Fans mark Phil Lynott anniversary

The 25th anniversary of the death of Thin Lizzy founder Phil Lynott takes place today.

An annual concert has been held every year on his anniversary and this year's sold-out Vibe for Philo concert will feature several former members of Thin Lizzy.

The Thin Lizzy songwriter and bass guitarist died from pneumonia and heart failure on January 4th, 1986, 11 days after collapsing at his home in Surrey. He was 35.

Lynott was one of the first Irish rock stars to win international acclaim and is widely regarded as one of the biggest influences on modern rock music.

Thin Lizzy's unique brand of Celtic rock was defined by two lead guitars coupled with the talismanic figure of Lynott himself.

He joined his first rock group, The Black Eagles, at the age of 17 before joining Skid Row for which Brush Shiels famously taught him how to play the bass guitar.

He later featured in Orphanage, a band that gave Thin Lizzy the title for their second full length album, the almost experimental sounding Shades of a Blue Orphanage.

Lynott formed Thin Lizzy in 1970 with Dublin-born drummer Brian Downey and guitarist Eric Bell from Belfast. The band won a recording contract with Decca Records and moved to London.

They recorded Whiskey in the Jar in November 1972, and became the first Irish rock band to appear on BBC's Top of the Pops where they performed the single.

The band's line-up changed over the years and the music took a harder route following the departure of Eric Bell on New Year's Eve 1973. Former Skid Row guitarist Gary Moore was briefly recruited but left in April 1974.

Californian guitarist Scott Gorham and Scotland's Brian Robertson were recruited and went on to give Thin Lizzy their trademark dual guitar sound which featured so heavily on the album Jailbreak.

The album's most successful single, The Boys are back in Town, broke the band in the US where the song reached number 12 in the charts.

Other albums include Thin Lizzy, Bad Reputation, Live & Dangerous and Black Rose.

The band toured extensively across the globe and was considered as one of the greatest live acts of the time.

Thin Lizzy broke up in 1983 and the singer went on to release two more solo albums and a number of poetry books.

A bronze statue of Lynott was erected in 2005 just off Grafton Street in Dublin city centre. Almost 5,000 fans turned up for the unveiling ceremony, which was attended by Lynott's mother Philomena and former band members and friends.

Tonight’s Vibe for Philo gig features performances by The Eric "Bogroll" Bell Trio and The Brian Robertson Band.