Bands from Japan, Finland, the UK and Ireland were among those who took part in a special night to mark the anniversary of the death of Phil Lynott 21 years ago. The annual anniversary concert, Vibe for Philo, took place in Dublin's Vicar Street this week.
"We love Phil's music, that's the reason we play," said Takuo Kubo, lead singer with the Japanese tribute band, the Lizzy Boys. "His music is great."
"It's very simple and it's original," said fellow band member Satoshi Shibata.
Kevin Casey (20) and his twin 16-year-old brothers, Paul and Neil, form the Irish tribute band, Emerald, although are all too young to remember Phil Lynott.
"We grew up listening to him and grew to like him," said Kevin. "Me ma and da were big fans," he explained. And their parents from Blanchardstown, June and Paul Casey, as well as their friend, Suzanne O'Sullivan, and Aoife Mulherin, who sometimes plays drums with the band, were all in the audience to enjoy their music. Smiley Bolger, creative director and organiser of the night, grew tearful when he thought back to his years of friendship with Phil Lynott.
"He was good fun, a wicked sense of humour. He'd be winding you up. Tonight is bitter-sweet. I'll probably end up crying and laughing. The joy is that we do something like this really well for him and we don't do it for money," he said. "It's a big family."
"It's a very emotional day for me," said the star's mother, Philomena Lynott. "I went to the cemetery at 9am today. There were crowds there already, from Brazil, Sweden, Germany. It's just unbelievable. I'm a happy mum but a sad one."
An added feature of this year's anniversary concert was the recent discovery of recordings made by Phil Lynott nearly 40 years ago. Throughout the night the fans applauded as they were reminded of the talent and virtuosity of their hero.
"It reminds me of our own gang," said Paul Hennessy from Rathfarnham in Dublin, who was there with his wife, Siobhán, as they rocked to the beat of The Boys Are Back in Town.