OK, let’s start off with some clarifications. If Thin Lizzy is metal, then Journey and the Eagles should be touring with Children of Bodom. This is straight-up, good-time, 70s guitar rock n' roll, no heavier than Billy Joel’s hardest-rockin’ tunes, closer to the Allman Brothers than Lamb of God - - or even than Iron Maiden. Don’t get me wrong - - I’m not playing bouncer, trying to exclude Thin Lizzy from the headbangers ball; I’m just giving a heads up to readers and metal fans who may be unfamiliar with the band’s material (although what citizen of modern Western Civilization could possibly have escaped hearing ‘The Boys are Back in Town’?).

“Still Dangerous” is a live disc from a Philadelphia show in 1977. No Gary Moore, no performance of ‘Whiskey in the Jar’-O; this is not a career retrospective, not a disc for the casual or unconverted Thin Lizzy fan, and this is absolutely not recommended for metal fans with proclivities for any of the heavier, evil, theatrical, doomy, shredding, intricate, louder, high intensity, etc. flavors of the genre. This is a snapshot in time, classic rock to the bone, metal’ed up just a little with Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson’s cruising twin harmonized lead guitar sound.

For hardcore Thin Lizzy fans and for guitar-friendly Classic Rock listeners, however, this is a gorgeous-sounding album. The volume levels are just right, the instruments and vocals are all clear and precise, and the crowd noise is present but unobtrusive. In fact, the audience buzz enhances the dynamic of these performances, which is a rarity amongst live recordings. Throughout the 10 tracks, you get an appreciation for the tightness of the band, and also for Phil Lynott’s famous charm. His posthumous reputation is a little tarnished by the tales of excesses that eventually ended his life, but “Still Dangerous” conveys nothing other than a talented, charismatic, nice-guy vocalist with a genuine connection to and affection for his audience.

Yes, it’s 2009 and a CD has been released with only 10 tracks. One full listen does feel a little short. What happened to the rest of the tapes from that concert? The most memorable/standout tracks for me are ‘Soldier of Fortune’, ‘Cowboy Song’, and ‘Opium Trail’. No, not ‘The Boys are Back in Town’. The disc features a well-executed version of the tune, but I didn’t particularly love the first 8 million times I’d heard it.

The verdict: “Still Dangerous” is highly, highly recommended for Thin Lizzy fans. Not so much for everyone else.