Therapy? have given me some logistical headaches this week. Actually that’s not right, other bands have, Therapy? have solved them. Which is how I find myself not in Manchester, or Bradford, but Sheffield. (If you want a cheap ticket for either Manchester or Bradford, links are at the end of this review). So I’ve braved the wintery conditions over The Peaks and get nestled inside a rather cozy new venue for me, Network. Once I’ve walked round half the city to find it! I could cut to the chase and just tell you Therapy? are brilliant, but I’m taking it you know that already. They’re out touring the new record Hard Cold Fire and it’s the lead track ‘They Shoot the Terrible Master’ where we start. I can’t stress strongly enough how great this new record is. I think I say this every release, but it’s their best in ages. Not surprisingly though, there’s a louder cheer from this packed crowd for ‘Nausea’. Fair enough, it’s not lost any of its claustrophobic menace and sounds pretty epic in this tight space. ‘Isolation’ sounds massive in here too, those dustbin-lid drums sounding phenomenal. It’s got to be one of the best covers of all time. No I’m not joking. Andy seems really pumped and intent on getting everyone up too. Thanking us and warning us that this is going to be a long set. Bring. It. On! ‘Joy’ another new one, helps illustrate that this crowd have done their homework and want to hear new stuff. It goes down brilliantly. Andy points out that Troublegum is nearly 30 years old as he introduces ‘Unbeliever’, which is terrifying. There’s a lot of love in the room for such a bleak song, but isn’t that Therapy? all over. A little lad ‘Joe’, it turns out was getting jostled about a bit down the front, until he’s invited up to watch from the side of the stage. Class. And ironically they follow with ‘Safe’. It sounds great, but the bloke in front of me is transfixed watching the lighting guy throwing switches. They continue to bounce between new and old as ‘Bewildered Herd’ makes way for ‘Neck Freak’. It’s tight rhythm sounding like the score to a fight in a phone box. It’s brilliantly brutal, but what follows blows me away. ‘Two Wounded Animals’ is my favourite off Hard Cold Fire and it soars when played live. Especially as Andy’s vocal takes off for the chorus. It floors me. I could go home happy now, but we’re only just getting started. How do you follow that, with ‘Turn’, that’s how. This has its own rousing chorus and the room obliges, singing along in full voice. ‘Totally Random Man’ is a deep cut and gets dedicated to Michael, sorry “The Evil Priest”. He looks like he’s having a blast, they all do. I’ll admit I chuckled the first time I heard ‘Woe’, but it goes off tonight. The pit surges as Michael and Andy throw their best rock poses. ‘Poundland of Hope and Glory’ sees them at their poppy best. With all that power up there, you forget how bloody catchy they can be and how solid the riffs can be too, like in ‘Stories’. This is a monster of a song. It’s not exactly a sedate pace to begin with, but they crank it up even faster and it takes my breath away. They continue to hit the high points as ‘Mongrel’ bleeds into a supercharged ‘Diane’, before they bludgeon us with ‘Teethgrinder’. It’s apocalyptic industrial rave music and inspires me to get down the front. Stood next to the speaker stack I’m grateful for my earplugs, fuck me they’re loud! I don’t know “The first song we ever wrote” ‘Bloody Blue’, but it’s fast and fun. Not as fun as ‘Die Laughing’ though. This more of a second set than an encore. They just keep going like angry Duracell bunnies. “James Joyce is fucking my sister” screams Andy as ‘Potato Junkie’ detonates my mind. Apparently it’s Neil’s 20th anniversary in the band, so he gets a drum solo, which is fair enough and keeps us charged up for the finale. Especially with a bit of ‘Iron Man’ before they loop back to ‘Potatoe Junkie’, fucking amazing. For a new song, ‘Ugly’ feels remarkably comfortable in the later part of the set, usually reserved for songs like ‘Screamager’ that rightly brings Sheffield to its knees. Before they close with a euphoric ‘Nowhere’, limbs and smiles everywhere. I’ve seen this lot countless times and they never disappoint, but tonight was the best. Damn scheduling, I’d love to go see them another couple of times this tour! You should!! and if you’ve not got a ticket, you’re in luck…
Therapy? Manchester, 8th Dec - https://www.ticketswap.com/listing/therapy/9807520/357631af20?utm_campaign=publishedListingShare&utm_source=ticketswap&utm_medium=manualshare
Therapy? Bradford, 15th Dec - https://www.ticketswap.com/listing/therapy/11098817/06a31eba05?utm_campaign=publishedListingShare&utm_source=ticketswap&utm_medium=manualshare
