Pearl Handled Revolver, The Silver Brazilians, Amy Lee.

Lev 1 Esquires Bedford. 12th April 2009.

"How many Easter eggs did you get this morning?" asks tonights late replacement AMY LEE. Well, it is estimated that some 80 million chocolate eggs will be sold in the UK. We are certainly addicted to the sweet stuff! Musically, Amy is on her own tonight and she can indulge in playing a few favourite covers. Loving The Cranberries as she does, it has to be "Linger", although she bemoans the fact that the accent is missing! "Rainclouds" is lively and upbeat, while of "The truth", Amy admits that "teenage life would be boring if this stuff didn't happen"!

From Milton Keynes came THE SILVER BRAZILIANS. They comprise Mo 'Slim' Fatwawah (lead vocals), Deaf 'Melon' Jellyspoon (blues harp), Kirk 'The Turk' Terkenstein (drums) and Ted D. Rocker (bass). Stage names of course! Recently described by the NME as "surfabilly Clash", they contain elements of Chuck Berry, Dr Feelgood and, yes I would even say, Billy Childish! It's an exciting and lively Esquires debut. High octane R'n'B throughout. They mix excellent musicianship with wry and, at all times, perceptive hard hitting lyrics. Even if the vocalist would want to be an extra in The Sopranos! The image is spot on, his amusing stage commentary between songs adds so much to the show. A song called "Kate Winslet" is followed by "I'm gonna kill yer (If you leave me)". With tongue in cheek they explain that it's a love song although it sounds very similar to "Riot in cell block no 9". A cheesy intro of the old 60's Batman TV show precedes "You're dirty I love you". "IraqDonalds" opens with the lyrics "IraqDonalds had a bomb. Yahoo fuckin' A! / Do you want extra guns with that? / I thought I heard her say!" Great song with an interesting spin of words all delivered in a meaty musical burger bun! "Peggy Sue got loaded", which is allegedly about an ex-wife of Slim's (for obvious reasons) starts with "My baby is a terrorist / A freedom fighter with an iron fist / I call her over but she's busy making bombs"! The Silver Brazilians close with "The battle of Morden". A song about the true story of a big fight in South West London back in the late seventies. The band reveal that they are not sure who they are ripping off on this one! It could be Chuck Berry or more likely The Yardbirds. Enjoyable.

PEARL HANDLED REVOLVER ply some dirty blues. They are proving to be one of the most exciting live bands on the local scene at present. They appeal to people of all ages, which is once again demonstrated tonight. Combining the essence of modern Primal Scream with the sixties sounds of The Doors, it makes for an incendiary mix of a classic rock sound. They keep the spirit of musics debauched soul truly alive. Shifting from, at times, an almost tranquil bluesy hush before, at will, changing gears to produce such unremitting powerful shards of quite blistering sounds. "Walk on by" is designed to give the vocalist a breather. He ruefully admits "that it doesn't". "Todays the day" comes across as a mean and moody sound which complements the tender and meaningful lyrics. Intricately meshed guitars combine to the raspy drawl at all times. Lyrically dense and sometimes almost poetic. Cryptically the band announce "we save the best for last". There's the clue and the audience seize on it. They begin to shout out "play Rainbow". Pearl Handled Revolver oblige with wave upon wave of a brew of such psychedelic potency. One of the guitarists sits cross-legged on the stage floor. Trance like, he plays almost hypnotically. At it's end the room erupts in joined applause. An epic song. The band have one more in the locker as the lights go down.