SPOOKY WEEKEND Halloween Special - Goldblade, Speedshot, Radiating Eyes, Flexy Boys, Shadow Factory, Hatespire, Envy Four, Acidity.
Bedford Esquires Lev 2. Friday 29th and Saturday 30th October 2010. Gig Poster by Chris Stevens (Flexyboys).
Photos and Videos (c)Bedford Alternative Music 2010.
FRIDAY 29th OCT:
The Spooky Weekend fest kicked off with barley recognisable ACIDITY who dressed up well and looked the part, giving us a more well practiced set, dropping well worn covers and adding their own style and flair, brilliant guitar work and sticks that could chop metal trees. Theres also room to engage with the crowd which their bassist/singer does well, adding more to the show.
After a break as I walked through to Lev 2 I felt a wall of professional sounding noise from HATESPIRE, they immediately sounded proficient and just brilliant at what they do. They had probably the best fancy dress to add to the stage performance, including some of the best singing on the night, melodically heavy rock out tunes and a lil synth type electronic noise maker which added a spooky dimension and was I found fun to play with before their set also.
Late to arrive, a lack of crowd (Typical Luton), and even a lack of instruments hampered the FLEXYBOYS and what was in the end, an appreciated set by the people who did catch them. I suppose their audience fall in to the love them or not category, but those that stayed around for their rough n ready grunge binge, love what they see 3 lads partying out with precise, thunderous drumming and fun laden tunes.
Our deserved headliners SPEEDSHOT next, a band that have worked their way up to the top entertainers spot and a first in Bedford for their new bassist - who you may recognise from the clapped out Watch The Walls debacle. A hard working band, with a tour schedule and guaranteed to entertain with incendiary drumming, lively movement and a sort of Axle Rose/ Ozzy like wine to the vocals. Gone are their gurning mess around frolics like a removed torn poster they seem a capable serious rock outfit who on this night had their set recorded for future release. Watch out there gonna rock your stripy socks off!
REVIEW TWO BY Martin Stapleton.
It's a spooky weekend at Esquires, courtesy of Bedford Alternative Music as they presented a two day Hallowe'en fancy dress extravaganza. Prizes are handed out for the best efforts in the crowd. Jesus and the ghost of a dead RAF pilot (even though the lad's hair was a touch too long for the squadron!) are amongst the winners.
The highlight for me was a rare Bedford appearance by Luton trio THE FLEXY BOYS. Dominated by such a self-effacing front man, the between song banter is so dry and deadpan. His comments are spoken in a quiet, dour northern accent for maximum effect! If his odd behaviour raises a chuckle, The Flexy Boys' song titles offer more of the same flavour. Try some of these: "Old Bloker", "Marmalade Broomstick", "Mr Facehead", and "This one's for you Morph"! The boys also reveal that they have just completed another one for our delectation. It's called "Horse Trousers"! They have the humour, but their music is also firmly on the button. Based in grunge, their set flies by, full of rip-roaring power. The presentation is, again, excellent. A fun thirty minutes with this quirky but polished trio.
Opening proceedings are ACIDITY. Fresh from their recent Bedford river festival appearance in the summer, I was looking forward to seeing this young three piece. Tonight their set is padded by too many covers and, unfortunately, proves to be rather an anticlimax. "Backfist" is one of the rare occasions when Acidity clicked into gear.
HATESPIRE raise the bar and I fully enjoyed their set. An appropriately creepy ambience is created in their "Intro". There is also a thoughtful intelligence in a carefully constructed rock opus. Hatespire are not shy in adding a few 'proggy' bits, which feature highly in "Scartraced". As this burst of indulgence passes, "Tranquillity" is a touch melancholic. "Burden" is much more of a contrast. Hatespire bow out with their very own big loud epic.
SPEEDSHOT may have had a change of line up, but their effervescent spirit is still alive and well. This hometown gig marks the end of their short autumn tour which was markedly advertised as the Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour. From Wakefield to London, via Boston, Speedshot have been busily promoting their power pop tunes. Tonight they run through some of the old favourites and introducing us to a couple of freshly written compositions. Front man Danny Young certainly wins my vote for his fancy dress and make up. Certainly the best dressed performer tonight on what has been a good start to the spooky weekend.
