Terrorvison,Victoria Hall, Saltaire

After seeing the Bradford band's Lost Weekend' reunion mini-tour in November, there was no way I was going to pass on the offer to review the lads' Very Merry Rock 'n' Roll Christmas gig at Saltaire's Victoria Hall.

What I like about Terrorvision is that there are no half measures. You go expecting to have a fantastic time - and that's what you get!

Mr Entertainment', frontman Tony Wright, had the floor bouncing from the word go with Celebrity Hit List and other Terrorvision classics such as American TV and Josephine.

It was Victoria Hall's first-ever rock gig and it didn't disappoint. Terrorvision were back performing on home turf for the first time in six years and the crowd loved it.

The gig - a return to the Bradford rockers' annual festive knees-ups - saw the band resurrecting some early material, as well as tracks released later on.

It might never have come about if Terrovision guitarist Mark Yates hadn't happened to be pottering around Victoria Hall at a craft fair.

"I thought what a great place it would be to play a rock gig," he told Play. "Because of the reunion gigs we were all rehearsed and ready to go, with a great set. It was a case of Why not throw in a Christmas gig as well?' "Terrorvision always had a festive knees-up, this is a nod to those good old days.

"It's great to keep playing because that's what we all do. When we all started playing again it was like time had never happened, it all came flooding back."

Mark hopes it will be the first of many large-scale concerts at the venue.

"It's a great venue for a gig of that size. There aren't really many places of that scale in Bradford where bands, particularly local ones, can play anymore," he said. "I hope Victoria Hall continues to host similar-sized live gigs."

With strong support from rising singer/songwriter Joseph Dunwell, the winner of this year's Bradford Battle of the Bands contest, Terrorvision played a triumphant homecoming show.

The line-up was the same as the Lost Weekend tour with bassist Danny Lambert making yet another awesome first-team performance, standing in for original Leigh Marklew.

Mark Yates belted out guitar riffs and Shutty's drumming ensured the prestigious old hall was well rocked.

Tony's banter between songs was worth the money on its own; he remarked on his theory that "they only keep making cigarette lighters for songs like these ballads" before breaking into Some People Say.

For their encore, keyboard player Milton Evans, dressed in a Santa suit, entertained us with Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody, while throwing gifts into the lively crowd, before Tony resumed vocals to end the night with Discotheque Wreck, Pretend Best Friend and crowd favourite Perseverance.

It wasn't quite a packed gig - you could have squeezed one or two more in - but it was a brilliant way to get the party season going. Even Sir Titus, on his perch in the doorway, looked like he would have approved of Bradford's finest.

If the band is going to make any New Year's resolutions for 2008 I hope that it is to ensure the fans get to join in more of the Terrovision experience.