大象传媒

Whether you've seen a great band down your local pub or been to see a major group play as their UK or national tour passes through Beds, Herts or Bucks, we want to hear what you thought of them!

Giant Drag's wickedly dry Annie Hardie

Send us your gig review of a band or solo singer seen in Beds, Herts or Bucks by filling in the form below and see them published on this site!

The pick of the bunch will be read out on 大象传媒 Three Counties Radio's The Box Office programme - Sunday afternoon's between 5.00pm and 7.00pm.

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Cajun Dance Party

Venue: Esquires, Bedford
Date: 7 July 2007

Review: 鈥淭hank you for coming, I love you all鈥� a polite and very welcome introduction to the expectant crowd at the first date on their first nationwide tour. After a triumphant appearance at the recent Glastonbury mud bath and with the release of their debut single way back in April. CDP have rightly or wrongly been touted by many magazines as 鈥榯he must see band鈥� of this year. It would seem on the evidence of tonight鈥檚 performance that these statements are well founded. As the saying goes age is just a number and in this case it applies, at just 16 and 17 years of age this young five piece from London have crafted through the eyes of guitarist Robbie Stern some of the most infectious and emotionally lead music that has been heard in this Bedford venue.

They arrive on stage to polite applause, lead singer Danny Blumberg arriving with the conventional tambourine tucked under one arm and the less conventional walking stick in the other. The walking stick will later be involved in the most spontaneous and raucous part of the evening, but before that CDP kicked off proceedings with 鈥楾he Race鈥�. It is clear early on that Blumberg is keen on providing a spectacle and engaging the crowd using traditional as well as unconventional ways of doing this. The more unorthodox of these actions included running in and out of the assembled crowd and even standing in one of the corners of the venue. This spontaneity seems to manifest from his uncontrollable excitement and being in the audience it is very infectious sight to behold.

As they rip through there short but beautifully crafted set including songs 鈥楤uttercups鈥�, 鈥楥olourful Life鈥� and 鈥楢mylase鈥� which Blumberg informs the crowd is the next single adding 鈥淵ou are the first people we have told鈥� the crowd respond to this personal approach as the set draws to its climatic end. After the briefest of departures from the stage in which a healthy chant of 鈥渆ncore encore鈥� takes place they return to rapturous applause and proceed to repay the expectant crowd with set closer 鈥楾he Next Untouchable鈥� and as expected it provides the first real sing a long as well as the 鈥榳alking stick鈥� incident mention earlier in which Danny thrusting walking stick into the air as it hit the chorus manages to catch a ceiling tile which crashes to the ground narrowly missing bassist Max Bloom, this is them smashed up and handed to the now heaving mass gathered at the front.

There is little doubt that Bedford has witnessed something special.

Gary Salmon, Ampthill

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Hekz

Venue: Bedford Esquires
Date: 30 March 2007

Review: Matt Young displays vocals passed down from Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. These four sixth formers play the part of true metal. Their new E.P. contains catchy riffs and hooklines. Pick up their 'Exodus' E.P at any of their gigs

Lewis Borthwick, Meppershall

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Silver Sided

Venue: The Horn, St Albans
Date: 24 April 2007

Review: This gig was so awesome, there were 4 very talented young men, with lots of potential, they have their own unique sound and are really good live. Ross is an excellent front man who involves the crowd. The atmosphere at this gig was amazing which totally topped the night off. If you ever get the chance to see this band then do look at their website www.myspace.com/silversided2007 www.silversided/com

Cassie Forster, Hertfordshire

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Emm

Venue: Esquires, Bedford
Date: 16 September 2006

Review: I thought Emm (Terry Emm) was brilliant last night in Danny's Bar,听 Esquires in Bedford. He's the kind of singer/songwriter who sings about the really personal things in relationships, so the lyrics were really reflective and deep. He backs this with a backdrop of finger-picked guitar lines for a simple but effective sound. There were a few alternate tunings being used by him, he'd occasionally sit back and tune without saying what he was doing, kinda enigmatic. Highlights of the set were a song called 'Blossom' which had really nice humming and speed changes and a song called 'White Butterflies' which was a hypnotically strummed folky song with the catchiest riff! Only criticisms we're that a lot of his stuff was quiet, but maybe the crowd should have been more appreciative too, there was a lot of talking. But on the whole, thoroughly good gig, he blew away all the other acoustic acts on the night!

Tony Randolf, Bedford

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