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It's an oft-repeated fact that Therapy?'s bassist Michael McKeegan was in a Judas Priest tribute band before linking up with Andy Cairns to form Ulster's fiercest in the early '90s. So perhaps it's no surprise that tonight's openers the Tokyo Dragons sound what you'd imagine the Darkness would sound like if they'd spent their formative years listening to ver Priest instead of Queen. Grinding riffs, screaming vocals and the sort of music which practically invites you to throw a devil sign in the air and headbang. It's undeniably good.
Winnebago Deal, of course, are less about the melody and all about the heaviness and tonight sees them on typically ferocious form mixing old favourites like "Whiskey Business" and "Manhunt" and stuff from their recent "Dead Gone" album like "Knife Chase" to brain-mushing effect. It's the icing on the cake when none other than Nick Olivieri joins them onstage for their last number. A fantastic set.
But even Winnebago Deal are some way off reaching Therapy?'s standards tonight. Hand on heart, this is the best show I've seen from Cairns and co since they slimmed down to a three-piece a couple of years back. Now looking every bit as assured with the new line-up as they always used to with the old, they blast in with a ferocious run through "Unbeliever" and throw in a good mix of songs from throughout their history (unlike last year's tours which leaned a little too heavily on the admittedly excellent "Troublegum" album). So we get "Church Of Noise", "Stories", "Sister", "Teethgrinder", "Nowhere" et al mixed in with ferocious newies like "Rise Up (Make Yourself Well)", "Rock You Monkeys" and "Here Be Monsters" to blistering effect. By the time they close with a ferocious one-two of "Isolation" and "Knives", you're more than convinced that this band are sounding just as good as ever and will hopefully be returning to this city a good few times more yet.
Review by Andy James
