Delirious? a band well-known to Christian youth groups up and down the country is coming to Bradford's Abundant Life Centre as part of their UK summer tour. Around 2,000 young people from all corners of the county are expected to attend. The last time the band came to Yorkshire was in 1997 when they played at Leeds Town and Country Club.

I remember the gig, which was one of the highlights of my years at Leeds University. I'd been coerced into attending by some mates, who assured me it would be a good night out. My main objection was the cost of the tickets. Christians aren't used to paying regular prices for gigs, when the Church provides free entertainment on Sundays and youth groups subsidise the cost of summer festivals.

Shivering outside the T and C, I was determined to enjoy myself, despite wearing a top I was worried might be that little bit too short for a "Christian gathering" such as this. I needn't have worried. With the venue packed almost to capacity and people pressed together against the stage singing "NA NA NA-NA NA NA, NA-NA hey", myself along with hundreds of others jumped, shouted, sang and sweated the night away!

The atmosphere was magical. While parents hovered nervously at the back keeping an eye on their offspring's first-gig-attendance, everyone else pushed to the front jumping up and down in unison to the words, 'I want to go deeper.' To be honest, there wasn't really much choice when the entire floor moved as one.

Now in 2002 I look forward to my second Delirious? gig. The band has moved on and I haven't really kept in touch with their progress. Their press biography says: "In Glo, their most intricate album to date, the beats have an extra temper about them, the guitars an added sense of character and the choruses seem to have doubled in size."

They've had a rollercoaster ride since I left them. Criticised by the Church for singing songs other than the traditional "worship choruses", ignored by the media for being "too Christian", finding their market has been a struggle. Yet in 2001 they were the support band for Bon Jovi defying their critics and fulfilling Radio One's prophecy as 'Pop's greatest secret.'

Supporting Delirious? are US band, All Star United, who I saw at Greenbelt Festival in 1999, and liked so much I bought their album. Similar to Delirious they know how to use words to express more than mere sentiment, and in my opinion seeing them alone would be worth the money.

The promotions team promise a good night and for fans in West Yorkshire, it has been a long time coming. But once a Delirious? fan, always a Delirious? fan, seems to be the rule, as our childhood heroes always remain close to our heart. As one Youth Group leader once commented about an ex-attendee: "They're not a Christian anymore, but they do still like Delirious?" ...Maybe religion is dying out?