Little Man Tate, Little Thief, Inner City Pirates.

Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. 22nd September 2008.

In this current musical climate when a lot of pop stars are only interested in having their coke filled nose up their own rear end (!), complete with inflated ego (!), it is refreshing to see a band bring a breath of fresh air to this old cynical pair of brown eyes. LITTLE MAN TATE may hail from Sheffield, but that's where similarities with another band end. Without the fame and fortune! These four lads from the Steel City write lyrics for the everyday punters. Songs about girl tempts boy, boy wants girl, and of course drinking!

On this Monday evening, a crowd of about seventy or so diehards turn up to watch this vastly underrated band. At present, Little Man Tate are on a nationwide tour to promote their second album, prophetically titled 'Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy'. To the strains of Carter USM, the stocky lads arrive on stage. A rather plodding 'Money Wheel' disappointingly opens (it's to be the only low point). Thankfully this is followed by 'The Agent' with it's raucous refrain of "here we go again". This gets the small posse of moshers awakened. It's noted that this spontaneous action mostly occurs on the older, more well known songs from last years album, their debut 'About What You Know'. The small gang unites and unifies on 'European Lover'. This one naturally gets a great reaction.

A newer composition called 'Back to the Pub Quiz' is personally introduced by vocalist and front man Jon Windle. It's a song recalling the days when he used to work in a pub. Although he stands over 6 ft tall, this belies his cheery and impish grin. He also seems to write lyrics like a cheeky sixth-former! Clad in his black leather jacket (which is only removed very late in the set!), Jon takes a breather to catch up with everyone. "How are you doing?" he enquires, before thanking everybody tonight for making it "a fucking cool gig!". He then announces that the next song would find favour with us. It's off the new album and called "She looked like Audrey Hepburn". It's, of course, unfamiliar, but seems to go down well. It does precede the best moment of Little Man Tate's evening when, much to the crowd's delight, the opening chords of "Sexy in Latin" strike up! The whole room joins in a singalong as this 'britpopesque' tale of a schoolboy's crush is urgently and, still freshly, reeled off. The lyrics still crack me up as they manage to rhyme university with viginity! The terrace chants continue aplenty with "Man, I Hate Your Band". It's another classic LMT sub kitchen sink punk drama, while the similar veined "Houseparty at Boothy's" is the farewell anthem. A good night is further enhanced when the band chat engagingly with their fans post-gig. Always a nice touch.

Little Man Tate set list:
• Money wheel, • The agent, • Hey little sweetie, • A time for anything, • European lover • She looked like Audrey Hepburn, • Sexy in latin, • Joined by an ipod, • What, what you got?, • Back to the pub quiz, • Just can't take it, • What your boyfriend said , • Man, I hate your band, • Boy in the anorak, • Houseparty at Boothy's.

Support varies. Local youngsters LITTLE THIEF give us a run through of their portfolio, of which 'Lucinda', 'Hey Secretary", and an especially catchy three minute pop song "Waste of Time" shine brightly.

INNER CITY PIRATES don't impress. In fact, for me they are quite agitatingly annoying. The four piece include keyboards and angsty male/female vocals. The low spot is a song called 'Lets Go Disco'. The falsetto voice takes over as singularly, "D.I.S.C.O." rains out. The high spot is the wacky bespectacled female bass player, who continually jumps up and down dementedly. It did brighten up an excruciating half hour, because at times the Esquires stage was not big enough for her guitar gymnastics!