Review Of The Month: MAY 2017.

Esquires Bedford.

Once again, here are a collection of random jottings when watching a selection of gigs at Esquires during this month. Friday 5 is from a personal point of view, very hotly anticipated. Presented by the Juicebox promoters, it featured Yonaka. It’s my second viewing of the alternative rock quartet, who are based in Brighton. Just a few short weeks ago I watched as they were on the support bill at London’s Koko for Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes. On that vast expansive stage, they were simply sensational. How would they fare on the small room 2 raised area? Well the talented twenty something’s took it all fully in their stride. They put on a stunning show of well crafted dark pop songs. Not for nothing were they put forward as ‘ones to watch’ in 2017 by Kerrang Magazine. During the past twelve months, Yonaka have been steadily building up a fine live reputation. This coming year, it’s yet more high (Download) profile festival appearances to put on their C.V. Their set tonight includes their new single Wouldn’t Wanna Be Ya. As the band say, “We are already feeling the love” also of note, was their previous release, Ignorance. It certainly contains that heady combination of pop hooks and heartbreak lyrics. The only noticeably low spot occurs when vocalist Theresa Jarvis, has a choker malfunction! The decorative piece of jewellery snapped and fell from her neck! She reflected that she may have to upgrade in quality next time. More John Lewis less Primark perhaps, certainly not an accusation anyone can label at Yonaka.

The next evening (6) the main stage played host to The Mouse Outfit , a hip hop production team and live band with a revolving cast of members. Hailing from Manchester, they arrive in Bedford having played in Plymouth the night before. Thankfully tiredness and fatigue is the last thing on their minds, as this wide array of musicians are joined by the vocal skills of Dr Syntax and Sparkz. Tight and horn heavy, their highlights included Never Get Enough, Shak Out and the sharp Who Gwan Test.

On Saturday 13 , there was a breaking bands showcase night. Although Monarchs headlined, I felt that Northampton based band, The Barretts were the real stars of the evening. They simply shone out. Their stage demeanour and overall presentation was excellent. They are fronted by a vocalist who on this particular evening is wearing a most distinctive top hat. The Barretts, although young in age, already seem to possess quite a panoramic vision in what they are trying to achieve. They aim high and tonight virtually succeed with every song they play. Inside by nature, indie by heart. The set shimmers with a tight, taut tension and oozes a voodoo pop delight. Yes this reviewer certainly lived The Barretts on a showcase Saturday special.

Wednesday May 17 featured The Parrots . Esquires represents a warm up show for their upcoming Great Escape Festival show in Brighton. With loud, raucous hollering blood curdling shouts, they announced their presence on stage. Hailing from Madrid, they proffer fast off kilter, dark leaning garage rock n roll. Their show doesn’t fail to entertain, with the highlight being a song called I Don’t Like You, I Love You! On its first announcement, the band call it by its Spanish title. Thankfully the lad’s grasp of English is excellent and they help out the locals. With Brexit signed and sealed, let’s hope this is not the last we see of The Parrots in Bedford. At their finale, the vocals are crazily delivered amongst their new found fans on the Dancefloor. Viva La Espana! Main stage support came from YOTA or Youth Of The Apocalypse . This appearance by them, is a real coup for promoters The Roar Club. A ‘supergroup’ of sort, they feature amongst others, members of Gorillaz and Klaxons . Tonight is only their all round talents at the aforementioned festival in Brighton. The result of their musical concoction is a feel happy mash up of punk, hip hop and rap. The loose term ‘urbanpunk’ springs to mind. Some awesome room shaking bass heavy sounds dominate the opening part of Something’s Gotta Give, while “This is the reason why” is rapped out fast and precise. Algo-Rhythm is contrastingly soulful to the rest of their set. This is emphasised fully when YOTA perform Crux. The crowd are urged to go absolutely “Nuts”, “oh yea!” The collectives freewheeling constant mantra is encapsulated with their final offering entitled Be Alright. The band members (who are all wearing identical logo emblazoned dark tops) constant anthemic message is rapped out with sheer delight as the lyrics “Everything’s gonna be alright” booms out around the room.

YOTA (Youth Of The Apocalypse) Setlist:
1 Something’s Gotta Give. 2 Tired. 3 In The Future. 4 Algo Rhythm. 5 Crux. 6 Be Alright.

All female quartet The Franklys revisited the mainstage on Friday 19 . They were here to primarily perform tracks from their brand new album called Are You Listening? Unfortunately, not many of Bedford’s music followers were! As the turnout was disappointingly poor. A real shame, because this band really are a dynamic and forceful live act. The franklys really are a dynamic and forceful live act.
The Franklys employ a ‘Devil may care’ approach to their performance. Their roots may lay in old fashioned garage rock n roll but their rapid fire sharp shooting presentation is very much in true seventies punk mode. They yelped, screamed and sometimes gurned their way through a blade sharp set of songs. A wall of noise and rhythms perpetual motion on stage, its always with strafing guitars and belting fuzz riffs and a tremendous show of which only the grumpy old b’stards would hate!

The Franklys Setlist:
1Castaway. 2 Puppet. 3 Keeper. 4 Too Tall. 5 You Go, I leave. 6 Weasel. 7 Imaginarium. 8 Come Down. 9 My Love. 10 Don’t Kill Your Friends. 11 Bad News.

My overriding memory of when the nineties Brit pop band Space appeared here on Saturday 20 , was when the gig had finished. The sight of the four band members and three crew staff having an impromptu game of football was priceless, it was well after midnight when the ball came out and the sight of vocalist Tommy Scott deftly jinking and weaving before scoring in a jumpers for goalposts way, was both surreal and memorable. More so when you consider he had a large bottle of red wine in his left hand! On stage, these cheeky, cocksure Liverpudlians delivered all the hits from yore, (including the massive hit Female Of The Species, plus also Neighbourhood) as well as tracks from their new album Give Me Your Future. A huge backdrop on the stage adds photos and film clips to add extra entertainment.

On Thursday 25 Pop Will Eat Itself headlined. The room is packed, fresh air is a real premium. The evening is hot. Very hot. Since this gig was first announced way back last November tickets have been steadily selling and needless to say the show sold out many weeks ago. Anticipation is high amongst what is a mainly ‘forty something’ age group. When P.W.E.I. arrive on stage, they receive a heros welcome and the adulation they continually get throughout, shows that this band are still fondly remembered from their late eighties, early nineties heyday. Pop Will Eat Itself relived their halcyon days when their sample driven indie rock captured fans, especially with their minor chart hit Can U Dig It? Although this is very much a different line-up from the ‘old days,’ the spirit of the band lives on. This is demonstrated when songs such as R.S.V.P., Wise Up Sucker (“She loves me, she loves me not!”) Bulletproof (“Is everybody happy!”) plus the cult favourite of Ich Bin Ein Auslander are performed. As P.W.E.I. entered a much requested encore, they sum up reflectively, “Crazy times we are living in”

Friday 26 saw the latest ever finish by a live act on the mainstage. It was just after 3am (yes in the morning) that D.P.3. left the stage. This was the night when jungle and drum & bass superstar D.J. Roni Size played Esquires. With his main man Dynamite MC on the vocals, a sizeable and very danceable crowd were super excited. Twenty years on from his Mercury Prize winning album New Forms, he kept the room banging for a ninety minute set. The whole five hours of old skool drum and bass featuring four live acts and was a real breath of fresh air and something totally different from the norm.

Review by Martin Stapleton. www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk