Radiating Eyes + Speedshot + Rench + The Demi Massacre - 31st October 2009
Reviewed by Martin Stapleton
This is a night of music given over to the punk ghouls and metal zombies, courtesy of Count Keith Von Pickering and the Bedford Alternative website who have also decorated the stage accordingly. Since this reviewer was a little person, Halloween seems to get bigger and bigger each year. When I was a youngster, it was all about firework night and "Penny for the Guy" (erm, isn't that Bonfire Night? - Editor). Now it's the annual ritual of trick or treat which invariably ends with the children taking home pocketfuls of sweets and goodies. While the youngsters are knocking on doors, the slightly older folks are dressing up in some weird and wonderful costumes. Make-up is also liberally applied. The combination creates some very interesting results.
There is to be no easy introduction to tonight's fayre. Late replacements The Demi Massacre aurally pillage my brain cells with their metal by numbers noise. It offers no subtlety, no flow, and certainly no tunes! The mindless screaming that this band employ wears my patience very quickly. The predominantly young crowd, however, seem to be very appreciative with positive reaction gleaned on "The End" and "The Last Day".
So we bid farewell to another local band as Rench, on this final gig, reach the end of the road. The punky popsters certainly go out in fine style. A good smattering of tunes allied to an impressive stage presentation gets a lot of positive feedback from the audience. They finish with "Miss Perfect", the first song that Rench wrote.
Although it's Halloween, two noted local musicians use it as an excuse to satisfy their feminine side as they slap on the lippy and slip on something rather slinky. One of these 'frustrated transvestites' is bass player Burkey of our next band Speedshot. Thankfully, vocalist Danny Young's attire is more becoming of an out and out rock'n'roller. On the back of their recent EP release, this band are constantly giggin' and putting together a familiar and tight set list. Sometimes hit or miss, "Moonshine Mama" gets a spirited and positive crowd sing back. The more recently written 'I Just Wanna Be Me' has everyone shouting in unison. With the precociously talented Danny at the fore, Speedshot give us a thirty minute masterclass in pure guitar groove. They reveal a more intense mindset with a developing grasp of songwriting dynamics. Even the obigatory cover is handled amusingly. "TNT" is, of course, originally by that Scottish rock band "Acc-Duc". The anthemic garage strum of "Snakebite" sees Michele living up to his affectionate nickname of Animal!
With a healthy rivalry developing, Radiating Eyes end the evening. So many local bands spring up like weeds incorporating the current 'in-scene musical fad' for some egotistical gain. Hopefully, this collective nucleus of the two headline bands may sustain some tangible longevity. They appear to have a genuine passion for what they are doing and trying to achieve. Radiating Eyes have a pubescent snarl. They disorientate and disturb in equal measure. Frontman Ben shows all the skill and grace of a rabid rottweiler. He is angry as he spews out the lyrics. Their combined psyche is fuelled by the guitar splattering sound they produce. A scary band to fully suit the occasion. 'The Eyes' do not operate with a limited myopic musical grasp. The crowd is large and the applause deservedly rings out loudly at the close.