THE ULTIMATE THIN LIZZY TRIBUTE BAND

"THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN"

© Matt Gamble

Tizz Lizzy – A foreword

Hello, I’m Tizz Lizzy’s Technical Advisor, or in other terms their sternest critic. But I have a problem. I just love these guys when they play!

Whenever I get to talking about Thin Lizzy Tributes, I always seem to think back to a Thin Lizzy Pre-vibe I was at 5 or so years ago.

My brother and I tripped down to the cellar in the Isaac Butt pub in Dublin to catch a range of bands and people getting up impromptu to perform Philip Lynott’s music.

My bro’ (a networker, actor and full time ligger) had met a friend beforehand who was with the Irish Times and was there to do a piece for the paper so he managed to get in for free as the Journo’s friend for the evening.

Watching the acts the journalist asked me about the songs the band were playing and what I thought of the various acts, needless to say the quality ran the full range from brilliant right though to why bother?

When I read the article the next day, I was delighted to see that a lot of my musings to the guy made it into print!

Being a tribute act is no easy thing to do. Fact, full stop.

If you’re not being compared to the original band, you’re being compared to the other tributes acts on the circuit, and I’ve seen more than my share!

Tribute bands generally break down into two categories, imitators and interpreters.

The 1st category gets up on stage and does their utmost to look and sound exactly like Thin Lizzy.

They deliver flawless versions of the greatest hits and in fairness to some of them they dig into the archive and do flawless versions of some of the lesser known tracks.

Some of them even wear wigs.

Fair enough you say what’s wrong with at? Well nothing as it goes.

The 2nd category are a bit more adventurous, and sometimes adventurers come to grief, I like a jazz interpretation of “Gonna creep up on ya” or a version of “The Rocker” with a gender twist as much as the next man but even I have limits right?

In a Tizz.

Tizz Lizzy are a band I have seen many times in the year since they have formed and they seem to do it a 3rd way, some imitation, some interpretation and indeed some live innovation of which I’m sure Phil Lynott himself might have applauded.

Are they an absolutely note perfect version of the original?

No they’re not!

But then Phil Lynott’s Thin Lizzy were never note perfect either.

The original band’s ethic was to create a high octane/ high energy performance that would ignite and unite the audience into a state of frenzy.

What you get with Tizz Lizzy that is that raw, intoxicating performance Lizzy used to deliver in the days before their break through,

This makes the band exciting to watch. They move with a purpose and have a sound, an energy and a certain sense of style and swagger.

They do something different every time they play, they change the set on the stage depending on what’s working for the crowd, rather like a certain front man and master showman used to do.

Tizz Lizzy understand what a Lizzy audience want and there is everything in the set is there to please both the casual fan and the purist supporter.

Physically they look and move like the hungry road dogs that Thin Lizzy were back in ’75. Way back when they were playing small venues and converting the faithful one soul at a time.

I’ve seen these guys playing to crowds who were maybe 20 or 30 years old in 1975 and to see the response and the energy of a people reliving their youth is amazing.

Seriously if you want to see 50 something’s dancing on tables and punching the air in sheer delight you’re in the right place!

The Bottom line is when you are in an audience that ranges from 16 to 60, you’ve got the right band and the right tribute to that band and if you want to see a group of young guys take Lynott’s heritage forward to the next generation, you’re right there too!

One guy who had seen Phil and the guys in various lineups right from 1970 to 1983 told me that the Tizz had nailed the sound and the passion.

I think he would know and I for one agree with him!

Thanks for letting me introduce the gang to ya.. check ‘em out for me ok?

Davey Murphy - March 2007

MATT WILSON - Bass Guitar, Vocals

PHIL EDGAR - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals

JOE McQUILLAN - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals

ANTHONY STUART - Drums