The Swamis, Rate of the Day, Stranger, Sister Ray.

Esquires Bedford Lev 2 8th September 2006.

Following last weeks 'One for the Underground' curtain raiser, the promising looking Autumn season on Level 2 kicked off with a four band show.

Opening were debutants SISTER RAY, a distinctly alternative acoustic duo featuring Genna Marabese (vocals, guitar) and Guiseppe Marabese (guitar). Quite simply, I thought their performance this evening was stunning in it's execution. This was certainly not a cutesy and diluted pop sound but a set full of feisty, spirited and iconoclastic songs. Guiseppe takes an assured back seat role as Genna stretches her vocal cords and veers from sincere tenderness to demented mania. Imagine her please as the love child of Kate Bush and Nick Cave!
'Voyage of Truth' is an eerie haunting ballad which contrasts with 'I'm in a Machine', a song that lifts everyone's heart. 'Horse', like much of their set, comes across with the rich flavour of an old east European Folk song. The final offering 'Mental Problems' brings quite a conclusion as at the dying embers of the song, Gemma's vocals portray some who is experiencing a breakdown and an orgasm at the same time! Sister Ray - a breathtaking effort.

Esquires 'residents' STRANGER are now performing as a four piece. It's very much business as usual as they perform the same light, frothy songs that are so familiar to use all. Their new track however seem to lean to a more 'country-blues' slant.

After making a promising debut here in May, RATE OF THE DAY return to play their set of 'good time' tunes. However, tonight their penultimate song 'Testing Times' rather summed up their patchy performance. The set seemed to be the musical equivalent of constantly driving into a cul-de-sac. The vocalists annoying stance of performing with his left hand permanently wedges into his pocket rather reflected the malaise of the band. Perhaps it was just an off day for Rate of the Day.

Headliners THE SWAMIS are a three piece who set out from their very first song to immerse their fans in a musical and visual journey. That they succeed is due to a combination of various elements. Tall, lean, black hair flowing and stripped to the waist, The Swamis charismatic frontman has the entire room in his grip. In fact, his whole performance is topped off towards the end as his leaves the stage mid-sing and meets, greets and dances through his adoring crowd. Backed up by his two bandmates, a drummer who announces the arrival of The Swamis with a terrific drum solo and a guitarist whose playing and stage presence is supreme, thw whole crowd as come to party and with The Swamis in town they have it in abundance - terrific.