Saturday 01st.February 2003, Bedford Esquires.
One of the best bands line up so far, although I had never heard of the first band TAMALAIN before. These were a young 3 piece. Their guitarist who never stopped smiling through the set, played his 7 string really well – with it only being a 3-piece band, you need a good guitarist, which they fortunately have. They didn’t generate the greatest crowd response but they were on first and the place hadn’t filled out yet.
They certainly weren’t bad, but there were so many good bands on the bill with them.
I didn’t think much to their stage attire, they haven’t developed their image yet but with their varied styles achieved in the guitar work, all they now need is a more experience and I’m sure they will be a good act and one that I wouldn’t mind seeing again.
I was enjoying KAMORA set so much, it seemed to just fly by, they are a band with really good tunes (if you’ve got their c.d. you’ll know what I mean). In fan circles they are regarded as a bit of a ‘Marmite band’ – love em or hate em. When they first started their live shows seemed to be what they are secondary known for, next to being the subject for message board fodder on various websites, but they proved to their critics that they can do well, and the ones that have never seen them live aren’t worth counting. Perhaps its because people like to categorise music but this band do not seem to fall into any given genre, they seem more happily achieving their own sound.
They did a cover of ‘Sum 41’ – ‘In To Deep’, but as I’m not that familiar with that song I think I actually preferred their own stuff.
THE U.G.’ – a.k.a. ‘THE UNIVERSAL GUINNEPIGS’ – (in case you were wondering) create a tight sound that at times you have to check that there really are only 3 people throwing so vast a shadow in creating this heavy sound. They have a good stage presence and even their cool Superman T-shirt add to their stage image.
It was one of the fastest times I’ve seen a huge mosh pit form, their fast, hard hitting sound creating a good live set. If the U.G.’s can get a c.d. of some of their material established, I’m sure they will rise even higher.
I think the highlight of the evening for me was seeing the expressions on the bands faces at the end of the night when it was announced that they have gone through. They looked so happy that it even cheered me up, as I think they have potential, and deserve recognition.
With the ability to top a bill and pull in the crowds, CHICO&THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY held the crowd’s attention and started (quite cleverly) with their c.d. instrumental – ‘Road Kill’.
Someone I know contacted me and said “Hey C+T.C.F. are playing Esq. if ya going – ill come down with ya”. Crowd pullers and pleasers, they also had a fan over from Dublin, - he asked me if Chico had been on yet, so I informed him that they are going to be the headliners so you haven’t missed them. As he had come from Dublin to see them I offered to introduce him to Dot and Chico as I know them quite well; as it would cheer both parties up. If you don’t already know this – Chico is in fact one of the coolest dudes you could meet on the live circuit so when I introduced them, Chico
had a few words, shook his hand and even dedicated a song to him. ‘So I think we made his night’.
Their set also went quite quickly, it was a shorter set of songs that the band are happier playing, ensuring quality as opposed to quantity of their songs.
Their singer was on his usual top volume form – in fact he can sing so loud that a hand grenade could have gone off in his mouth and no one would hear it! They did a Clash cover ‘Oliver’s Army’, which was one of the bands early cover choices and one that I haven’t heard them do before - ‘London’s Calling’ as a tribute to Joe Strummer.
Of all the bands on the bill, this is the closest to the Ska tag, which made the other bands in comparison fly down the wrong leg of the trousers of Ska /punk. The bands heavier punk qualities shone through though also.
The U.G.’s and Kamora both went through to the final later this year.
Review by Keith Pickering www.bedfordmetal.co.uk