Thin Lizzy - Live and Dangerous [2LP/ 180G/ Ltd Ed Colored Vinyl]

Bottling Thin Lizzy's electric energy, 1978's influential Live and Dangerous (regularly voted as one of the best live albums of all time) was recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London in November 1976 during the Johnny the Fox tour and at Seneca College Fieldhouse in Toronto in October 1977 during the Bad Reputation tour.

From the sustained guitar chord and snare drum crack that kick off "Jailbreak," the band is off and running. The familiar two-guitar attack is mixed right up front – Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham establish the melodies play off one another expertly, though you have to get to "Emerald" before you hear their signature twin leads. Lynott is in fine voice, of course, and his bass and Brian Downey's drums are tighter than tight. 

There are highlights aplenty across the double-album. "Cowboy's Song" is one of those great Thin Lizzy anthems – the soft-to-loud dynamic slides naturally into a rollicking rocker, complete with the guitar harmonies Robertson and Gorham played so well. "The Boys are Back in Town" offers more of those elements, plus the singalong chorus everyone who's ever listened to classic rock radio knows. "Massacre" and "Are You Ready" barely stay on the rails – a cool contrast to "Southbound" and "Dancing in the Moonlight," where the structure of the songs are paramount to their performance. 

Gatefold colored 180g vinyl 2LP reissue from Friday Music.