Summerfall, Fell Silent, Loveburger, Doubting Thomas.

Esquires Level 2 Bedford. Saturday 20th August 05.

Quite a rare event that mAccA and the boys making all the fucking noise A.K.A. - Doubting Thomas to be the opening act, certainly a great way to get in to a party swing. I was at a house party recently and thought 'fuck me there playing Doubting Thomas on the C.D. player' only to realise that it was the origional band that D.T. do a regular cover of - probably Blink 182 or some such pop punk fodder that I wouldn't know, as I'm not in to that style much. Live however is a different thing and D.T. do 'live' extreme justice - Good tunes, original and a few covers, crowd interaction and a healthy responsive mosh pit induced by songs with fast rabble rousing choruses between the more pop punk melodic parts and all from a band that cheer you up with how much they obviously enjoy performing.
The last couple of songs had parts that had an ability to stir a crowd and I thought it was a pity that they have to stick rigidly to a 3-minute short sweet rule that the type of music self enforces and try and break out of that mould to increase the intense parts more in length, in order to keep the crowd going while they are still rocking out to the tune. - Not that I am trying to re write pop punk or anything!

After full congratulatory, self back patting mode that Esquires go through when ever they hook a slightly large outside band it seems we are back to the old Saturday crowd pulling money making local act nights of last year. Loveburger are a part of that screaming emo genre of music that I liked when it first started, perhaps I saw bands that were so good at it, but recently something inside me went out like an on/off switch light and I now think oh god call me a fucking emobulance, having totally gone off this type of music which doesn't seem to have lifted itself from its stagnant pool and moved on! Impressive drumming though it has to be said and all the players put in their all, except their lead singer guitarist who put in even more effort despite the fact that he was actually ill for the gig. It didn't show though; the same high effort and quality of play was still present. What a trooper (perhaps Lovetroopers would make a better band name?). I am glad to be able to say that their other guitarist seems to have taken on board what I once said in a past review and no longer plays with his back to the audience.
There were a few nodding heads at the front but the general, crowd interaction seemed lacking compared to past gigs, but despite being as edge of the seat as a maths conundrum on Countdown, the instrumental ability is of reasonably high quality. Even though they have some new songs it all sounds rather the same to me I feel I have been hearing the same ol songs gig after gig and on a bill with their extwa speswal fwends Summerfall again (as they did with Cause And Effect a few years earlier). I am in no way blaming the band - I just want the line-ups, variety, and musical genre to move on.

I don't know why but I somehow thought Fell Silent would be headlining. It was so refreshing to see something of a totally different style breaking between the last three acts all the same and a clever bit of line up order for the night I thought. Well their front guy was on top form again taking to the stage and totally commanding it with his presence.
An incendiary of galloping drumming hard strutting bass and fist punchingly good guitar work makes up this band whose unswerving popularity seems much talked about on the local scene, - being liked by bands whose style isn't necessarily even like their own band.
I used to think a lot of their stuff sounds the same until I realised that its just that they do extremely long songs from a band that are epic in song length and becoming epic in status also. And if you notice, this is a review written by someone that hasn't once included as a description to their sound the word 'tight' Ooops!

Summerfall are a band that thankfully, has managed to move on and shatter their emo chains and go for a harder thrashier sound. It's worked as well, still retaining their barbershop quartet style of vocals from all band members with melodic overtones and hanging on to notes in their songs that give this band their unique style, while at the same time employing a much heavier tone - gone indeed are the funky chicken days of old. Any description of this bands obviously individual sound wouldn't do them justice over actually seeing them live. Their front man moved fluidly on stage oozing passionate energy; the night was certainly theirs and was mainly put on by the band to launch their new C.D. which although wasn't quite ready for the night they got the headlining slot. Quite a strong crowd this event as when they first started, only this time when headlining their fans don't mass exodus the venue after seeing their band, making for a good audience size for the whole night. - Look out for their new studio recorded C.D. coming soon!



Keith - www.bedfordmetal.co.uk