Gary Moore: Live From Baloise Session Review

Gary Moore never did anything halfway. Whether tearing through hard rock with Thin Lizzy, exploring metal and blues in his solo work, or pouring heartbreak into slow-burning ballads, he played like a man with uncompromising passion. Live From Baloise Session, recorded in November 2008 in Basel, Switzerland, captures Moore just a couple of years before his untimely passing, and even then, he was still ripping through sets with the same fire and soul he carried since the ’60s.

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Moore’s career was as wide-ranging as his guitar tone was searing. From early days in Ireland’s Skid Row and pivotal stints in Thin Lizzy to a solo run that gave us blues rock landmarks like Still Got the Blues and After Hours, Moore always sounded like no one else. His phrasing was pure feeling, his solos walked the line between finesse and fury, and live, he was a force of nature.

This Baloise Session gig is lean, loud, and laser-focused. It’s not a “greatest hits” collection, and yes, some fans may notice the absence of iconic Moore numbers such as “Parisienne Walkways” or “Story of the Blues,” but what’s here hits hard. It’s Moore still in his blues rock prime, delivering with purpose, grit, and that emotional touch only he had.

The set opens with “Oh Pretty Woman,” the Albert King number Moore famously covered on Still Got the Blues with King himself. This live version keeps the original fire but adds extra grit in the guitar tone and a ruggedness in Moore’s vocals that is immediately galvanizing.  He sounds inspired, and that Les Paul is howling from the get-go.

Next up is “Since I Met You Baby,” one of Moore’s own from After Hours, whose studio take featured B.B. King. Here, he leans into the groove with conviction, letting the solo bite a little harder while the organ adds that warm, rich polish underneath. 

Originally appearing on Close As You Get, his take on  Chuck Berry’s playful shuffle “Thirty Days” is transformed into a hard-driving blues rock burner, laced with gritty riffs and another round of blistering lead work.

Then comes the emotional centerpiece: Al Kooper’s “I’ll Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know”, originally from Bad For You Baby. Moore stretches the piece into an atmospheric tour de force, starting with delicate chord progressions and the occasional ambience-building licks and rising gradually into a ferocious, emotionally searing solo. It’s a clinic in dynamic phrasing, balancing restraint and fire like only Moore could.

He brings that same weight to the next track, “Still Got the Blues,” which remains one of the definitive blues ballads of the modern era. Moore makes the most out of every note without getting indulgent. The soloing here is gold, and his phrasing is as poignant as ever.

The home stretch includes a fired-up version of Jimmy Rogers’ “Walking By Myself”, another Still Got The Blues highlight, and the feel-good closer “The Blues Is Alright,” also from After Hours, wrapping things up on a celebratory note.

Some might have wished for a longer set or more of the “big” hits, but this is another case of less being more. There’s a limit to how much extended jamming or track-stuffing a live album needs. What this recording offers is a tight, focused reminder of what made Moore great in the first place: tone, touch, fire, and a good dose of restraint and elegance when needed.

Moore may have been nearing the end, but you wouldn’t know it from this performance. This is a seasoned bluesman still burning hot, still pushing himself, and still playing like every note mattered. Live From Baloise Session is a welcome document of his late-period power, trimmed of excess, rich in feel, and proving that he never truly lost it.

The Review: 8.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Oh Pretty Woman
– Since I Met You Baby
– Still Got The Blues
– Walking By Myself
– I’ll Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know

The Big Hit

– I’ll Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know