19/11/2010 Therapy? @ The Forum

Subject	Therapy? @ The Forum
DateCreated	11/24/2010 3:37:00 PM
PostedDate	11/24/2010 7:37:00 AM
	I'd been looking forward to this gig for months! It was always going to be a good night - Therapy? playing all of their classic 'Troublegum' album? The setlist can't fail to be a belter! This was always going to be a popular show, but even knowing that I am surprised by how packed The Forum is when I arrive - it's a long time since I've seen the place this full. It's good to see the band are still this popular to be able to fill a venue this size - quite a change from the last time I saw then which was at a very packed Water Rats earlier this year. The band start off the show by playing the entire 'Troublegum' album in it's proper running order. Needless to say, this is fantastic! The atmosphere is amazing, with everybody singing along like at a Wildhearts gig.  I didn't get there early enough to get near the front, so my pictures are more rubbish than usual and I settled for being in a more comfortable position while still getting a pretty good view - much better than my pictures suggest. After the forty five minutes or so it takes for the band to play all the songs from 'Troublegum' the band leave the stage for a short break - before returning with a sort of 'Best of the rest' set - which unfortunately isn't long enough to include some old favourites like 'Church Of Noise' or (to my disappointment but not surprise) anything from the 'Shameless' album, but is good nonetheless.  After the usual encore the band end by saying "We only have time for a couple more songs because of the curfew" and after playing those two songs they leave the stage for the final time - but it's only 10.50 and surely the curfew must have been 11.00?  Oh well - it's still been a great show and the band were on fine form. Even the sound was OK - showing that even though some bands (New York Dolls) have sounded shit at this venue it is possible to get a good sound. I've got to say, it could have been an expensive night though - particularly for a band with a 'punk' ethic like Therapy? £25 for a ticket, £4 a pint, and a shocking £20 for a T-shirt! Not appreciating being ripped off (I suspect by the venue rather than the band as far as merch goes) I only bought one drink and settled for a beanie at a reasonable £7 instead of a T-shirt. Still a very worthwhile night all the same!