Captain Loveguns & The Tale Telling Dead Men in An Original Rock Opera, with Fairies Wear Boots and Valentone Acoustic.

Bedford Esquires Lev 2 Saturday 19th July 2008.

Arr har me old hearties shiver me timbers and splice me yard arm arrrgh (pirate growl). I set sail on me galleon through the Ocean Ouse and laid anchor for the Pirate spectacular at Esquires in the year of our lord 2008AD where entertaining treasures were to be had.

CAPTAIN LOVEGUNS. I felt quite close to this production as much earlier in the year local musician Robby Miller had recommended I attend Esquires on 19th July saying it would be special but wouldnt tell me why. At first I thought it might be a well known big band treading the boards there, but it turned out to be a much different (and better) kettle of sea fish.

Treasure map style posters were appearing in town and an information scarce My Space webs came out. See Captain Loveguns. This production was a half band half theatrical production combining two luminaries of the local jam and open mic sessions with a brotherly pair of other HeKzighting guitarists. After a taster of what was to come at a set at this years River Festival this band tonight at Esquires included the acting skills of Matt Young on bass, fresh from his recent stage productions, including JC Superstar and Les Miserables, Robby Miller in various disguises including a dreadlocked Rasta, a kilted Danny Young dervishing round the ship/stage and Fergus Shipman narrating, singing and drumming.

There were a few bursts of various different shanties including Rock Lobster as part of the humour included, a few covers including AC/DCs Long Way To The Top and their own compositions including the jolly and excellent song Treasure Hunt which you can hear on their My space. I thought Robbys part at times looked more comfortable as a musician than an actor as he should be positioning his mark to face the audience during the drama. Sword fights acting and music made this quite an entertaining extravaganza with props, costumes, decorations and the fearsome Mighty Boosh style dreaded beast included. Where as with a normal band an audience would watch a bit, listen a bit and chat with friends, the Captain Loveguns production required the audiences full attention throughout and as with their pre-taster River Fest set left you thinking you were watching something quite different and special.
Scroll programmes of the production were also available. Scroll Programme,

Before the main feature, FAIRIES WEAR BOOTS also added something quite different in the form of some Gaelic music with an Irish jig style theme. This four piece including Robby Miller and his sister provided something that seems quite rare on the Lev 2 stage but welcome nonetheless. Even though all the tracks blended to sound all quite the same I still have to say I loved listening to it. The musicians included a hand held drum and pipe player adding to the jig.

Before the above we had Mr. Daniel Robert Shaw and Joel Yentis from top Bedford rock band VALENTONE, here giving an acoustic duet which was quite interesting to hear acoustic versions of their usual more rock out full band effect, sounding as quite an effective opener as you would expect from these two very competent musicians hailing as regular attendees at The Paddington Jam sessions a regular haunt for Robby M also.

After a glut of shoe gazing up down strumming unstimulating indie bands at the venue lately this turned out to be a hugely entertaining evening!

REVIEW TWO BY Martin Stapleton.

For the last few weeks, posters have appeared increasingly, to advertise a 'secret' gig! Heads have been scratched, chins stroked, curiosity has reached fever pitch. Well now all can be revealed as, for one night only, level 2 Esquires is proud to receive a visit from CAPTAIN LOVEGUNS AND THE TALE TELLING DEAD MEN. It's an original rock opera, which is something akin to Guns'n'Roses meets Carry On Blackadder in the Pirates Of The Carribean!!! The main characters in this buccaneering tale of skullduggery consist of dandy hero - Captain Lovegun (Matt 'HeKz' Young), 5 Shots McGee - the bar man (Danny 'HeKz' Young), Alice Killah (Robbie 'Killer' Miller), and Howling Barney Cool (Fergus 'Lovemuscle' Shipman). They are joined at various stages by many other sword flashing pirates, plus the majority of the audience have dressed suitably for the occasion!

The set of shanties build up in seven stages. "Stormy Monday" sees our hero washed up at The Ship Tavern, looking for a drink and to find a new crew. While "Pirate War" sees their joy disrupted by the appearance of the nast Sir Henry Ian Tyrant who is the captain's deadly enemy. There is worse to come as "The Island Of Doom" sees the crew come face to face with the dreaded beast. Thankfully they all survive to then search for the hidden buried treasure, before taking part in "The Final Battle". The crew know its going to be difficult, but then again "It's a long way to the top (if you wanna rock'n'roll)"!

The whole performance has been richly entertaining, and a triumph for the hard working efforts of the whole team to totally transform level 2 into Admiral Benbow's Inn! The hilarious interplay on stage between the young performers is to be commended, while the music and songs are superb. There is talk of a sequel. I certainly hope so. Just make sure you don't miss it and be sure to bring Cap'n Flint with you!

As a prelude to this piratical evening, we are firstly entertained by VALENTONE UNPLUGGED, well two lads from this popular young local band. It's acoustic, deep and dark. Following are FAERIES WEAR BOOTS, a quartet who specialise in reels and jigs because, as mandolin playing Faerie Crissie points out, "even pirates like this music". The celtic folk tunes make sure everyone in enraptured and absorbed as instruments as varied as the bodhran and flute are enjoyably utilised. The look, feel and sound is something a little different from the norm and it is very much in keeping with the rest of the evening.

Review one Keith www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk Review two Martin Stapleton. www.bedfordesquires.co.uk