To coincide with the birth date of the late, great Thin Lizzy guitarist, Gary Moore, Drogheda rockers, Bad Reputation, return to McHugh's Barrel stage on Saturday, April 5th, to play one of their occasional and much-anticipated hometown gigs.

The boys last stormed the same venue with one of the most acclaimed local gigs of 2024, on last Easter Saturday.

Bad Reputation are - Gordon “Flash” Murphy on guitar and vocals, Colm McSherry on guitar and vocals, Kieran McDonnell on bass and Johnny Kerr on drums.

Main man “Flash” needs little introduction. From his time as a member of Dundalk’s legendary Thin Az Lizzy tribute band through to his starring role as frontman in Ireland's #1 Metallica tribute act, he has seen and done it all; including touring in the UK, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands.

In his previous Phil Lynott tribute incarnation, Thin Az Lizzy, Flash spent several years travelling the highways and byways of Holland playing many of the top Dutch venues and festivals, including the legendary Melkweg in Amsterdam on an Irish celebratory line-up with Aslan, Stockton’s Wing and the Dubliners, and also featured on a star-studded Queen’s Day (Dutch national holiday) concert in front of 25,000 people in the market square at Arnhem which was filmed by the BBC and shown prior to the 2000 Euro Football Championships.

That day, Flash also guested in an all-star celebrity jam fronted by vocalists Mark Owen from Take That and Barney Greenway from Napalm Death, with musical comedians Tony Hawks (Round Ireland With a Fridge) on bass and Paul Kaye (aka legendary Channel4 celebrity prankster, Dennis Pennis) on drums, all introduced by renowned Top of the Pops presenter and former James Whale late night TV sidekick, the one and only Lisa Rogers!

Other "Flash" highlights over the years include playing at Ireland’s tribute festival Sham Rock and featuring in an RTE TV reality show which saw him win a place on the headlining bill for Europe’s top tribute festival Glastonbudget, at Leicester in England. He has also previously played many times at past ‘Vibes for Philo’, as a member of Bad Reputation, Thin az Lizzy and Metallitia.

Top axeman, Col McSherry, is a founding member of famed Guns n Roses tribute, Mr Brownstone, and latterly GnR. Col takes on the Gary Moore responsibilities in Bad Reputation and, as a huge fan of the Belfast man, has dedicated himself to delivering those sparkling lead lines to the very best of his ability.

The band is completed by tribute band veteran and Meathworks fan club president, Kieran McDonnell, plus the band’s Health ‘n Safety officer and excellent skinsman, Johnny Kerr, who between them have seen service in Metallitia, Mr Brownstone, Tampora, GNR, and A Taste of Meatloaf, among many others.

Bad Reputation will be serving up their usual menu of Thin Lizzy and Gary Moore songs that are as close in sound as possible to the original performances. Of course the hits will be played and who knows, maybe even a track you didn’t expect. Be ready to be surprised!

Tickets are on stage at Ticketstop.live, so get your rock gear on and check them out at the Barrel Venue at McHugh’s, on Saturday, 5th April!