Search - La :: Rough Diamonds, Precious Jewels - The Belfast Bootlegs - 4 Cd Set

Originally Reviewed by Dougie Adam: Some fans of Larry feel there are already too many live albums and compilations around and not enough original studio work available. So how does this 4 CD stack up? First the facts, 'Rough Diamonds, Precious Jewels' contains a whopping 98 tracks (including jokes, audience interaction and monologues) and has a running time in excess of four and a half hours. It chronicles Larry's Belfast concerts from 1981 to last year's performance. Belfast just happens to be the European city which Larry has played most often over the years, a place where a special rapport exists between the performer and the audience. In Belfast, he feels free to try out new unreleased material, rarities and speak on a very personal level. Some of his appearances have gone down in legend, like the 1981 concert where Larry was backed by the Alwyn Wall Band featuring Norman Barratt. In the middle of their Friends On Tour schedule the Belfast concert fell on the same night as IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands died in prison. The show went on despite the tension and danger. In addition to his usual solo spot the audience were treated to band performances of some of his hits and new material from Larry's recently released 'Something New Under The Son' LP. 20 years later some Larry fans speak about that night in May 1981 and the power and impact of the concert. The 1987 concert at the Ulster Hall also stands out as another vintage performance, this time Larry held the stage himself and delivered definitive versions of classics from his back catalogue with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. A year later and the concert highlights were broadcast on the Ulster TV concert special Righteous Rocker, Holy Roller. Larry's regular visits continued throughout the '90s despite his problems with his heart condition, ending up on television once more in 1995 and turning in impressive performances in 1998 and again in 2000...