GOOD Vibrations returned to the Grand Opera House on Wednesday night with a bang bringing the chaotically optimistic tale of Terri Hooley and the birth of Belfast punk to the stage.
Played by Ballymena actor Glen Wallace we are taken through Terri’s life from getting his eye shot out as a young lad by another boy with a bow and arrow, to him meeting his future wife Ruth (played brilliantly by Jayne Wisener) and then opening his iconic record shop Good Vibrations.
Packed full of biting Belfast wit, charged punk songs and a thoroughly DIY approach to set and prop management, we are taken from the 1960s where Terri states, "I had lots of friends, anarchist friends and Marxist friends and socialist friends, and pacifist friends, and feminist friends, and friends who were fuck all." However in Terri’s words, that changed when the first shots were fired and then he only had Protestant friends and Catholic friends and he didn’t consider himself either.
Terri Hooley is shown to be a visionary, a punk prophet and a man reckless with optimism. It’s said in the country of the blind the one eyed man is king and that phrase could accurately describe Terri who rejected the binary divisions of a society tearing itself apart at the seams.
GUITARS: Dylan Reid and Chris Mohan playing as Rudi in Good Vibrations
Terri takes to the emerging punk scene like a fish to water, falling in love with its rebellious outlook and strong dedication to not giving a care for anything but the music.
We meet some of the best known bands from the scene including Rudi, The Outcasts and The Undertones with music from Stiff Little Fingers, Hank Williams and many more.
The actors – except Terri and Ruth – play a variety of often hilarious characters from pompous English record label Tsars, dour RUC men threatening to close the shop over a bit of dope and Feargal Sharkey’s saint-loving Ma (she warms to Terri when he tells her who the patron saint of music is). I don’t think enough praise could be given to the actors for their crazy costume changeover times and their brilliant musical and singing abilities.
Despite the brilliant energy and Terri’s optimism, his behaviour isn’t without its flaws. We’re frequently shown how his obsession with the music led him to frequently disappoint and neglect his wife, even leading to him missing the birth of his child while out on the lash.
GOOD VIBRATIONS: Glen Wallace and Jayne Wisener as Terri and Ruth Hooley
His poor business sense is also covered, particularly alarming is when he sells his portion as manager of The Undertones to a big American music industry mogul for £500 and a signed photo of The Shangri-Las. That’s not to say there isn’t something deeply appealing in Terri’s carefree attitude but the negative repercussions it had on the bands he managed, his wife and his friends can’t be ignored.
ON SONG: Odhrán McNulty and Gavin Peden as The Outcasts
As someone with two punks for parents (H’up big Cheeko 999) I was familiar with the story from growing up around the characters from the scene but the message of Good Vibrations is one of tireless optimism, it’s a message of hope and that means a lot to those from my own GFA generation.
Great time at the opening night of #GoodVibrations at the @gohbelfast last night. The @LyricBelfast production is top class and highly recommended. I got to blast out some punk tunes at the after show and the man himself #TerriHooley even made an appearance! Good vibes indeed! pic.twitter.com/lUIg8qSvwY
— Ralph McLean (@RalphMcLeanShow) May 11, 2023
Terri and those in the punk scene saw what Belfast could be before anyone else ever dared to. It’s a strong message of the indescribable thrill of sticking two fingers up to the cops, the Brits, the paramilitaries and just losing yourself in fast music and good craic.
As Terri said, when it comes to punk: New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the Reason!
Good Vibrations is a thrilling show packed to the hilt with loud music, hilarious characters, feel good energy and a tremendously talented cast. If you fancy throwing two fingers up to the man for an evening, seeing Good Vibrations is definitely a good way to do so.
You can book tickets for Good Vibrations here.
