Alt-metalers Therapy? returned to their homeland on Friday night (7th October 2022) as part of their much-delayed thirtieth anniversary celebrations. Taking to the stage at Belfast's Limelight, the three-piece proved exactly why they've endured for three decades.
Photo: Darren McVeigh Metal Planet Music.
Timing is everything, and Therapy's 2020 plans to look back on three decades of noise unfortunately just happened to coincide with the small problem of a worldwide pandemic. Not to be deterred, the tour finally got off the ground this year, and save for a change of title - the 'So Much For The 30/31/32 Year Plan' tour - things got back to normal, with the tour at last reaching Belfast.
As the title would suggest, this run celebrates the trio's - Andy Cairns (vocals, guitar), Michael McKeegan (bass) and Neil Cooper (drums) - now thirty-plus year existence, and as gigs go, this one had the sense of having something in the air. The hometown show is always a special one, but as the lights dropped and the sold out crowd surged towards the stage to the opening bars of 'Nausea' from 1992's debut 'Nurse', it was clear that the stage was set for an epic evening.
Addressing the crowd, a clearly elated Cairns said; "Thank you Belfast, its great to be back!"
Although Therapy? know a thing or two about making a ruckus, the crowd were as loud as the band, singing every word, moshing, pogoing and being generally frantic, in the best possible way.
After the frenzied opening there was no time wasted, or time to get your breath as 'Stories' from 1995's 'Infernal Love' blasted forth; its infectious riff being sung right back at the band, in unison.
Bringing things right up to date with a sure to be a future anthem with its' "its ok not to be ok" chorus, 'Kaktistocracy' reminded everyone that although looking back, Therapy? are not a band reliant simply on nostalgia.
Taking a moment to remember a fallen friend meanwhile, Cairns said; "We want to dedicate this next song to someone who we met many times on the road, Taylor Hawkins", ahead of a poignant 'Die Laughing'.
Balancing the remainder of the set across all eras, 'Troublegum's 'Turn' gave way to modern classics 'Callow', and 'Still Hurts' before closing out the first set with the anthemic 'Teethgrinder'.
After a moment or two the band returned to the stage for a not so much singalong, rather a roaralong to 'Knives', followed by 'Potato Junkie', with the crowd shouting its' infamous expletive-ridden refrain.
Taking their bows, Northern Ireland's favourite alt-metal sons closed out the encore with their cover of Joy Division's 'Isolation', and a few bars of Judas Priest's 'Breaking the Law' for good measure, before ending the night with the landmark singles 'Nowhere' and 'Screamager'.
A high-energy, loud as hell night in Belfast, it truly was the church of noise for one evening anyway.
As the title would suggest, this run celebrates the trio's - Andy Cairns (vocals, guitar), Michael McKeegan (bass) and Neil Cooper (drums) - now thirty-plus year existence, and as gigs go, this one had the sense of having something in the air. The hometown show is always a special one, but as the lights dropped and the sold out crowd surged towards the stage to the opening bars of 'Nausea' from 1992's debut 'Nurse', it was clear that the stage was set for an epic evening.
Addressing the crowd, a clearly elated Cairns said; "Thank you Belfast, its great to be back!"
Although Therapy? know a thing or two about making a ruckus, the crowd were as loud as the band, singing every word, moshing, pogoing and being generally frantic, in the best possible way.
After the frenzied opening there was no time wasted, or time to get your breath as 'Stories' from 1995's 'Infernal Love' blasted forth; its infectious riff being sung right back at the band, in unison.
Bringing things right up to date with a sure to be a future anthem with its' "its ok not to be ok" chorus, 'Kaktistocracy' reminded everyone that although looking back, Therapy? are not a band reliant simply on nostalgia.
Taking a moment to remember a fallen friend meanwhile, Cairns said; "We want to dedicate this next song to someone who we met many times on the road, Taylor Hawkins", ahead of a poignant 'Die Laughing'.
Balancing the remainder of the set across all eras, 'Troublegum's 'Turn' gave way to modern classics 'Callow', and 'Still Hurts' before closing out the first set with the anthemic 'Teethgrinder'.
After a moment or two the band returned to the stage for a not so much singalong, rather a roaralong to 'Knives', followed by 'Potato Junkie', with the crowd shouting its' infamous expletive-ridden refrain.
Taking their bows, Northern Ireland's favourite alt-metal sons closed out the encore with their cover of Joy Division's 'Isolation', and a few bars of Judas Priest's 'Breaking the Law' for good measure, before ending the night with the landmark singles 'Nowhere' and 'Screamager'.
A high-energy, loud as hell night in Belfast, it truly was the church of noise for one evening anyway.