Hi °C | Lo °C The Belsonic festival let its hair down on Saturday night with a line-up of hard rock heroes.
Following supporting sets from Belfast metal stalwarts Sweet Savage, the brilliant English AOR band FM and Downpatrick's Led Zeppelin-alikes The Answer, it was the turn of a rejuvenated Thin Lizzy to headline Custom House Square.
For a group playing Belfast for the third time in 18 months, it was a respectable turnout, though it may take 2013's rumoured new studio album — which would be their first in 30 years — to keep this roadshow rolling.
Featuring just one original member, drummer Brian Downey, alongside longtime guitarist Scott Gorham and late-period keyboardist Darren Wharton, the success of the ‘reformed' Thin Lizzy hinges on the powerhouse performance of Newtownards-born vocalist Ricky Warwick.
The band's fiery new frontman captures the vibe of Lizzy founder Phil Lynott, without aping the much-missed icon.
On Saturday, Warwick's rough-edged, earnest vocals helped keep classic anthems including Jailbreak, Whiskey in the Jar and The Boys Are Back in Town sounding exciting.
Like the world's showiest garage band, Thin Lizzy capped Belsonic's first ‘rock night' in style with an encore of Rosalie.
ANDREW JOHNSTON
