The first month of the new year is dominated by the annual BOTB competition. The only weekend to be free of it sees Pauline Black and The Selecter return exactly a year after their last visit (18th).
February features more of the local heats. However, we do get some respite (22nd) when skate punkers 4ft Fingers are joined by Mr Zippy. Thankfully March offers more heavyweight variation. It's a strong start on the first day of the month with Kinesis, Reuben and Miss Black America. Later in the month (21st), Esquires saw the long awaited return of The Bluetones. They were embarking on a massive fifty date tour culminating at the London Astoria. Tickets for tonight were snapped up at the price of £12.50. Also reliving his memories was Kirk Brandon (19th). The Anthology Tour Part Two tracks back to his S.O.D. and Theatre Of Hate days. Possibly my favourite gig for some time saw veteran punk Vic Godard and Subway Sect arrive on level 2 (30th).
April, and springtime has well and truly sprung at Esquires as hotly tipped bands are coming to Bedford. None more so than when Welsh quintet Funeral For A Friend, who mix emo and hardcore, arrive (26th). A band that did leave their mark. High hopes also for Liverpool's The Bandits (5th). Indie band Chrome run out winners in the BOTB competition (12th).
It continues to get better in May as 3 Colours Red resurface (10th). Neil Primett and The Thirst Club go global (17th) with a double bill featuring The Sleepy Jackson (with frontman Luke Steele) from Perth, Australia and Canada's The Hidden Cameras. Lincoln's blues wonder kids The 22-20's (23rd) play a storming gig, while there is ska aplenty with Lightyear and Captain Everything (24th).
June provides a real treat as controversial hardcore ska-punk band Leftover Crack appear (20th). A rather overpriced (£10) midweek appearance by Wheatus ("Teenage Dirtbag") (4th) and a sparkling show by Longview (14th) are the highlights.
July is a quiet month as local bands dominate, although the reappearance of Miss Black America (19th), and both No Comply and Howards Alias (26th) do offer something of more quality.
August, and there is only one gig of real significance as a midweek slot (20th) sees The Thirst Club present a Hell Is For Heroes Reading warm up. The room is packed. With "I can climb mountains", from their debut album "The neon handshake", earning rapturous applause, we even get some new material as a bonus.
The autumn season begins properly in September as The Wildhearts frontman Ginger finally comes to Esquires (20th). He gives the Bedford public a two hour set for just £8. A week later, Ciaran McFeely aka Simple Kid performs for us. As NME says at the time "Simplicity has rarely sounded better".
In October (10th), Esquires is certainly far from full for the arrival of Glaswegian quartet Franz Ferdinand. With debut single "Darts of pleasure" entering the top 40, the band are currently in the middle of a sixteen date tour month. Tickets are priced at only £6. Also visiting us are Six By Seven (4th).
The highspot of November has to be the visit of Jetplane Landing (29th). Northern punks The Dead Pets caused chaos a week earlier (22nd). December sees Nottingham six piece Seachange headline a "Scotch for breakfast" show (6th). Also of note are London's Blind Jackson (13th). The top heavyweights though, are Welsh lads Skindred. They finish off the year here (20th) after a summer of playing, amongst others, the Kerrang! Weekender and the UK Ozzfest.
Local bands to surface in the second half of 2003 are, most notably, First Words, Drive Like Casey, Black Ramps, Hell Above, Johnny Parry Band, Black Tiger Fight and Weightloss.