Saturday 4th October 2003, Bedford Esquires.
ZIPPER: Dreary, dull, dismal, dank and dreadful are just a few words to describe the weather on the night …. Fortunately the fantastic Zipper cheered the night up with their amazing sound. I was really glad they were on the bill with their more heavier, livelier approach contrasting with the other bands. It was a tight well-rehearsed set with some tracks from their promo – Disco, Karaoke Song, and even some new stuff as well. –‘ Smokers Die Young’, and a track that they haven’t named yet. They have some good sounding heavy guitars and vocals – who moved around well on stage. When he announced that the next song was going to be their last song, I kind of felt I wanted to hear more, so was glad that their last was a longer song.
With great tunes like ‘Polite Refusal’, and the memorable ‘Everyone Can Be Famous In Bedford’, from an opening band, its not surprising that they got the crowd going the most and they gained a lively bunch moving at the front.
INSOMNIA: O.K. I’ll hold my hand up and admit that this is actually my favourite local live band. They were the first band that I reviewed for Bedford Metal when Russian Pete was running the site and the first band that he reviewed on the site when it started. I’ve always enjoyed, believed in their potential and promoted this band, even though they were going to be the first band that I was going to interview for the site – and they turned it down flat!
They have a well blended sound with an alternative Massive Attack / Deftones feel and hugely atmospherical. I don’t think they bought as many fans down this time although there were still a few Insomnia T-shirts in the audience.
With their P.Floyd like Prog Rock edge, making them more of a listen to band than one where the audience go nuts up front. They have one of the best drummers on the local scene and drums for other bands as well, they have relaxed but effective guitars, and the latest member of the band fills in the bass and fits in so well and a front man who puts everything into the singing in a set that gives a good demonstration of where the band are musically now.
SIX BY SEVEN: The Darkness more like if referring to their darkened stage set; apart from the coloured strobes, the band virtually played in the dark, like an early Bauhaus gig. Was this so they couldn’t be recognised in the street? They needn’t have worried though they certainly played well. There were some keyboards in the sound and it was even good to hear a few acoustic guitars on some of their material.
They appeared to get a bit of a mixed reaction from the crowd and not I’m afraid one of my favourite bands for the money, - being a few quid more than other nights lately, although ill admit that I’m not that familiar with the band and would probably have appreciated them if I knew their songs, also not really seeing much of the band you may as well have stayed at home in a dark room and played their C.D.
There’s no denying they started good and played well throughout, but after a while I just felt a bit like I was on a journey into Blandville.
Review by Keith Pickering www.bedfordmetal.tk