loved every song but Massacre imparticular. Lovely break in the middle before it picks back up for the 2nd half. The transition into The Boys Are Back In Town was * French Kiss * A flawless experience.

Mola

Best live album ever?

I went into this really only knowing a few tracks, boys are back and jailbreak. I made the mistake of reading some of the reviews before hand which mentioned that they may have touched it up afterwards in the studio and that put me in the frame of mind that supposedly one of the best live albums wasn’t authentic. It took a few songs to get over this and enjoy it for what it was and I had a great time with it. Recommended

In 1978 Thin Lizzy was my favorite band. This record captured a pretty much perfect concert by a band at full power. You can hear the tone in Scott Gotham’s guitar as one that will shortly become ubiquitous in both metal and punk. The song selection first rate with exceptionally good versions of Cowboy Song and Boys Are Back in Town. I saw Thin Lizzy a year later in Vancouver BC playing a similar set but, for me, it was a huge letdown. It was a tired lifeless band going through the motions. On this recording Phil’s vocals are vibrant and energetic and the sonic palate is evident on this excellent soundboard recording that has been enhanced. What makes this recording a must listen is how the sound is crisp with a lively crowd making you believe you were there. 8/10

I love live albums but not this era of hard rock. I think “The Boys Are Back in Town” is about as cheesy as it gets. But the power of this album is undeniable and the live energy really helps me appreciate not only the technical skill but also how electrifying it must have been to hear this sort of ground-level working-class songwriting possess such operatic force. The lead singer’s riffing between songs is definitely hokey rock star stuff of a bygone era but I guess it’s a cliche for a reason and this album is a record of that time. At least he’s charmingly Irish (which I didn’t know before). Love these performances of South Bound and Dancing in the Moonlight. I don’t know how anyone can hear these harmonized lead guitars or the saxophone on Dancing in the Moonlight and say the music here isn’t absolutely exceptional…

The first half had too many slow songs to really feel dangerous, but the title is totally appropriate when we get to the second half! I like the harmonized guitars in theory, but I'm not sure how well I actually like their sound, but at least the songs on here are all pretty good.

When I first saw this album for day 2 I thought it was one I’d never heard of, but the Thin Lizzy name rang familiar. I pull up Spotify and immediately recognize The Boys Are Back in Town and Whiskey in the Jar. I’m glad listening to this album made me more familiar with the Thin Lizzy band they’re really good. I was a little hesitant when I realized it was a Live performance album since I don’t usually like them. I mean who needs to hear “How are you doing San Diego!” When they’re just trying to listen to music. However, Live and Dangerous may have changed my opinion on this. I’ve heard few albums with this much energy and passion. The crowd cheering actually adds to the music rather than taking away from it. I added all but 6 songs to my playlist. I love their sound and it takes me back to my Billy Idol craze from a couple years ago. I think definitely continue listening to Thin Lizzy. My favorite from Live and Dangerous was Warrior because of that energy in the vocalist I was talking about. I could feel the adrenaline while he was performing. I also really liked Southbound because of the guitar and instrumental and sing-along abilities. My least favorite was probably Baby Drives Me Crazy because I didn’t really appreciate the harmonica (much like yesterday’s least favorite from All Things Must Pass). I don’t know what to say I really don’t like it’s tinny sound. The song also felt very long and drawn out because they included introducing the band, but I get it because it was the second to last song of the night.

I always found it fascinating how bands could adapt a sound they masterfully created in a studio setting, and how it was then translated to on stage live music.

Live and Dangerous - Thin lizzy (1978) issue - Spotify (2022 Remaster) 1) Jailbreak - 3.5 2) Emerald - 3.5 3) Southbound - 3.5 4) Rosalie - 3.5 5) Dancing In The Moonlight - 4 6) Massacre - 4 7) Still in Love With You - 4 8) Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed - 3.5 9) Cowboy Song - 3 10) The Boys Are Back In Town - 4.5 11) Don't Belive A Word - 3 12) Warriors - 3 13) Are You Ready - 3 14) Suicide - 3.5 15) Sha-La-La - 3.5 16) Baby Drives Me Crazy - 3.5 17) The Rocker - 3

The album was great lots of unique sounds you can really tell its some of their earliest works without even checking the date not in a bad way the album ages pretty good you can kinda tell that they havent refined their craft quite yet thought some standouts were Wizzard Wasp/behind the wall of sleep Wicked world Probably my favourite songs off the album

Are #ThinLizzyFridays a thing? Cause I may have to start making them a thing. This was such a fun album to get on a Friday! A great live album filled with some of the best hard rock songs you will ever hear. Some of the songs fall flat for me and there were a couple of them I found myself wishing I was listening to the studio version, but it doesn't take away from the fact this is a solid slab of hard rock.

