Don Broco, Showing Tonight, The Broadcast, Side of the Sky, DissolvedIn.

Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. 22nd August 2009.

Approaching our venue this evening, the first noticeable thing is the amount of young fans already starting to queue or, in some cases, just milling around the car park. Anticipation is high, this is still thirty minutes away from doors opening. I guess these youngsters are in the mood for a party having just received, or in anticipation of, their exam results. Once upstairs we are greeted by an impressive array of merchandise with all five bands vying for space. It's clear from these early arrivals that the bands are popular and support is high. However, by the end of the evening I can certainly vouch that I have not been converted.

This is a gig organised by local headliners DON BROCO. Primarily aimed at the teen market, the post hardcore dynamics of Don Broco are lapped up by the hordes of their female fans. As with all the bands on display, it does seem as if the look and appearance is more important than the quality of material on show. Don Broco impress by the leadership of frontman Rob. They treat it as a homecoming reunion after a somewhat tiring three week tour of the UK. For the quartet, the finishing line is in sight. What is nice to see is that some band members of Bedford's recent past have also come down to lend their support. With the mosh pit full of jumping bodies and waving arms, it's the aptly titled "Living the Dream" that sums up their performance. It's what they seemed to be doing.

Four bands offer support, the first of which is SHOWING TONIGHT. They tell everybody that it is everyone's last chance to get "Deep Down" because it's the band's penultimate set. With guitarist Richard stepping in to cover, the band's best song has to be "Superdragon".

THE BROADCAST from Hitchin seem to be on good form tonight. Their energetic sounds even get my toes tapping, perhaps for the only time this evening. Unlike the rest in action, these boys appear to be uncluttered. It's perhaps a tad old fashioned to suggest that they know how to deliver a good tune, but sometimes this is important. "In Your Eyes" and the swine flu influenced "Lets go to Mexico" are, I feel, the choice selections.

Also taking a short break from the stage are SIDE OF THE SKY. Naturally they play "One Last Time". Gaining good interaction with the crowd's constant singbacks of "whoa, whoa, whoa", this band fully emphasised throughout that it's certainly not all the same repetitive sound.

I'm afraid DISSOLVED IN rather lived up to their name! Although they had stage presence and plenty of fizz in this department, their songs tonight have rather dissolved from my memory. Sorry!

Not the best three hours of my Esquires life, but at least the stressed out exam busting kids loved every minute of it.