Terris - Manchester Roadhouse - 8.3.01

Its been a long time coming this night. Just over a year ago (like everybody else) we featured Terris on the front cover and then what. A couple of singles, the tour with Coldplay (which we missed because of about 20 gigs the same night in Manchester) and then they just sort of disappeared. March 2001 and Terris really couldn't give a fuck who the latest press sensations are, they've been there - done that - bought the T-shirt and know it means fuck all. At the same time they still have that self belief that they are the greatest band in the world and everyone else has just lost the true spirit.

So we all know what to expect, a night of intensely passionate music. But has no one noticed, Gavin is just plain sexy. It may just be me (and if I'm honest with myself it probably just is) but don't you find his flailing arms and epileptic Tim Booth style dancing a turn on. Again, probably just me. Anyway after a the visual distractions back to the music as I'm sure he'd berate me for lacking true vision and not seeing past the facade of this ugly, ugly world.

With new album "Learning To Let Go" to promote its still strange to see a band running through an almost identical order to the recorded product. Its an indication of just how much time goes into perfecting the raw beast that we collectively know as Terris. The sad thing is that despite the ambition Terris are, and always will be, a white guitar band. With a instrumentation that harks back to the Stone Roses heyday it really is Gavins gravely roar that puts them head and shoulders above the competition. If the band disappear into the ether tomorrow then the band can at least be happy that they put 110% into every single show and song.

With a handful of classic songs ("Fabricated Lunacy", "Shapeshifter", "Midnight Sun") and an amazing frontman they really are a force to be reckoned with. They may never meet the dizzy heights of their dreams and as a concept they are infinitely better than the reality. Terris are a band to believe in amongst a world of non-believers. Join the nu-releigion now.

Alex McCann