Metronomy, Art of Opposition, Casio Kids, Dream Sequence.

Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. 5th June 2008.

REVIEW ONE BY Martin Stapleton.

A quirky joke from the American stand-up comedian Emo Philips rather sums up this flat and insipid evening. The quote is as follows: "A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing"!

Headliners METRONOMY are, in most quarters, the 'musical bookies' favourites as the future dancefloor big things. Heralded as musical visionaries, they ply their musical wizardry. As with a lot of bands of this ilk, there has to be a gimmick. For Metronomy it's the wearing of special fluorescent circles on their t-shirts, which glow in rhythmic timing with the rather 'plinky-plonky' music they purvey. Wow! I say, how novel!

With a quarter-full venue, there is hardly a 'dancey-rave' atmosphere, but the Brighton trio are very complimentary about the crowd and Bedford in general (it is their first visit). It is always nice to hear. It seems that the people in attendance are genuine fans, and I doubt whether Metronomy would win over any new converts (me included, and they didn't!). They cite "A Thing For Me" as an example, for they played this song on tour in Glasgow, but tonight it is more special for them. With drum machine and keyboards a staple part of their armoury, there is only light relief from a touch of brass and melodica to lighten the somewhat static mode. The cheesy robotic dance routines are faintly amusing, but wear thin after a certain while. Of the songs performed, it's only "Back on the Motorway" that remotely holds my interest. It is from their forthcoming (September release) album. However, for an unconverted cynic, it sounded very similar to "Autobahn". Audience interest seemed to peak with "Holiday", which is the bands next single and is richly celebrated in the room.

Except for the entertaining Art Of Opposition, the support slots fell victim to the technical gremlins. Opening band CASIO KIDS snapped four strings after opener "Something Better Than". With good use of feedback guitar, allied to the keyboard, it's only the disinterested appearance of the band that lets them down. Still promising though. The Klaxonish "Skeletor" was interesting to say the least.

By their own admission, the Herts trio ART OF OPPOSITION are the only band without a keyboard this evening. They say a change of name is due in late summer when they head out in tour. Considering they are minus a guitarist its an enjoyable set.

Electronic pop duo DREAM SEQUENCE suffer from musical 'Murphy's law'. What can go wrong invariably does, as Charles' laptop crashes on numerous occasions. Not to be put off, the two lads put all the problems behind them to produce a spirited show. Cover song "Gold" is brought into the 21st century, while Dream Sequence imagine we are all in Ibiza for "Let Me Go". The rather camp "Is it that Hard? (To be Yourself)" gets a good reception and a few wry smiles!

REVIEW TWO BY Luke Slater.

Recreating the sound of electronica live can go two ways: it can either be enhanced to the point of euphoria, where the audience, performers and venue become one in beautiful musical bliss, or the intricacies and nuances which are so pronounced on record can never be recalled live, leaving a very hollow feeling.

There is, as per usual, absolutely nothing doing with the support acts, who range from mildly mediocre to decidedly desperate. It would, however, be a massive crime not to include a few words on the two-piece electro-emo outfit Dream Sequence, who are, quite easily, the worst thing to permeate my eardrums since some Frenchman stitched a cat to his shoulder last year and became an entry for Eurovision. They sort of sound like Linkin Park vs Jay Z on Collision Course, but infinitely worse, indescribably so. Included tonight: an epically emo-tinged cover of Spandau Ballet’s ‘Gold’, several amusingly unfortunate crashes of the laptop (take note: when this happens 20 seconds in, it’s probably a sign), an Ibiza emo-dance ‘anthem’ and the peculiar sight of the lead singer seemingly trying to lose his sight by staring into the stage lights pre-performance. Absolutely bizarre…

METRONOMY live are a different proposition to Metronomy on record. Utilising a more conventional set-up than might be imagined - guitar, bass, saxophone and melodica, as well as the more expected plethora of FX, drum machines and, naturally, a laptop. Poorly choreographed hand salutes and what could be very loosely termed as dance moves make an appearance; they aren’t entirely necessary, much like the push lights which hang from their necks over black t-shirts, but somehow, it works.

Showcasing as much material from their follow up to 2006’s Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe) as from their soon-to-be-released full length Nights Out, Metronomy can sometimes sound like a hotchpotch of unusual effects and beats thrown together arbitrarily, slightly reminiscent instrumentally of Devo; but when it all fits together, which is by no means all the time, it just sounds right. This much is blindingly obvious from the off when ‘My Heart Rate Rapid’ opens, metronomically enough, at 130bpm or so with a brilliantly casual bassline pitched against ear-piercingly sharp synthesised wails. On ‘Radio Ladio’ Joseph Mount’s vocals are the epitome of laidback cool, and it’s safe to say there can’t be much which sounds so cheap and yet so great, before things take a turn into Nintendo-nightmare land with ‘Let’s Have A Party’; cue much rigid, robotic move-busting from Metronomy’s mainman, Mr Mount.

The barrage of effects, processed vocals and countless other phasers and sequencers (which often sounds like several ‘80s sci-fi soundtracks all playing in unison) can be a tad overwhelming and faintly repetitive at times, leading to a sense of sonic confusion, but a welcome change of tone and pace is offered by the melodica-led ‘Black Eye/Burnt Thumb’ and the Kraftwerk-like ‘Back On The Motorway’. Those present are teased into near electro orgasm by a thumping and vigorous rendition of the punky, power-chord driven ‘Roobard and Custard’ theme tune-esque ‘You Could Easily Have Me’. Cue even more robotic dancing, this time from the adoring revellers.

Sure enough, Pip Paine… might have been inconsistently good, with not enough emphasis on the melodic, but in the flesh Metronomy provide a soundtrack which overwhelms, and places you within the music, actually feeling it rather than simply hearing it.