Rory Gallagher anniversary to be marked with online streams and more

Rory Gallagher
Rory Gallagher (Image credit: Michael Putland - Getty)

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.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.