Wolf Law, The Radiating Eyes, Broken Desperado, Amy Mason.

Lev 1 Esquires Bedford. 7th November 2008.

Esquires was turned upside down this evening as the normal level 2 musical fayre was transferred downstairs to Danny's Bar. Two bands, two contrasting acoustic performers. The musical cocktail is just perfect. For headliners Wolf Law, it's a homecoming occasion. After making their live comeback at Hitchin's Club 85 last weekend, plus appearing in Camden tomorrow, tonight the quartet return for a Bedford party in these intimate confines.

Young acoustic folkster AMY MASON smiles and confidently makes her Esquires debut in a fairly relaxed manner. She performs a mainly self-penned set. The mildly uplifting ‘Morning Girl’ and the excellent ‘Mary-Jane’, complete with all its various twists and turns, stand out. Amy is distinctive with her dreadlocked hairstyle. It is overall a thought provoking, hauntingly dark, wintery spine-chilling collection of songs. To be more precise, it's all folking perfect!

About 20 or so years ago, I remember vaguely buying a Steve Earle album. I do not, I'm afraid, remember the title, but it was in the time of the new country renaissance. Fads in music come and go, but thankfully Mr Earle has grown in the affection of a new and younger generation. Taking that influence, one man alternative country exponent BROKEN DESPERADO is here for his first visit. The inevitable juvenile shouts of ‘yee-har’ are exasperatingly expelled during the first couple of songs, but thankfully they soon die out. The smouldering ‘Something That You Like’, which is about breaking up, gives way to the ‘Make Up’ song. Broken Desperado wears a hat for this one. "Always put a hat on in this situation" he knowingly advises. "They can't see your eyes!" - cue laughter! The set all forms part of the current debut album ‘Leaving Life Behind’. The marvellous and rootsy ‘57 Chevy Home’ is the tasty finale.

As a complete contrast, young horror punks THE RADIATING EYES indulge in a fairly hormonally charged thirty minute set. Once again they are an exciting live proposition, although perhaps these four youngsters are not quite at present neurotic or broken enough to be even the half-finished article. It's as always a journey that the guitar worshipping guitar slackers enjoy immensely. Dazz is on overdrive, while Ben's 'party trick' ability to spin his guitar around himself is repeated on a couple of occasions. Thankfully we are spared the sight of any exposed bare skinny torsos, but the unexpected sight of an unrehearsed Jason Dilinquent taking on vocals for a Misfits cover is an added bonus. It's a risk, but they love it when a plan comes together!

WOLF LAW are back! The seasonal fireworks are literally here inside as well as noisily outside. The boys start in with the unfamiliar ‘Times Running Uut’. Even if this and the equally new ‘Who Am I?’ need a slight tweak of the brain cells to forge that cosy loving warm relationship that we have built up with the older material. Prime examples are ‘Crucified’ and rabble rousing raucous ‘Swingin' the Bottle’ which Sean explains "It's about drinking!".

As usual, Wolf Law offer such a guitar swathed treat. With a blistering intro to ‘Hardwired’, the atmosphere is cooking. This low key gig even sees the band lay into a cover as they relish tackling the classic ‘Suckerpunch’. Clad in black, it's not rocket science to know where Wolf Law's roots lie. The Ramones and Wildhearts are given due respect. The material offers a fair degree of cerebral and visceral satisfaction, and thankfully Sean's vocals don't fall into that atonal sandpaper whining that afflicts so many of their local contemporaries. New man Lee's drum patterns have, on the whole, knitted in seamlessly. With the popular ‘Chase down the Day’ and ‘Obey the Law’ to finish, thay have proved through recent hard work that they are carving out a solid sound which does them proud. A good evening all round.