Bedford Alternative Music Presents: The Monster Showcase (Best Of).
Fenix Fire, In Remission, Alias, Sever The Strings, Daz & Ben (Radiating Eyes) Acoustic).

Bedford Esquires Lev 2 Thursday 9th April 2009.

Photos (c)Bedford Alternative Music and James Betts 2009.

REVIEW ONE BY Keith.

The Monster Showcase (Best Of) featuring bands that made an impact while playing at the bar. I have reviewed them all earlier so here are just a few thoughts on their Lev 2 performances.

DAZ & BEN (RADIATING EYES) ACOUSTIC when you think you know punk music, Radiating Eyes, Daz & Ben, you would think you would know exactly what to expect if you add the term acoustic set in to the equation, but I was still surprised at how different and better than I thought it was going to be. The only disappointment being the promise of a Ukulele instrument being played which didnt happen! They didnt gain their usual support for an interesting set which had Ben rolling his Rrrrs throughout the singing, lending a reggae quality to the sound, I presume Daz was on stage as well behind the talented guitar work hidden under his mop of long hair. Great act boys

SEVER THE STRINGS Are an example of a band best suited to a big stage which worked better for them that a downstairs gig at the bar. Stadiums are their next target Ill bet! A Metallica song thrown in, huge riffs and energy gave them the great on stage performance their music deserves.

ALIAS Were up next, what this band may not know while they are playing, is that people in the audience are nodding their heads in agreement to how good they are and saying to each other how much they are enjoying their set, they are wide appealing and have a unique sound with every element adding to a passion fuelled indie blues tinged rock delivery.

IN REMISSION Fast becoming one of my favourite bands on the local scene and one that I know have shown a Bedford audience what they can do, skilful, fast paced, and melodic . One to recommend and look out for as I know they will be coming back and around to assault your listening pleasure further.

FENIX FIRE With a newspaper article more keen on a Harry Potter connection than the band its self this band seem to be able to put on a proper performance anywhere, whether it be an intimate crowd warming bar gig or an octane fuelled larger stage, sad to see though the crowd dwindling off before the end of the gig for this British rock sounding band and J.D. bottled energy to excite the senses.

Quite a mixed bag of local talent on offer tonight and the good news is There are going to be more!



REVIEWED TWO BY Martin Stapleton.

The showcase Thursdays which last three weeks reached its pinnacle with Bedford Alternative music's much anticipated monster gigs on Level 2.

Prior to the four bands on show Ben And Dazz from The RADIATING EYES played a short ACOUSTIC set. 'Suicide Notes And Anecdotes' is imaginatively arranged as mid song the boys introduce some light reggae. The duo who are known for their stage dynamic even try to work this into their acoustic set which does make for some interesting viewing.

After seeing SEVER THE STRINGS remain very static in the rather small confines of Danny's Bar recently, I expected them to fully express themselves on the large stage. Disappointingly these metallers failed both in their stage presence and overall. Song structures it was certainly a tiresome thirty minutes. There was to be a total lack of charisma and fails to rise out of a mire of mediocrity.

Much more to my liking was ALIAS. They carried on the excellent impression they created a couple of weeks ago. Its laid back indie blues rock is without doubt a notch above all else on show this evening. Their patter is short and sweet with '24 Wasted Hours' the pick of such a clutch of good tunes.

IN REMISSION are certainly the most vibrant and striking of all the bands tonight. Their confidence is all to evident. They rock hard, but throw themselves around the stage in a way that gets maximum audience participation. The set includes some meaty songs with excellent riffs, but are sometimes let down by some weak vocals. Having said that, I would feel that In Remission are a band that I will grow to like in time.

Headliners FENIX FIRE return with, thankfully, their bass player Johnny joining them this time. Its also his birthday, so the quartet are well up for a party. It's a long journey for the Nottingham based rockers but they are appreciated by the locals in attendance. The band are due to start recording an album later this month and one would purchase it just for the magnificent song called 'Foundations' which they so confidently performed. The disadvantage of living so far away is natural handicap but I would hope that the tie-ups formed by local born guitarist Rory is continued. The vocalist who has instant appeal once again has quite a fixation with his trusty bottle of whiskey.