A rearranged show for January (30th) sees a visit from the newly named The Electric Soft Parade (formerly The Soft Parade). It has them showcasing tracks from their new album "Holes in the wall". Veteran 2 Tone fans flock to relive their youth with Pauline Black and The Selecter (19th). The BOTB reached it's conclusion (26th). The place is packed and many youngsters are turned away. The joint winners are New Road and Insomnia.
February's highlight comes from a split headline gig (16th). It features Biffy Clyro from Scotland and Welsh band Tetra Splendour. A heavy evening was guaranteed with Miocene (23rd) supported by the awesome The Kennedy Soundtrack. Goldrush and The Buffseeds offer something a little lighter (27th).
After the two previous sell out shows, March (29th) saw The Supernaturals once again at Esquires. Cyclefly play (2nd), while Babes In Toyland relive the grunge era (20th). A return from Plan A (9th) and a welcome to Landmine Spring (23rd) complete an interesting month. Bedford Metal celebrate their first anniversary with an alternative night headlined by Dark Cell (30th).
April features metallers Kilkus (6th) and a ska-punk double bill with Caffeine and 4ft Fingers. Otherwise it's those awful tribute bands who dominate.
On one Thursday in May (16th), a few Esquires fans tested the growing hype known as The Libertines, featuring a certain Pete Doherty. The sparse crowd get a short set after a very long wait. Former Kula Shaker frontman Crispian Mills brought his new band The Jeevas to level 2 (25th). Three other musicians from the past formed The Resistance Tour. They were Pete Wylie (Wah), Kirk Brandon (S.O.D), and Mike Peters (Alarm) (14th). Hits from the eighties guaranteed. The Kennedy Soundtrack (4th) and Anti Product (11th) return.
The level 2 stage was put under terrific strain on the first day of June when Buster Bloodvessel and Bad Manners fronted a ska evening. It survived, but the rest of the month was musically quiet. Local bands who gigged aplenty during the first part of the year included Diem, Goldigger, The Pretties, Subside and The U.G's.
The best gig in July has to be the eclectic mix of first time headliners Portion (of St Neots), being preceded by a young American lady fresh from Nashville, named Antonia (6th). The rest of the month fails to live up to this great start. 4ft Fingers return to give us some more of their beer-skate- ska-punk (27th).
August (9th) sees everybody on level 2 being Drunk In Public! That's because it happens to be the title that The Levellers use as their code name for their stripped down acoustic set. Tickets were £9.99! Lightyear headline a special memorial concert (10th), while Cornish metallers Fallen To also visit (16th). Local band Headwire called it a day with a headline gig (17th).
September featured visits from two bands gaining plenty of media coverage. The D4 from New Zealand are in town (14th), and London rockers The Beatings also visit (28th). Making a sizeable return are Capdown (21st), plus the impressive Howards Alias. At the end of the month, everyone on the local music scene was stunned to hear of the sudden death of Sid Worth.
October saw a Scratch The Surface promotion. It brought with it Devon's female fronted ska-corers No Comply (26th). Other headliners included Moolie (19th) and Goldrush (12th), who were ably supported by Longview.
The highlight of November has to be the 'shockabilly' rock presence of Brighton's The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. The faint of heart did not stand a chance. Other visitors include Sick On The Bus (2nd), and a ska explosion courtesy of Five Knuckle (9th) and Lubby Nugget (23rd).
December was, for the main part, closed for business on level 2. The decorators came in to give a makeover with fresh paint and wallpaper and a new carpet. Local bands bursting through included Sphere, Kaine, Orbus, Dummy Run and Impact.