BEDFORD METAL PRESENTS:

Scar My Eyes with The Perfect Crime, Ollie And The Wallies and Showing Tonight.

Friday 29th June 2007.
The Bedford Civic Theatre. Horn Lane, St. Pauls, Bedford.

Click above to launch photo album.



http://www.myspace.com/scarmyeyes
http://www.myspace.com/theperfectcrime
http://www.myspace.com/ollieandthewallies
http://www.myspace.com/showingtonight

With a line-up as good as this, demonstrating the variety of talent, styles and ages and a perfectly good venue which for the most part stands empty, '(apart from the odd day time record fair) it seemed a good idea to have the gig switched to this venue. This gig was a two pronged attack of styles with something for the younger bands incorporating milder sounds and an older crowd entering later for the heaviness of the next two.

Their first Bedford Metal gig with us SHOWING TONIGHT who I last saw headlining Esquires, having bought the most people to a gig with more established Bedford acts than themselves, this cheered me up, knowing I already had them booked for tonight's show. They are a young Bedford 4-piece with a predominantly Indy sound although they describe them selves as metal/ screamo/post-hardcore, with influences ranging from Idiot Pilot, Funeral For A Friend, Anthrax and Enter Shikari - whose style I could see shining through especially on the keyboard parts, although I think this band uses their keyboard in a better and more effective way. As if trying to find their way on the big stage at an opening slot at first, but after the first track was finished with, they burst in to a confident and most energetic performance, with jumps and flying legs making use of the stage. Their front man seems to have that front man twinkle in his eye and fizzes with a born to the stage charisma and talent in both being able to use keyboards, guitars and vocals throughout their set. I can really see this band having more gigs in the town and going far.

OLLY AND THE WALLIES are an Angelo Saxon Aryan race of blond teens from Milton Keynes, attracting the teen girls up front and having their trousers below their pants line in true emo screamo fashion. They are a band that went down well on their previous Bedford Metal gig with us, certainly impressing me enough to get them back. They appear to be taking their home turf venue in Milton Keynes by storm with their energetic indy screamo sound, clear singing with an indy style twang to the guitars complete with added grunge and tracks like 'Ready Aim Fire' being quite catchy, along with the skippy beats of 'All Bad News' adding some up-beat vitality and one to rock out to, setting the pace admirably for the following heavier acts that followed If they are still around next year (as I'm sure they will) I think a festival slot promise is in order for them!

I have to say THE PERFECT CRIME impressed me as soon as they entered the building, - having found the recently rescheduled venue on time despite trekking over from St. Neots, through Bedford's one way systems. One thing that goes through my mind whenever I see this band is what a huge fan base they could potentially amass in Bedford if given the best line-up opportunities. I know there are a lot of people in town that would enjoy this band; they are like a cross between a sophisticated punk band and a brutally energetic metal outfit, with fierce guitar stabs and ferocious screams thrown in to the energy spawn vocals. They have some pretty impressive tracks and worth obtaining their C.D's available at the merchandise table that we had on offer at The Civic. It was good to see that some people had come especially to see them - from looking at the scores kept on the doors. This can only grow as they establish themselves more. Not the most memorable band on the line-up but certainly getting there.

The trade mark chains standing erect to hold their singers mic.'s were up for SCAR MY EYES making an obvious headlining act. After the show style and vigour, looking as if no other band could have topped them. Their more professional sound appeared as soon as they started although their sound checking during the intro belied their Hob pub band level which they must surely be breaking out of soon! That aside, they demonstrated a true verve. Several people were asking me when they were coming on and much anticipation was in evidence. I have to say how pleasing it was that there was a reasonably large turn out for this gig and also that all bands got a great reaction and crowd response throughout.
Their giant of a drummer exhumed a great body of sound and first time I have seen their new young bass player who put on an energetic spectacle of a show, making full use of the stage, amps and anything he could find to stand on.
Both old and new tracks were performed including from their new C.D. Their last C.D. had made it to no. 2 in the Bedford Metal Top Ten C.D.'s from last year and hearing their material live it wasn't hard to see why.

It was great to open up the old Civic for this memorable gig, thanks to all who came, it was so good to see our regular supporters and other band members coming down also. All the varied bands playing were all amazing.
Special thanks to Chloe and Scar My Eyes for the gig posters. SEE YOU ALL BACK AT THE CIVIC AND ESQUIRES FOR BEDROCK YESS??!!



Showing Tonight

Ollie And The Wallies

The Perfect Crime

Scar My Eyes

Review by Keith www.bedfordmetal.co.uk