Sargeant, Sister Ray, Arrows, Ed Bowfinger.

Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. 8th May 2008.

The topic of most people's conversation this week has been that old British chestnut, the weather. The past few days has seen a seamless switch from parka and gloves to the shorts and T-shirt! Pretty much summing up this current heatwave feeling are tonights visitors SERGEANT. They are a four piece from the Scottish town of Fife, possessing an armoury of 'jingly-jangly' pop. Despite having a full page spread in the current NME, it's a disappointingly paltry turnout tonight, and certainly bears no reflection on the breezy band put before us. It's probably due to the fact that most Bedford folk feel that the barbecue or beer garden is a better option on this balmy evening.

Sergeant open with the aptly entitled "Sunshine", and for the next forty minutes stick rigidly to the same script. Guitar pop rules, although perhaps at times a variation would have been nice. The band's rapport with the audience takes time to work. Vocalist Nick Mercer comments that the crowd in Bedford are "very polite"! Although bearded bass player Bill Anderson's rather pointed remark about Bedford being populated by "flowery roundabouts" falls on rather deaf ears. This comment is probably the nadir of the set, as a combination of Sergeant's pop tunes and fresh faced smiles slowly begin to win the cynical Bedfordians over. After hitting us hard early doors with the divine "Counting Down the Days", the middle section is strong. "Sue Loves It" and "I Love It Here" melt the soul, and current single "K' OK'" delivers the knockout punch for the 'Fife boys'. The mosh pit is now awash with dancing, as final song "It all Comes Back" is performed. Bedford Esquires finally comes alive. It's then a final salute to Sergeant.

Supporting our Scottish visitors are, most notably, SISTER RAY. It's amazing to discover just how many people in the audience had not seen this quartet before. By the end of it they were certainly glad that they had rectified this omission. Dark haired chanteuse Genna, once again, brings a hushed silence amongst the onlookers as she continually contorts her mouth and body through a musical montage of abstract artistic sounds. The choppy guitar and drum work from her colleagues just adds to the spooky suspense. A set of richly absorbing compositions, of which "Videos" and "Mirrors and Tails" bend this reviewers ear in the best way possible.

Also here is Mr ED (BOWFINGER) whose jaunty songs "Lucky Jim" and "38" are the pick of this human dynamo's acoustic set. Afterwards, Arrows certainly hit no bullseyes! This electronically driven band are tedious from start to finish. The shambolic end is very much in keeping with a disorganised and depressing segment of the show tonight.