DON BROCO, Magnus Puto, Chasing Cadence.
Lev 2 Esquires Bedford. Wednesday 21st August 2013. Well you try taking a vid at the front of a DB gig! Anyway heres the result. Vid
Bedford's finest export indeed, perhaps second only to Bombardier bitter, are back on the main stage. Yes, it's the one and only DON BROCO . This coming weekend they are playing the big festivals, firstly Leeds on Friday followed by Reading on Sunday. Not only that, but they are playing on the main stage. Last week they announced that they would be doing a warm-up gig for these two momentous shows. Needless to say tickets were snapped up in hours, nay minutes, such is the demand that this band have always generated here. Perhaps like some of the lesser local wannabes they could have decamped to Bedford's bigger venue, but Don Broco have both class and loyalty. Their long standing affinity with Esquires stretches over many years (who remembers Summerfall or Club Sex?).
For Don Broco Esquires is where it all started and things just keep getting better and better for this quartet. Last year's "Priorities" album was fantastically received and 2013 has seen them gig relentlessly, normally to sold out venues. Kerrang magazine adore everything about them. especially their front man Rob Damiani. Full of boyish good looks, he is the perfect poster icon as well as being one of the nicest and most genuine men in music today. Fame has not gone to his head and lets hope it never does. Meeting your heroes is always a daunting event, but Don Broco chat to their young fans at the end of the night and put them at ease. A great gesture.
At 9.45 Don Broco appear on stage to hysterical cries. A beaming Rob shouts out "How y'all doing?" before they launch into the title track of the aforementioned album. The entire mosh pit jump up and down. The stage may be tiny and cramped compared to what they are used to, but DB have made provisions with their own step up crates. For the more mature student of their tunes, "Hold on" has a very Duran Duran musical sound. "Beautiful morning" has plenty of vociferous "wo-ho's" emanating throughout. At the close of this song Rob addresses his fans and tells them "We're going to play a few songs for you". A loud cheer erupts. "Actors" is described as "a bit of a mover", while "You wanna know" is a newer one. The crowd singalong is orchestrated with so much aplomb, but a great sense of fun. This is where a special mention to the 'push up squad' should be made. "Thug workout" is an old one and first performed at Esquires. Although Rob stays on stage, "Whole truth" sees guitarists Simon and Tom go for a walk about the room. The former strums standing on the bar while the latter opts for a raised position near the vast merchandise area. Ten songs are performed for everyone's pleasure and all wrapped up at a sensible hour for all those not on a summer break. I wonder how many of tonight's attendees will be watching in person at Leeds or Reading? These Bedford boys are so dynamic and exciting, just ask those festival organisers!
Opening are CHASING CADENCE and it is a return visit for these bouncy bopping lads from Hertfordshire. The early arrivals have headed straight to the front en masse, always a good sign. There was a long queue in the car park as early as 7 o'clock and the band seem to thrive and respond to the massive reaction they are getting. They are certainly getting a lot better response than on their last show here. The vocalist shouts out to his new found admirers "Don't be afraid to move around Bedford. We like to get warm and sweaty!". Everyone will tonight in these sauna-like conditions. They begin with "Accidents will happen" which gets a good reception. "Bricks and mortar" is one of their older compositions and contrasts so well with "Worst come to worst" which is ultra new. As these songs are performed, Chasing Cadence are slightly perturbed because "Bedford aren't going mental". They ask for a response; "Where are the brutal kids out there?". Fellas, on the mental scale you are about 1/10, musical brutality rates about 4/10. On the scale of One Direction being 1 and Napalm Death being 10 (or 11!), you can gauge just how manic Chasing Cadence are or aren't! If their music doesn't entirely float my boat, their considerable enthusiasm most certainly does.
I only know of three people called Magnus; Mr Pike, a dead scientist from the seventies, Mr Magnusson, a dead questionmaster of Mastermind, and Mr Hedman, a former premiership footballer! A fourth turned up tonight with MAGNUS PUTO , an electro fused ska hip-hop band from Bristol. Even though they managed to get the crowd dancing and jumping (which was not difficult at this gig), I thought it was a tad repetitive. It would have helped if they had contained a little bit of brass, certainly on "Stand up". A second viewing would perhaps give a more balanced judgement. A crowd favourite though.
Review by Martin Stapleton. www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk