Last Ditch Attempt, Judecca Nights, Hulkenburg.

Dannys Bar, Lev 1 Esquires, Bedford. Friday 11th April 2014.

Music is now sadly on the fringes of culture, so different to the 1950s to 1980s when it was the true driving force. Now, due to various things including stuff like X Factor, BGT or The Voice, music has been turned into a sort of game show where Mr Cowell and his ilk get pub singers, turn them into pop stars and gleefully watch them spiral out of control. It is collectively sad, stomach churning and sickening and, in its own small way, slowly killing smaller venues. As with Esquires, these bring us exciting bands who are the true lifeblood of music. A review may criticise, but it does not lack the real respect shown for any music maker, young or old, prepared to take up the challenge of keeping it live.

The revelation of this particular evening are without doubt HULKENBURG. They are a Bedford duo comprising the talents of Mikey Warr (vocals, guitar) and principal vocalist Terry Ruffhead (drums). It is a fact that some six piece bands sound like three, but these two lads definitely make more noise than four! The stage set up has been intelligently thought out as the drummer is pitched at a slanted angle giving him full focus on his guitar colleague. Hulkenburg keenly follow the Drenge, Slaves, Royal Blood route. They produce such powerful stoner songs that rain down upon the modest assembly of watching gig goers like manna from the rock 'n' roll heavens. The exultant stomp of "The attack of five" metamorphosed into the impassioned howl of "Blood feathers". In turn "Dame-ren" segues effortlessly into "Mathmagicians". "Owls" and "Shadowcats" follow. It's the first track of the band's new EP. As I look around the room I notice that very few heads, hands and feet are left unaffected by the fervent feel of the big sounds being produced by this duo. These riff monsters are firm disciples and stick rigidly to the old Motorhead adage. This reviewer certainly subscribes to it and the only way to feel the noise is when it is good and loud. There is little in between song banter as Hulkenburg's true charisma comes from their wall of sound. The duo look and sound physically exhausted after each song. This is not a band of elaborate scenesters painting fashionable musical pictures with their haircuts and tapered trousers. Mikey and Terry just offer beards and brutality! They strap in and tap into primal passions, directing us in a glorious sonic journey. With due respect and apologies to the following two bands, my head was still spinning as Hulkenburg packed away their kit.

JUDECCA NIGHTS were a credit to themselves and their philosophy was plain and simple. They just played for the sheer fun of it and their material and song titles bore this out. Take "Painkiller brainkiller" or even "Zombie love song" as perfect examples of their witty concoctions. This MK quartet feature the rather eloquently monickerd Ian Guillermo Northcote-Rojas, a vocalist with a penchant for wearing his baseball cap back to front. Ah whatever happened to Beavis and Butthead? Lead guitarist Will Kettleborough is a jam night stalwart whose rock star hair and classic stance make for good viewing, then there's bassist Dan Bull. Tonight Matthew, he comes as a David Bowie Ziggy clone. 'Steady Eddie' drummer Lawrence Butler keeps the band on track. Their offbeat demeanour does not mask the fact that they can produce some decent material. They even try to encourage some crowd participation on "Brain in a jar". As we are in Bedford it sadly falls on deaf ears. This little bit punk, little bit rock band certainly made a few new friends tonight on their Esquires debut.

As keen as mustard, LAST DITCH ATTEMPT are the hometown heroes. Improvement is steady from my last sighting of a band whose heart is is rock and metal. The vocalist is forever grimacing and hollering, but does possess a very good voice which is always a thumbs up. The wide contrasting difference of the duelling guitarists vie for my close attention. One is small and studious, the other a virtual man mountain, huge both in size and ability. Doug the beaming bass man smiles non-stop and drummer Harry keeps LDA pumping along. The set induces a drunken mass melee of attendees jumping around wildly as 'the train song' is played, while one composition has more than a whiff of the Marilyn Manson about it.