Take The Shot, Wake The City, 3 Year Coma.
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Bedford Esquires Dannys Bar Lev 1 Saturday 8th June 2013.

A quickly organised showcase evening owes everything to Pete 'the show must go on' Burridge. Having faced a late cancellation by original bookings Eye Candy, he rang around (?) or got on facebook and brought a fun and refreshing night to Danny's Bar. There were bands from three counties.
First to strike up are the six piece, all girl pop punk band from Bedfordshire called 3 YEAR COMA. From a local music scene point of view, it's great to note that the female gender are pushing themselves into the more male oriented domain. This is the band's second bar gig. They supported Filthy Visuals at the venues low key birthday bash a couple of weeks back. At this very early stage the girls do naturally rely on covers such as "Sk8r boi", "Teenage dirtbag", "American idiot" etc. It is excellent to see that the set is polished and flows nicely. There is no faffing around, gurning, preening or talking utter nonsense as so many of their male peers are apt to do at this stage in their development. With smiling nervous faces from the vocal duo and determined plucking from the three guitarists, a steady beat is held by their drummer. It's both refreshing and heartening. I hope that 3 Year Coma keep at it whole heartedly. Their progress is keenly monitored with interest. Sisters are certainly doing it for themselves. This is not so much "King for a day" as princess for a night!

Sadly, two of my all time punk heroines have passed away in the last three years. They are, namely, Poly Styrene and Ari Up. Fondest thoughts of them surfaced when I witnessed our next band WAKE THE CITY. They hail from Milton Keynes and immediately stimulate my musical juices. Their vocalist, a petite turbo-charged frontwoman, is incredible. Take a huge bow Ms Derryn Hudson. She puts in one of the best performances that I have seen in the bar in a long while. She was so hypnotic and, apologies to the rest of the band, I just couldn't wait to see what she was going to do next. She leaps and vaults around dementedly. The screams are in keeping with the chaotic pop punk shenanigans that usually make me yawn. This is far more punk, with a capital P. It's visually chaotic but all delivered with humour, a rarity at times. When a guitar set up leaves a pregnant pause, Derryn very quickly adds "I would tell jokes but I don't know any"! In the words of a certain punk band "Tattoos tell the story of 'her' life" and this young lady is plentifully inked. The musicianship is solidly tight for a band that have only recently started to gig. What a shame that Bedford does not possess a band similar to Wake The City. Fronted by a firebrand "Blue eyed girl" (or not), it's an engrossing set by such a vibrant outfit. Very impressed.

From Kettering, Northants, Esquires encounter TAKE THE SHOT for the very first time. They comprise Adam Cater (bass), Matt Atkinson (vocals, guitar), Dale McDermett (lead guitar) and David Carter (drums). They are very heavily influenced by modern rock, especially Kings Of Leon. It was not an inviting introduction, but gradually they won me over. The lads immediately grasped the special aura of Esquires. With a hotly anticipated debut EP "Orange Peanut" coming out shortly, their twelve song set is impressively pieced together. The frontman shouts out, with a knowing nod, "Any fans of Biffy Clyro?". I sense that having seen their photograph in the entrance to the bar that he thinks he has an advantage. Young man, I feel an upsurge in my diaphragm. It wants to go "yes I did see them and they were and still are really s**t!". The band specialise in spectacular guitar intros. With "Long lost one" and "The fall" taking centre stage, their vocalist with his trusty axe admits that, at 12 kg, he has brought his heaviest weapon. Their fans in their spiritual home base of the lovely Cherry Tree pub would have been proud of their sterling efforts. A good debut.