THE 11th anniversary of the death of Thin Lizzy's Philip Lynott was celebrated in what amounted to a community event. Thankfully, there was none of the music industry hype or ersatz excitement which passed off as entertainment at last year's embarrassing 10th ceremony. Rather there was a humility which was almost touching in its naivety, something quite possibly more close to the heart of Lynott's grounded characteristic charm.
The on stage events were topped and tailed by two Thin Lizzy cover bands, Thin As Lizzy and Limehouse Lizzy. Both outfits acquitted themselves well, although by the end of the night surely only the most committed of fans wished to hear yet another version of The Boys Are Back In Town.
Aside from the sincere cabaret bar bands, several young Dublin groups played to the capacity audience: Blue Daze were enthusiastically introduced by Mrs Philomena Lynott. They were young, raw and energetic, but inevitably lacked presence. Cafe Wha executed a fine version of the first Thin Lizzy single, The Farmer.
The surprise of the evening, though, came not from Ireland, but from California. Once again incongruously introduced by Mrs Lynott (and why not - it was as much her night as her son's), Rude Awakening stole the show with their deft - and occasionally downright daft - metal approach. Imagine Soundgarden rifling through the prime time Thin Lizzy back catalogue and you'll get some idea of what this band were like. They encored with Couldn't Give It Up, the lyrics of which were made up from Lynott/Thin Lizzy, song titles. It was all quite ridiculous, really, but in some curious way it worked.
These so called "Vibes" appear timeless in their appeal. The venue was packed with people of all ages and many nationalities. It would seem that whether one regards Philip Lynott as a rock hero or just another tragic casualty is, if not unimportant, then certainly not crucial to such a specific event. His music (and, by association, the memory of the man) touches an emotional soft spot which is impossible to ignore.