Thin Lizzy is one of my “exception to the rule” bands. I’m pretty sure they are considered to be heavy metal, and generally I don’t like heavy metal music. But I really like Thin Lizzy. They have a bit of bluesy aspect at times, the vocals are good and don’t involve screaming, the solos are pristine and you can usually hear them clearly. I don’t think they feel the need to be stuck in one specific sound. They’re really talented, really fun. I can’t give this album five stars because when I read about it, this album found a cheat code: they went back through all their concert recordings and picked the best version of each song. Then did some studio dubbing. The dubbing probably happens on most live albums but it’s more the cherry picking that gets to me. But it’s a solid four stars for me. 🤘🏻

This sounds like an actual studio album with audience "sound effects"! A fun, head-bobbing record to listen to, especially experiencing frontman Phil Lynott's charisma throughout.

I worked in rock radio for a number of years. Not once did I ever play Thin Lizzy on the air. I've listened to classic rock for most of my life. Why is Thin Lizzy never heard from or known like their contemporaries. This band is tight and it shows on this live album. Not to mention that the guitar solos absolutely shred! 'Live and Dangerous' gets a little 'Long and Tired' at 17 tracks, but for most of it, I'm all in.

This band always intrigued me back when I was a teenager digging into the 70s rock and hard rock scene. I could never quite find the hook that would really pull me in, even though I liked the less flamboyant vocals (which is a good thing) and the tight, bluesy instrumentation. I still feel pretty much the same today, but this live record definitely confirms the positive impression I always had of the band. In the quieter moments, like Still in Love with You, they really gain in nuance. On the other hand, tracks such as Don’t Believe a Word or Sha-La-La quickly put things back into perspective in terms of raw energy. This is solid rock all the way through, and even more since some Soul appears sometime. Lynott is great both as a vocalist and a bass player, the guitars are sharp, the drums are spot-on. The only real flaw is that the band never quite delivers a true anthem beside The boys are back in town. I know, it’s not that much comparable, but ar the end, I definitely like it more than the earlier live of The Who we had.

I don’t objectively think this is that great mug my god I enjoyed it. Docks a star because it’s too long. Otherwise really cracking.

So I have probably heard about 5/6 of these tracks before (mostly the heavier ones) and that familiarity certainly made this album fun to listen to, while the softer tracks were a nice break. Everyone, however, is saying the same thing about the album: That it is full of overdubs. I don't think it really matters, as it is a great album regardless. Deserves four stars, but I would be curious to see the difference between the studio vs live versions (and the drum solo near the end was a bit unnecessary).

With high power and a solid performance from start to finish, Thin Lizzy's Live and Dangerous takes up a well deserved spot in the list. Even if the music itself is not the most interesting.

Liked it way more than I expected. Thought it was going to be generic arena rock and it wasn’t. Usually don’t like live albums either. Dug it.

We've got a live one, boys! Straight rock taking you back to the glory days of the late 1970's. A fun fact I learned when reading up on the album is that its recordings came from 3 stops between '76 and '77: London '76, Toronto '77, and Philadelphia '77. Thin Lizzy has such a unique sound only they can produce. On top of it being a live album, you get blessed with live versions of some of their biggest hits. Nothing beats Jailbreak and that opening riff to open a show (or at least I hope that was the case). It's not a traditional album, so it's not really worth getting caught up in its cohesion, messaging, or lack thereof. Rather, this one is best served up on a stereo system with the volume up. So, turn that SOB up, rip the knob off, and start head-bangin'. Bonafide Bangers: Jailbreak, Boys Are Back in Town Top Tracks: Southbound, Dancing in the Moonlight, Johnny the Fox meets Jimmy the Weed

Despite the length and being a double album, I enjoyed the listen. There was a good amount of pacing between driving, classic rock songs and slow, tender ballads. The amount of useless live show fluff was kept to a minimum which was also nice. I don’t know if it would be the first thing I reach for, but I enjoyed the experience and I’d consider listening again.

I wasn't expecting to like this band, but the sleazy 70's bass is a vibe. Nothing that special though. 3.5/5 "I always get chocolate stains on my pants." - Dancing in the Moonlight

Thin Lizzy is badass…for me, “Jailbreak” is a perfect song, and a perfect album opener. They manage to mix and balance a lot of things - hard rock without being self-indulgent, Irish attitude/influence without it being a novelty, glam rock aesthetics without sacrificing any of the music, and as a live band, they’re smoking. It’s kind of the same song over and over, but you know what? I like that song so screw you….Great rock, great energy, great album.

Spread the word around, the boys are BACK.

The Boys WERE back in town this weekend

Ferocious playing! Only wish the vocalist let the instruments sing more.

I always think of highschool with this band. There was a kid who’s favorite band was Thin Lizzy and he got picked on for it. Maybe because it was the 2000’s not the 70’s. Anyways, decent live album with good sound quality.

Muscula,r dude rock with lots of terrific guitar interplay. Both of those guys really ripped. Phil, his swag and charisma. I enjoyed this more and more as it went on. Some boring aside, I do look forward to revisiting this.

I don’t know why, but this is a band that I just never got into, although it is definitely the kind of music that I liked as a teenager. For whatever reason, they just never tripped my trigger. Anyway, this is a three star album for me.

