"Come with me to my father's place---Julian Marley"

Originally a country western bar/bowling alley owned by Robert Linehan and his son, the club's image was revamped when Former Head Shop owners Michael (Eppy) Epstein and Richard Hersch bought a 49% interest in the club and reopened My Father's Place on Memorial Day weekend, 1971, with a live performance by Richie Havens. It quickly became the premier night club for live entertainment on Long Island. From 1971 to its closing in 1987 it was the place to be to hear live music. From reggae, soul, blues and jazz, it had it all. It could boast the likes of Sting and Springsteen before they were famous, and was one of the first stops on Bob Marley's first tour of the States. When Disco hit the scene in the mid-70's, many clubs opted for the DJ's turntable and turned the stages into dance floors. It was hard to find a place to listen to live music. "You know times are bad when you have to go to a Holiday Inn to hear live music!"--Gary U.S. Bonds

Those club's that elected to keep the live music coming were able to get some great up and coming bands. My Father's Place, with its 50-foot bar, tiered seating and a 25-by-25 stage became the grandest of them all. It also boasted some of the nicest dressing rooms in the area. Sadly, My Father's Place closed it's doors in 1987. "No one is touring," Eppy states. The tour support money, money needed to help underwrite the concerts by new or developing artists, is no longer provided by the record companies. It became extremely difficult to book the class acts.

But a class act is exactly what they got whenever Rory Gallagher came to town. Rory played at My Father's Place on several occasions. This bootleg is from his performance there on September 7, 1979 during the American leg of his top priority tour. After doing a successful 3-night stand at the Bottom Line that Robert Palmer calls, "creative and inspired," Rory heads out to the quaint village of Roslyn, named after a Castle in Scotland, and part of what's called the North Shore Gold Coast of Long Island. It's a friday night at My Father's Place, the doors open at 7:30 and Rory is set to perform at 9. It'll be a show you won't want to miss.

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