Johnny Panic, Darren Michelangelo Smith and the Craze, Gertrude, Autumn Red, This is my Honesty.

Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. 9th November 2007.

Tonight new promoters 'Ignition Management' proudly presented five bands of varying alternative styles. It started with an unexpected addition to the bill in the form of Cambridge band THIS IS MY HONESTY who came to play downstairs in the bar and by a strange twist of fate ended up also on level 2. Their brand of Emo is competently played.

The following band are without doubt my favourites of the evening. Hailing from Brighton, AUTUMN RED ignite this sparsely filled room with some steep stoner sounds that veer from quiet echoes to all out thunderbolts from the sky! Most especially on "The Narcissist" with its relentless chorus of 'Don't look down'. Think Spiritualized and you will pretty much grasp what Autumn Red brought for us tonight. The band leave me wanting more as they exit with "Strong Theory". It's then time to come down and get my breath back! With a bump, as it happens, as our next band are strangely called GERTRUDE who seem to play just as quirkily. They did however get some of the crowd dancing during their short set of pop-punk.

Confusingly our next visitors are called DARREN MICHELANGELO SMITH AND THE KRAZE (I think!), who have apparently appeared on tv's T4 Musicools. An offbeat fun mod band from Haverhill with an obvious ear for a tune and variation in abundance. Some songs are organ based including "Say a Little Prayer", while a touch of brass features on others, most notably "Same ole story". As they prepare for final song "Doin' my Head In", their guitarist beckons us with "If you wanna dance you might as well dance now"! A few take up his offer.

It's a post 11 o'clock slot for headliners JOHNNY PANIC and vocalist Rob Solly is soon on the offensive as he announces "This is a hell of a cold room, I'm going to have to work doubly hard to get a sweat up"! This lean mean fighting machine is, for the next half-hour, true to his word. For lovers of enormous melodies and loud guitars being pummelled with brutal enthusiasm, then this is the band for you. Two years ago they were the new darlings of the UK music press, but strangely they have yet to break into the big time. On the evidence of their performance tonight it's hard to see why as Rob, Johnny, Sean and Matt perform at such a frantic pace with full volume to match. Phew, it's exhausting for me just watching them. Tonight is very much a showcase for Johnny Panic's new album "The Good Fight" of which the high octane rocker "The Third Degree" is the pick.

Midway through the set Mr Solly takes time out to share an observation with us, as he likens level 2 "to a Working Man's Club"! "When's the meat raffle draw due?" he sneeringly quips. Prior to the bands last song Rob rips his shirt off, so at least he must have warmed up!