Sinnerboy - Rory Gallagher Tribute, News

Holland/Belgium	A thousand thank you's to all who made the Netherlands and Belgium gigs so special - It was great to see so many old and new friends there and far too many to mention but special thanks to Danny for all his help and Frank and Marina for turning up everywhere! - We'll be back as soon as we can!
Irish tour	Thanks to all involved for making 2007's Irish tour so memorable, all the gigs were great because they were all attended by Roryfans who are the best in the world! Two great gigs in Ballyshannon and lots of laughs at the daytime guitar workshops. Dino's surprise birthday party was fab, Athlone fed us well, Mullingar had great new sound system, Dolan's in Limerick rocked, Roisin Dubh was it's usual wonderful self, great to play in Cork again, looks like we've found a home in Waterford (The Forum) Whelan's in Dublin is just brilliant, nice to meet the people of Monaghan, The Empire in Belfast was a great gig and we got a brilliant send off in Dundalk. Roll on 2008!
Greece	A huge thank you to Anthia, Tasos, George, Alex and the people of Greece for a fantastic tour. I'll get some pics up on the gallery ASAP!
Lou Martin	We called in to see Lou Martin on our way home from Southampton on Sunday and I'm delighted to report a definate improvement (and so we should as we hadn't called in for over a year, a fact that Lou's mum Margaret let me know good and proper!) Lou was looking a lot more mobile although he still needs his walking stick / cane thingy, he's certainly faster than last time and he's managing to get to the shops and stuff. Also his speech is much better and he had us laughing as usual with stories from the band (See Rorystories) When I asked Lou if he had anything to say to the fans who remembered him his exact words were 'Tell them many thanks for the cards and letters and I love them all for remembering' No nicer man have we ever met in this business!
Irish tour 2006	Just a note to thank absolutely everybody in Ireland for making Steve's last tour truly memorable. Two totally contrasting gigs in Ballyshannon - a seated and attentive audience in the Rory Gallagher theatre (Well until the end that is) and a typical closing gig in Dorian's with everybody going for it, no preferences - both great gigs for differing reasons. Wish I could have seen more of the young bands everybody was raving about but there just isn't time! Scorching sunshine in Drogheda, and good to see old friends there. Great crowd in Limerick, superb venue Rory would have loved it there! Pierce and Rory's Kilkenny gig - how do they keep on filling a place that big? Great atmosphere at the Cruiscin Lan on Sunday night in Cork with our oldest friends in Ireland (Hi Boots) Oh my word Whelans in Dublin, what a venue and the crowd were wonderful as usual, and guess what? the ex Ireland footy manager Brian Kerr was there and sent me a message saying he was in tears during A Million Miles Away! We were utterly knackered in Mullingar but the crowd lifted us and we managed to get through it. (We'll tear the place apart next time) Galway was wicked - great craic with the youngsters at front of stage, nice to se John Roberts too. Big surprise in Belfast - huge turnout in the Empire Music Hall. This has got to be the most beautiful venue we've ever played, big ta to Barry and Double Vision (Hi to John F. and his lad) Sad night in Dundalk, but the atmosphere was relaxed and we had lots of fun with all the familiar faces, we could have played till the next morning if they'd let us, I didn't want the band to end! Bumped into lots of our friends from other bands - great to see The Loop with Volkhard happy gigging again, Brute Force on top form, Dave McHugh playing Taste like a man possessed (I think he must have been down to the crossroads) with Thomas and Tony. We were too busy to see anybody else play unfortunately but I'm sure they all delivered! (Missed Laundromat though) Lovely to see: The Spijkers, Brian T, Dino & Annie, Jill and Noelle, Donal, Ted & Chris, Kelly & Claire, Treacy, and all the MPers of course. Special thanks to Barry and the team from Ballyshannon, Ger and the Cork Rocks team, and most of all Rory O'Mahony. Rory Gallagher has been the one real hero in my life and it is such a thrill to be playing his music to people who share the same passion. Thank you Steve, it's been a pleasure! Barry PS Those I've missed out can thump me next time!
Fiona Bell	Commiserations to the family and friends of Fiona Bell of Aberdeenshire who has sadly passed away after a long battle with cancer. A great Rory fan and a good friend of the band. Fiona will be sorely missed.
Steve Richardson	It is with great sadness that I must announce Steve Richardson's departure from Sinnerboy. As a founder member of the band Steve (and his lovely wife Julie) will be sorely missed and I'm sure you will join us in wishing him every happiness for the future. Steve will be playing on all gigs until the end of our Irish tour finishing in Dundalk on June 18th (Where there maybe a guinness or two consumed!) so come along to your nearest venue and give him a rousing send off. I will announce Steve's replacement in due course. Barry
Dino	Well the explorers needed a bone idle f****r! (see the meeting place general discussion Lou Martin thread)
New DVD	Rockpalast
Lou on the mend!	Great news from Lou Martin, he's feeling much better after suffering a stroke earlier this year click here
Statue	Sign a petition for a statue of Rory in T emple Bar
Dave Burgess	I recieved a terrible piece of news this weekend, after a gig at the Limelight in Crewe earlier this year, a really nice guy introduced himself to me as Dave Burgess, guitar player and vocalist with a new Macclesfield based Rory Gallagher Tribute band called 'Secret Agent' I had an e-mail this weekend from the Drummer Scott Gallagher informing me that Dave suffered a fatal heart attack whilst on stage playing 'Tattood Lady' Scott told me that he lived - and unfortunately died for Rory's music. Tragically I never got to see him play as he wanted to get a few gigs under his belt so I could suss the band out for the annual tribute concert. The lads and I wish to express our deepest sympathies to Daves family and friends, we've lost a true Rory fan!