Never been a big fan of Thin Lizzy. I tried to get into them a couple of times in the past, but it just doesn’t do anything for me, and this album was no exception. I have nothing bad to say about them, they’re competent rockers who can spit good riffs and entertain a crowd ; but nothing really stands out or excites me here, except maybe for the famous Boys Are Back In Town and a couple of guitar solos. Most of the album just reeks of leather, sweat, beer and greasy hair, and feels a bit too cliché and outdated for me. I’m not sure exactly how ahead of their time they were, but the opening of Massacre sounds so much like Iron Maiden that it’s uncanny. Something was clearly in the air in the late 70s ; Thin Liz were potentially onto something... but then Iron Maiden happened and did it much better, making them kind of irrelevant. I enjoyed listening once, but I'm not sure I'll repeat the experience. Thin Lizzy is probably one of those bands you really need to see live to appreciate. 6/10

Is it really a live album if you need to overdub part of it to make it presentable (claimed to be as much as 25% overdubbed)? I don't know if it's suggestion or what I'm actually hearing, but I feel like I can definitely tell that this thing isn't 100% live. Some of it has an overly glossy production that really pulls the punch out of it (sometimes it feels like it was recorded in an empty room), particularly the first half of the record. Musically, the album's fine. Cuts like Massacre, The Boys Are Back In Town (classic), and Warrior are great. But on other tracks, its just lacking punch. But yeah. I'm already not enamored with live albums (I've always argued they shouldn't be on the list as they're a glorified greatest hits/compilation - but I doubt I'd win that argument), and knowing that this album is possibly significantly overdubbed doesn't help. Fun album, but I'm not crazy for it, mostly for the production. Live? Partially. Dangerous? Absolutely not.

Based on my limited knowledge of this Irish band (i.e., two songs: “The Boys are Back in Town” and “Jailbreak”), my expectations were pretty low. But the sound quality for a live double album was good, and the music was better than expected. Generally hard rock. The lead singer has a distinctive voice, too bad he died at a young age.

Another double album! Lol. I like Thin Lizzy plenty and don’t have time or patience for this (just play the hits!). My sense is this is here as a placeholder because the critics never liked Lizzy albums, but respected them as a live act, and probably celebrated their hits, not to mention Lynott as personality and performer. What L&D gets across, maybe better than the studio albums, is that despite the metal-adjacent trappings - album artwork, even this release’s name - TL was here to entertain and have a good time. Maybe the cuddlier version of Sabbath?

Thin Lizzy are a fun, energetic rock band. They have a few brilliant songs, and the Live album works well. This said, I'm sure there's many more essential Live albums which aren't included, and it feels like a bit of an excuse to sneak a Greatest Hits compilation into this list. To be honest, I'd probably rather stick a Hits compilation on than this. 6/10

I feel like live albums shouldn't be on this list. Yes, some are legendary, but I think it's a sneaky way to get what is essentially a Greatest Hits album on the list. This is good though, I can't deny it. Going in, I only know two or three Thin Lizzy tracks, but after listening to this, I can confidently say they are pretty damn good. Tight playing, good solos and great hard rock tunes throughout. It makes me want to hear the studio versions of tracks which is a good sign. 'Emerald' really chugs away nicely with blistering solos to end it, everyone loves 'The Boys Are Back In Town' and for good reason, it's a phenomenally good track, but again, I think I'd rather listen to the studio version although this one does have a great energy about it. 'She-La-La' almost wanders into speed metal territory. Overall a really solid offering, and a shame that this is the only Thin Lizzy album this list has to offer.

It's fine. Not awesome. When it started, I expected more of it. The genre, I really like. But some of the songs are too monotonous. Maybe the live sound is not for me, I would listen to this band in studio, but this live album was too long for me. 3,5/5.

Love albums are such a 70s thing. Nice one. You get to have a greatest hits but in a live setting, make a bunch of money. Don't care, Thin Lizzy! YouTube and streaming services ruined that idea. It's a pleasant recording. The band play pretty close to the album and the brief banter inbetween songs isn't too much. I don't really care for the band that much. I enjoyed a few songs, but it wasn't an amazing experience, I'm not there to watch the magic and I don't hold massive nostalgia for these songs. Even Boys are back in town was a bit of a let down. It made pleasant background music as we drove across the Island. 3 stars.

Makes me think of big hair. Induces compulsive air guitar with sick moves. Pairs well with mowing the lawn.

Ireland mentioned! I fear listening to a live album of a band i know two studio recordings of is gonna be wasted on me but I can't be arsed listening to a bunch of hard rock for this. I'll pretend I'm at a festival ig. This isn't fair but every hard rock song sounds the same to me idk. I like Southbound. Hitting the Phil Lynott Respect button but this just isn't my thing. Few decent songs and a good sound but I can't listen to 1.25 hours of rock without getting bored sorry. Wish i could give half stars bc this is a solid 2.5 for me. Enough fun bits to round up from iron maiden and that 90s rnb album but it's hard won. Mostly by the crowd work toward the end.

Ganz in Ordnung.

A couple songs by an okay band.

never heard of this guy and i wish it stayed that way. boring and way too long. 5/10

The boys are back in town 3.7/5

the boys were in fact back

sounds good for a live album, a bit too long and too many blues jams