[ATTENDED: March 20, 2018] Black Star Riders
I had not heard of Black Star riders before this show. My friend Nick told me that they were involved with Thin Lizzy in some capacity. I really like Thin Lizzy, so I was intrigued by that aspect. Although I didn’t quite understand the connection, I assumed it was the original members plus a new singer. I have just looked at the timeline of Thin Lizzy members and trying to figure out what an original member would be is a futile gesture.
Scott Gorham who is in Black Star Riders joined Thin Lizzy in 1974 (after the band had released three albums) and has been with them ever since. Thin Lizzy broke up in 1983 (Phil Lynott, singer, bass player and primary songwriter died in 1986–I always assumed they broke up because he died). Thin Lizzy got back together in 1996 but decided not to record any new music. 
They just toured. The reunited band consisted of four of the five active members circa 1983. There was a revolving door for members for a while [the Wikipedia page lists over 25 people as being in the band at one point or another] and in 2012, the then current lineup wanted to make new music and so recorded under the name Black Star Riders.
Black Star Riders are currently Damon Johnson on flying V guitar (joined Thin Lizzy in 2011), Robbie Crane on bass (never in Thin Lizzy), Chad Szeliga on drums (never in Thin Lizzy), Ricky Warwick on vocals and guitar (joined Thin Lizzy in 2011) and Scott Gorham who has been with Thin Lizzy almost all along.
Ricky Warwick, it turns out was with New Model Army for a time and then formed The Almighty, so he’s toured the world a number of times with three different bands. T
That explains his cocky, rock n roll posturing for a band that most people in the audience hadn’t heard of, if idle chatter is anything to go on. I had been standing next to a horrible woman (I think older heavy metal crowds might be the most insufferable) and she was so annoyed about having spent so much money for front row seats but somehow didn’t even know who the two opening bands were.
As usually happens with opening bands at stadia, their sound was terrible. They were very loud,and their sound got pretty lost–I had earplugs in from the get go. It all sounded pretty dreadful.
Plus, I found Warwick’s attitude to be really unpleasant.
So, after the first song (where most of the front row seats weren’t filled in at all) when Warwick shouted “come on, Jersey, is that all you got?” My reply was, “For you? Yes.”
Things changed for the better with their cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak.” It sounded awesome. They really had the Thin Lizzy sound perfectly (as well they should). The song sounded great and Warwick had the voice for it. It raised my hopes that we might get another.
But they have three albums out so that was unlikely.
Why the opened with the lead-off track from their first album is a puzzle, but whatever.
The other six songs had a lot of that Thin Lizzy feel–dual guitars playing harmony solos and big choruses.
He exhorted us to sing along a lot and I guess there were some fans up front because he did get some takers. They played songs from all of their albums and the last two songs were also from their first album–no “all new songs” for them.
Perhaps in a smaller club I might have enjoyed them more. But I think I’d rather just see them as Thin Lizzy.
Set list
I saw them in a club and they leaned a ton more on actual classic Lizzy. This was after first or second album. Kind of a let down with only one Lizzy tune and no BABIT. My issue with them is they do the paint by numbers Lizzy tunes….even the phrasing of the vocals….but call it BSR.
Incidentally Gorham toured Europe a year or so ago as Lizzy W some of these guys.