The Ailerons, Ali Love, The Black Ramps, Amanaboutadog.

Esquires Bedford Lev 2 28th July 2006.

Obviously if you were a Britpop loving' bright young thing of the nineties, you must now be a responsible late twentysomething with a mortgage and 2.4 children and the lure of Big Brother, a takeaway and a bottle of wine is now infinitely more appealing than checking out Blur drummer Dave Rowntree's new band. This can be the only explanation as once again the 'all talk, no action' gig-goers of Bedford failed to turn up to see a quality line-up of bands.

After their fine opening slot for Boykillboy earlier this year, cute indie-pop revivalists AMANABOUTADOG made a welcome return. Claire, their bewitching and beguiling vocalist, took the time out after their set to talk to me about their songs. Opener 'American Towns' is about the mentality of middle America whilst 'This Ain't a Lovesong' (with perhaps a slight nod to Public Image Limited) cuts to the bone of when you heart loves someone but your head doesn't follow. 'Boy', with it's catchy and infectious chorus, is all about boys (obviously!). Heartwrenching ballad 'Seashells' is about someone with nothing to offer and 'Heat in Hong Kong' deals with the tube bombings in London last year. Manaboutadog end their set with 'Spectacular Mistakes', a love song that takes it's title from a quote by John Galbraith;
'If all else fails, immortality can always be achieved by a spectacular mistake'
Amanaboutadog - tuneful, clever and going places.

BLACK RAMPS make a swift return to Esquires and the evening just gets better and better. I wallow and marvel at their sound and direction, whilst lead singer Warren has graduated with honours from the Thurston Moore school of laid back supercool stage presence. Once again a moving and marvellous experience. If the 'Ramps were from Boston rather than Bedford they would be massive.

So to ALI LOVE, who over the past month has risen from total obscurity to the proud owner of a NME 'Single of the Week' award. Backed by his band but minus a lead guitarist, this Electro-Punk Talisman instantly reminds me of the bastard son of John Cooper Clarke and Beck. Tall and bedecked in a wide rimmed straw hat he belts out his short and succinct set that is immensely enjoyable and which peaks with 'K-Hole', his now notorious track about the perils and consequences of a night spent high on Ketamine. People, you would have loved it!

Dave Rowntree arrived on stage to a much smaller audience than fellow Blur member Graham Coxon received a few years ago. It's probably not rocket science to predict that his new band THE AILERONS will not even come close to rivalling the success of Blur or the Gorrilaz, but he seemed to be enjoying his time with his new band mates and bizarrely named vocalist Charity Hair is so much prettier than Damon Albarn!
'Waking Fever' has a ripping and snorting guitar solo that melts effortlessly into a slow and sultry number and, for me, it is their undoubted high point. After a little banter from the audience over Dave's proficiency as a drummer on the song 'Far Away', the penultimate track 'Dig a Hole' has the Blur sound stamped all over it. The rough and ready garage rock of 'Perfect Skin' rounds the evening off in style.
But you all missed it.