Black Star Riders Tickets

Black Star Riders on Tour

Carrying on the sound and spirit of a legendary band isn't easy — especially if the group in question is Thin Lizzy. Yet Black Star Riders — a group formed in 2012 by several members of Thin Lizzy's then-current touring lineup — are boldly preserving the legacy of the beloved Irish hard rock innovators co-founded by the late vocalist Phil Lynott. Better still, Black Star Riders are also carving out their own rock 'n' roll niche, thanks to steady bouts of touring and a commitment to creating original music. 

In fact, Black Star Riders coalesced originally because the musicians — including guitarist Scott Gorham, who originally joined Thin Lizzy in 1974, and frontman Ricky Warwick — didn't feel right releasing new tunes under the Thin Lizzy moniker. Instead, the group issued their debut — 2013's All Hell Breaks Loose — as Black Star Riders, a name derived from the Black Star gang, a group of menaces found in the movie Tombstone. Despite the shift in names, All Hell Breaks Loose certainly echoed Thin Lizzy's loose grooves and double-barreled guitar attack. Northern Ireland native Warwick also adds the right amount of vocal grit to his parts; he's certainly not attempting to imitate Lynott's singing voice, just his passion and forceful presence. 

Black Star Riders harnessed the momentum generated by their debut on their next two albums, 2015's The Killer Instinct and 2017's Heavy Fire, both of which were produced by Nick Raskulinecz and released via Nuclear Blast. The records demonstrate a sonic progression: While preserving the group's vintage hard rock sound, the music adopts contemporary production flourishes and incorporates more expansive influences, such as nods to Bruce Springsteen's muscular, folk-leaning rock.

Unsurprisingly, Black Star Riders are a ferocious and well-oiled live act specializing in no-frills rock 'n' roll (and even an occasional Thin Lizzy hit or two). Even more impressive, this approach holds whether they're playing major festivals (Wacken Open Air, Download) or touring with metal behemoths like Judas Priest, Saxon, Whitesnake, and Def Leppard. With new guitarist Christian Martucci — known for his work with Stone Sour — aboard as of early 2019, look for Black Star Riders to continue blazing a unique trail forward.