SPEEDSHOT (E.P. Launch).

SPEEDSHOT released their latest album entitled "Headaches and Heartbreaks". Tonight is the launch party for this popular mid-Beds trio. They have imaginatively decided to replicate their CD in full, live and track by track as it happens on the album. Speedshot are firmly rooted in classic rock and few bands locally do what this trio purvey. It's a movement that, in the past few years, has been slightly obliterated by scenesters - either the tattooed post-modern rock parvenus or with slangy musical chaviness. Thankfully Danny, Michele and Hobit stay firm and close to the basics and this rip-roaring ride has, by the close of proceedings, left us all rather refreshingly breathless.
After beginning with "Stones", it's with the blistering "Whole Lotta Hell" that my attention is fully focused. With an awesome intro, it comes complete with a nihilistic riff and a chorus with a toothy bite; "Life Ain't Perfect, no life ain't fine, it ain't holy but I'd rather have a little bit of heaven than a whole lotta hell".
"Wanted" also gains from having a singalong chorus. The set is glued together by the astonishing showmanship of Danny Young. Sometimes it doesn't matter how choreographed it can be (cue the guitar played behind his back). This is an band who, when on top form as tonight, make everyone present not just included but important to the gig. With a punked up "Too Far Gone", "Spaced" features Hobit sharply barking out "Hey" while a demented Danny spins and runs round talking into a megaphone. He is flamboyantly ubiquitous and the dancefloor is his domain. The only low spot is the irritating and rather repetitive "Why". Speedshot utilise a 'Stray Cat strut' with the opening bars of "Liar". This also has a catchy shout out. Prior to "Let You In", Mr Young asks for cigarette lighters to be clicked on and held aloft to give it the appropriate atmosphere. The frontman requests "make it like proper Bon Jovi"! For this final song a few people do reciprocate. The warm applause at the end plus the shouts for more has Speedshot performing the effervescent "Get get it" as their encore. After putting so much into the show, Danny Young falls to the floor at its conclusion, completely drained. As the Speedshot poster proudly proclaims - "fast anthemic rock with a raw punky vein". Well they had bundles of that tonight.

Opening this album launch at the request of Speedshot is their former bassist

LIAM BURKE MUSIC . This tall gangling young man immediately has major technical problems and admits "I'm having trouble with my battery". This is all going on while BAM promoter Keith is trying to introduce him. Our host quite observantly remarks "every gig has its positives and negatives"! I ponder in which camp this will sit? Liam nervously smiles and coyly says "I'm going to play a love song". It's called "Cocaine whisky and a f**k"! This is a set that raises plenty of laughs and a few cringes as Liam's language is quite fruity at this early time and definitely not for viewing by your elderly grandmother. Whether being ironic or very accurate, he concedes "I'm a drunk man with a point". "Down to Danny's" is interrupted midway through when Liam reacts angrily to someone applauding; "No fella don't clap. It puts me right off"! A cover of "I want to break free" is hilarious or embarrassing depending on your Queen leanings. The line in the "emotional" "Don't flatter yourself" perhaps encapsulates this man's performance tonight as "a pissed man singing out of tune". Due to Liam's rather puerile shenanigans at the start, the sound man aborts "Sons of liberty" after a few seconds.

Things calm down considerably when Luton's