English alt- rock band Terrorvision made their long-awaited return to Ireland with a sold-out headline show in Whelan’s Opium on May 17th. Upon entering the venue, it became very apparent the holding power this group has in the alt-rock scene with an audience spanning different generations filling the floor to capacity with one main thing in common; an immense appreciation for this group.
Dublin alt-rock band Vendetta Love were billed as the opener for this show, but to our surprise frontman Shawn Mullen appeared onstage solo armed only with an acoustic guitar, that was about to make its live debut, having only been purchased earlier that day. Mullen joked of the rarity of the occasion citing how unusual it was to play the band’s songs acoustically. While completely unexpected, Mullen’s vocals and his mastery of the six string, gave an opportunity to appreciate the lyrical prowess of the group and fans their first opportunity to hear their 2021 track ‘Witches and Thieves’ played acoustically. At this point in his set, Shawn, gave a shout-out to his friend and fellow creative Steve, who had filmed the music video for this particular track, which led to a round of applause from the room. Mullen’s set provided a great opportunity to hear this group’s music from a different perspective, learn the stories behind some of the tracks and it was evident how much the audience had been drawn into his storytelling and musical talent, by the send-off he received when leaving the stage.
The room had begun to almost buzz with anticipation as the stage was prepared for Terrorvision to enter. Once the setup was complete, the room almost fell silence as the bars of their opening sequence began to belt out over the sound system. As Bassist Leigh Marklew set foot onto the stage, the room erupted to rapturous applause and hoots of approval which didn’t wane until the opening bars of ‘Discotheque Wreck’ had begun and the hoots were replaced with an impassioned singalong of what was obviously a fan favourite track.
The Bradford group’s set list leant heavily towards showcasing the breadth of their discography, with songs from their 2024 album ‘We Are Not Robots’ and 1994 Album ‘How to Make Friends and Influence Them” receiving the most airtime, with notable mentions from their albums Formaldehyde and Regular Urban Survivors. Their show was a perfect balance between a best hits tour for the die-hard fan, and a crafted taster of their versatility ideal for drawing in a new audience. This awareness can sometimes lack in performances by long established groups, but Terrorvision executed this without fault, seamlessly blending thirty eight years of work into a show that showcased the breadth of their discography. Their high energy and interactions with the crowd showcase the experience and stage presence this group has become known for.
The Bradford group are currently on tour across the UK with dates spread across the summer, with one of the biggest highlights being their highly-anticipated return to the Glastonbury stage this June nearly three decades since their last outing.
Vendetta Love photos:
Terrorvision photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Discotheque Wreck
The Night That Lemmy Died
Alice What’s the Matter
My House
New Policy One
Still the Rhythm
Electrocuted
American TV
Shine On
What Makes You Tick
Opposites Attract
Josephine
D’Ya Wanna Go Faster
Baby Blue
You Gotta Want to Be Happy
Some People Say
Middleman
Perseverance
Tequila
If I Was You
Celebrity Hit List
Pretend Best Friend
Encore:
Oblivion
Photos & Words – Lisa Hamilton @lisahamiltonphotography