Larry Miller	Go and see this guy play when you can - he's fab! Website and he's a Rory fan!
Stop press!	Oren in Sinnerboy bassplayer take over bid! Here
Espana	Sinnerboy play a special Spanish tribute in July! (see gig guide)
Oh yeah?	Click on this link only if your name is Earnshaw
International Rescue 2	OK so my memory is not what it was - I've been reliably informed that it was John that stayed in the space station alone (apart from Pamela Hand and her five lovely daughters) and Gordon used to go up and down in Thunderbird three to 'relieve' him! Still not as exciting as Scott & Virgil though is it? I'd like to thank Steve Ernshaw of the Casual Ties for the information - Steve knows so much about these things obviously due to the fact he has stayed at the same mental age as he was when he saw his last episode!
International Sinnerboy	News is coming in about gigs in Spain and America so watch the gig guide!
International Rescue	It's not fair! Whilst we are on tour Steve goes on ahead in his fast car to check out venues, hotels, etc so we call him Scott Tracy after the eldest of the Tracy brothers in Thunderbird 1. Next thing is Dave (Virgil) arriving in the big white Sinnerboy van, or to put it another way - Thunderbird 2. Now these two characters are the ones who get involved in all the action but who is left for me to be? well I'll tell you - either the grumpy old git who sits behind his desk all day - the most excitement he gets is when he pulls the lever that works the palm trees (big deal!) or Alan, who's the one that looks like a big girl's blouse with jubbly lips who they let out of his box once every blue moon to do some underwater stuff, or worst of all Gordon who just sits up in the space station playing with himself and dreaming of Tin Tin all day long! Brains, Lady Penelope and Parker don't appeal at all and the rotten buggers won't let me be Steve Zodiac or Captain Scarlett or anybody like that as they're in different series! If anybody has any ideas please e-mail me. Barry
Leeuwarden 2004	Many thanks to Klaas & Anet Spijker for asking us to play Leeuwarden for the second time. We had a wonderfull weekend and the gig was fantastic. Pictures will be in the gallery soon.
Sheffield Details Sheffield Attractions	The Ninth Annual British Rory gallagher Tribute Concert will be held on 29th May at The Boardwalk, Sheffield. I certainly wouldn't have thought, back in 1996 that this gig would prove so popular or that there would be so many other Tribute events around the globe. Holland, Ireland, Scotland, France, Belgium, Germany and the USA have all hosted tributes to Rory of one kind or another and now we have a whole weekend of music in Ballyshannon every year dedicated to our hero! Don't miss Sheffield this year!!
Lou Martin at High cross Inn	Lou Martin (In his guise as honorary member of Sinnerboy) will be joining us on Keyboards at The High Cross Inn in Broughton-on-Furness in February (See gig guide) We're going to try to twist his arm into playing the old favourites from Irish tour etc, so don't miss this one. Please don't arrive on spec because the gig may well sell out in advance - phone 01229 716272 for advanced tickets.
No sleep till Hammersmiff!	At last a London Tribute - a three day event at the Hammersmith Irish Arts Centre with Sinnerboy, Chris Newman, the Rory Exhibition, Fender Guitar Workshop, and a lecture by someone special! All this plus a chance to win a Fender Stratocaster. Details very soon. 28/29/30th November.
Australia	Any Australian Roryfans wishing to meet others please contact: Colin Paterson
The Rory Gallagher Band!	Dared not hope it would happen but my god it did - on Saturday night I played with Lou Martin, Jerry McAvoy and Ted McKenna! and I got a telling off from Brendan O'Neil for not getting him up too (Watched "Mr cool" earlier drumming with Nine Below - he was astonishing!) Lou also joined Steve, Dave and I along with Gwynn Ashton playing some great blues guitar, and he helped us close the night playing piano on "Going to my Hometown" How do we feel? like a pack of canines, each with a 100% bonus in the penis department! The occasion was a fundraising event in honour of Marsha McDonnell. A great privilege.
Ted McKenna!	How about that then eh? Ted McKenna joined Sinnerboy at the Renfrew Ferry on Saturday night! After sitting in on a couple of numbers with the excellent Victoria Warne Band, including 'Cruise on Out' He almost bust a snare rap rap rap psshhh!! (sorry!) Ted then joined Sinnerboy in a stonking version of 'Moonchild' I had planned to do Last of the Independents next but the crowd were yelling for Messin with the Kid so we obliged - we were tootling along nicely when I innocently turned round to egg Ted on, that must have been what he was waiting for because all hell broke loose! Man that guy can motor!! Dave & I really worked up a sweat keeping up with him. Steve is Ted's biggest fan too so he's going to frame the set of drum skins that Ted hit!! And while I'm on the subject, this is one of the most genuine guys I've met in this business, a lovely man! (And now an Honorary member of Sinnerboy)