Bedford Alternative Music Presents: The Thursday Showcase.
Set Your Sights, A Deeper Dreed, The Box Ticked, Hazard.

Bedford Esquires Lev 1 Thursday 1st March 2012.

Review by Martin Stapleton, Photos (c)Bedford Alternative Music 2011.

After sadly witnessing the egotistical behaviour of Simon Townshend on the Esquires mainstage last Thursday evening, I am thankfully back down in Dannys bar to sample some more local bands being showcased by BEDFORD ALTERNATIVE MUSIC. First the bad news as A DEEPER DREED, the metal band from Cambridge, unfortunately had to pull out due to a band members illness, so the evening was punk all the way.
Tonight definitely proves one thing: Luton, that much maligned place in Bedford-shire has, at present, a healthy and buoyant alternative scene that its sister town of Bedford can only dream of. Allied to this, the travelling support, which is at times quite manic in its appreciation, does beg the question as to why Luton has no venue anywhere near the stature of Bedford Esquires?

First up, are SET YOUR SIGHTS, a five-piece who definitely declare of being here to Rock your socks off! This is most definitely a band who are out to have fun. Their apparent enjoyment stems from their charismatic frontman whose smile lights up the room. To define SET YOUR SIGHTS, think of a mash up of say Fishbone, Bad Brains and R.A.T.M. Songs are snappily played, all fast and furious. THE MISSING PIECE opens to some dynamic drum work. Their fans give cheer loudly as the vocalist tears off his top. Still grinning, he responds by saying: Aw, shut up! Have you never seen a black man with his shirt off. He even comes out with the quote of the evening, as SET YOUR SIGHTS discuss the slight discrepancies of the set list, admitting I am in the band and even I dont know this shit! Hugely enjoyable.

THE BOX TICKED are a much more mature band; a trio who recreate the sounds of the late seventies new wave punk scene. The songs are somewhat based towards the world of THE JAM. Football results are name checked and they even say Bastards! Perhaps that is why they have scared off all the younger folk in attendance! The guitarists share vocals and compliment each other very well. I also applaud and commend the drummer who is wearing a delightfully jazzy shirt. With a few mums and dads around, THE BOX TICKED posed the loaded question of Who remembers 1979 Some of us actually do! To respect and commemorate that era, they cover firstly SECRET AFFAIRS? THE TIME FOR ACTION plus the ANTS STAND AND DELIVER. Da diddley qa qa, da diddley qa qa indeed!

I have heard so many favourable comments and reports about HAZARD and tonight I get my first look at them live. They do not disappoint, in fact they are a total revelation. It is Punk with a capital P. This Luton trio are raw and in yer face. These boys are not fakes as they produce a gut punching set that fully recreates what this genre of music was all about back in the formative seventies. They cut across all bases with THE CLASH and RAMONES BLITZKRIEG BOP covered. Punk influences spread to grunge superstars NIRVANA and HAZARD fully respect BREED in the process. The whole concoction is delivered in a twenty-first century way that THE TOWERS OF LONDON branded a few years ago. HAZARDS own material also stands out so well. I Don?t Need It is from their forthcoming E.P. The lads reckon this is more mellow. It compliments the nastier and brutal assault of say perhaps MACHINE, or dare I say, I WONT BE BACK. The Lutonian followers are almost rabid in their appreciation. Tables go flying, a couple of glasses fall on the floor and this reviewers trousers get soaked with one hundred per cent lager! It?s all lively and good natured though. To cap it all, the conclusion sees a HAZARD of major proportions, as the guitarist falls or jumps into the drumkit. Phew! Yes definitely warning HAZARD! Fantastic.