Telegram, Neighbour, Velodrome.
Lev 2 Esquires Friday 10th October 2014.
Sadly I have to start this review with a negative moan. Bedford's reputation for failing to spot and support fresh emerging guitar bands was maintained tonight when a paltry turnout paid to see one of this countries most exciting new buzz bands. TELEGRAM are based in London and comprise Matt Saunders (vocals), Matt Wood (guitar), Oli Paget-Moon (bass) and Jordan Cook (drums). Much feverish and downright hyperbolic praise has sprouted forth from every corner of the music industry for this quartet. They have been together some eighteen months and garnered some good and prestigious support slots including Palma Violets, Temples and Childhood. More recently they have been touring with The Horrors and next month are due to spend an evening with Adam Ant. Their credentials are excellent, so why such poor attendance at this joint Pad Presents / Juicebox show? The scene that looked to be building in Bedford some two years ago appears to have stalled badly and this audience should have included many young musicians from the area. I can only assume that promoters must get extremely frustrated as bands feature regularly in NME (and others) are shunned by the teenagers and twentysomethings of this town. No doubt these same people will tell everyone how good Glastonbury, Reading, V etc. were. In your local venue it is much more intimate and you can even get a chance to chat with these touring bands. My mind goes back to May 2002 when The Libertines played Esquires to the same sparse crowd. Now it seems that three quarters of people in town were at that gig!
Telegram play a forty five minute set with a big emphasis on taut and skilful songwrirting. There are a plethora of influences with indie, glam and punk amongst others. Shall we call it glindie? Does that sum it up? Perhaps with the addition of a keyboard player they could develop the proggy side more. Matt Saunders is a likeable and damned good frontman. He is of Welsh stock, Caerphilly in fact, and emanates a lot of fun, warmth and humility. This is so refreshing when so many of his peers continue with a sort of 'attitude in a bottle'. Fellow countryman Nicky Wire is a huge fan and likens Matt to a young Julian Cope. Hair, and lots of it, adorns the heads of these four lads, although Mr Wood is sans facial growth this evening.
Telegram politely request a dimly lit stage and immediately ask the small and reticent crowd to move closer. With the emphasis on an early 70's feel, "It's not very easy" is an undoubted winner. They demonstrate a vibrant and dynamic stage persona and they look good as well. They are snappy dressers, casual and stylish, especially Oli who exudes the sleazy rock 'n' roll look that never goes out of fashion. Telegram vaguely remind me of a more refined and clean cut Towers Of London.
"Follow" is their finest moment. It is full of scorching guitars that echo around the room, almost screaming in pain at the intensity. Telegram can abstractly take subjects and turn them into songs as they have cleverly done with "Lady Godiva". Although they must have been disappointed by the small crowd, a philosophical Mr Saunders offers a closing pleasantry of "Thank you, you've been cool". With a strong retro feel to the band's overall make up, I must make a quick mention of the enthusiastic Telegram merch man / crew member. Resplendent in his tight white T-shirt, flared blue jeans and long fair hair, he reminds one of a young Robin (ask yer dad) Askwith who starred in the saucy Confessions films of the 70's. I nearly asked if he was any good at window cleaning!
Telegram, good people and a great set.
The support bands this evening are both quite disappointing. VELODROME open. They are split male / female quartet and the use of keyboards make it feel like a frothy eighties New Order concoction. The band as a whole give the impression of continually looking bored or disinterested. Perhaps they are nervous? The tall frontman gives us a bit of a clue when he says "We're a bit unprepared for this. Sorry". The set is very short as the band unexpectedly leave the stage after some twenty minutes.
Four piece NEIGHBOUR hail from Kettering. I had high hopes and was anticipating their set, but unfortunately I felt totally let down by this rather turgid, shoegazy set. It's full of reverby echoes which I didn't really feel worked in this small venue. The biggest gripe I had was that Neighbour specifically asked for no front lights and just a bank of back lighting. Without any strobes or other effects it just looked a bit stupid. I do like to see a band as well as hear them. With a bit of fringe and a bit of jangle, these particular neighbours will sadly not be on my Christmas card list.
Review by Martin Stapleton. www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk