D.R.I.

D.R.I. hit Belfast on 17 July 2026 at Limelight, four decades deep into a sound that welded US hardcore punk to thrash metal. Formed in Houston in 1982 before shifting to San Francisco, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles started with ultra-short, wired bursts and gradually tightened the screws into more structured attacks. Founders Kurt Brecht (vocals) and Spike Cassidy (guitar) still steer the band, now joined by Greg Orr on bass and Danny Walker on drums.

On stage, they draw across a catalog that moves from the raw charge of Dirty Rotten EP/LP and Violent Pacification to the harder-edged turn of Dealing with It!, then the metallic punch of Crossover, 4 of a Kind and Thrash Zone, through Definition, Full Speed Ahead and the leaner 2016 EP But Wait... There’s More! Sharp riffs, tense rhythms and a barked delivery set the pace, flipping between breakneck flashes and mid-tempo stomps. A direct, no-frills show from a group that gave “crossover” its outlines and still plays it with focus and bite.