SAT 30th OCT
Another well timed brilliant set by ENVY FOUR improving all the time and so good to see they are keeping the set fresh with an aditional two brand new songs. Its top level drumming and a singer/guitarist that positively charms his audience that make the band, which may be interesting to see how they go down out of town without their usual loyal following. Just as well I hope and imagine. Well played but not much movement from their guitarist still and some eloquent bass work from their bassist complete with new bass guitar. There poppy, punky and kind of cheering to see live.
One of the biggest traits of SHADOW FACTORY is the amazing way they interact with the audience, they just look so happy to be up there entertaining us with angst laden hard edged punk metal. They are an amazing band live, putting a lot in to what they do, probably still yet to write that live classic and sounding a tad samey but a good samey nonetheless.
Their last gig with current drummer (will miss you Charlie) loosing some of their long standing fans from previous gigs and people admittedly wanting to sit this band out altogether RADIATING EYES dont seem to have the same appeal as when they started. Maybe overplayed in Bedford at the moment was the cause, but they still put on one of the liveliest performances a band can offer. Guitars seem to turn down the high skill level that I know they have, to cope with the sound style of the band and vocals grate continuously throughout with no variation issued from a consummate and amazingly lively fun rousing front man at the top of his league in giving a spectacle performance. Probably see them back in Dannys bar soon
Big signed band comes to Bedford in the form of GOLDBLADE a band who are not shy in putting on a show and lively performance. Punk with huge dollops of fun, even when their charismatic front man isnt singing he is romping round the stage like a loon on zombie juice. The band look well versed in touring all over for many a year, you couldnt really fail to love this band and remember their performance afterwards. Stage invasions and interaction with the audience a staple part of the Goldblade spectacle and songs like Do You Believe In The Power Of Rock n Roll? Allowing a sermon of baptised initiation for crowd involved effect. A proper punk fun band at its best!
REVIEW TWO BY Martin Stapleton.
Part two of Bedford Alternative Music's spooky weekend continued with the headline appearance of punk band GOLDBLADE. They were formed and ably fronted by the veteran, and certainly irrepressible, John Robb. Thankfully they appealed to both young and old. For those not familiar with the extroverted Mancunian, he is also a respected and noted journalist/historian of all things punk.
"How is Bedford?" he engagingly enquires. It may all be 'painting by numbers' old skool punk, but the presentation and performance by Goldblade this evening cannot be faulted. The older fans have naturally turned up, but on the whole, the youngsters also stayed around to witness something a little different to their usual musical tastes. It's fair to say that Robb works the crowd in a masterful way. He cajoles and encourages all the fans to shout back loudly and they obediently follow. "Strictly Hardcore" may be a theme, but the talk is all about the "Jukebox Generation". Everybody may be "Out of Control", but "I can still sing when I'm Tired". Starting to reinvigorate his musical juices, John soon strips off and discards his tailored shirt. Now is the time to "Riot, Riot, Riot". As everyone starts to get their breath back, the loaded question is fired; "Do you Believe in the Power of Rock 'n' Roll?". John asks it with typical nous and the mixed ages audience seem to agree. A slight stage invasion supports the belief that it had been a successful evening.
ENVY FOUR open, bringing with them a fairly huge following. This is a band heavily influenced by the likes of Blink 182 etc. The vocalist's phony American accent always makes for uncomfortable listening. The music stand that contains the lyrics is also slightly baffling. It may be to prompt, but what's wrong with a beer stained piece of paper? On the plus side, the guitarist does draw a favourable comment from a friend who remarks that he has "unusual hair sculpture"!! Lucky him.
Luton's SHADOW FACTORY rally the crowd to engage in a wall of death. Participation is reciprocated. The mosh pit is chaotic, but the youngsters appear to be having a great time. The recently recorded "Breathe" (it's their opener) and "As my City Burns" are the pick of their original efforts.
RADIATING EYES are in a period of change, but their hardcore exterior can seldom be faulted. The addition of an extra guitarist adds an immense power surge to their game plan. Ben dedicates "Denmark Street" to the many older people in attendance, while "Running Times" is aimed at their close punk brothers The Dilenquents who are here tonight, although heavily disguised!
More Goldblade videos from this gig can be viewed on the Bedford Alternative Music Video page.
keith www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk
Dim from Helium Cow Films Video Shoot
Big thanks to Dim and Helium Cow Films for the vid shoot (c)Helium Cow & Bedford Alternative Music.