Milky’s Music Matters

from BedsLife June 2021

by BedsLife Magazine

Bedford Blues

MILKYS MUSIC MATTERS MATTERS

FOCUS ON UPCOMING BEDFORD GIGS

If you are reading this page, then there is an extraordinarily strong chance that like me you’re badly missing the buzz that live music provides. The anticipation of hearing & eyeballing the new hype or maybe something recently unveiled to you through radio or even a returning favourite. What this provides is the opportunity to soundtrack an evening and shape memories, meet like-minded souls and maybe even tap a foot, pogo tigger bounce or fl at out cut some rug. How have we coped?

In Bedford we are blessed with an exceptionally fi ne music venue in Esquires and a collection of promoters who fi rst and foremost are music loopy and forever searching for the perfect gig. Like all businesses affected by the pandemic Esquires has had a tough time, staff furloughed, over a year gone with zero income and a government roadmap that at fi rst seemed to be built on sand. With strong leadership and the dedication of the supporting Esquires crew alongside an enthusiastically wellreceived Crowdfunder, hope does spring eternal. During the enforced downtime, a lot of work has been undertaken at the venue to upgrade the facilities and help to ensure the venue continues to be a fi rm staple of the national touring circuit. I’m not going to bang on about all the great bands and big names who have played at Esquires (ahem.. I am still trying to get Adele to fulfi l the date she pulled out on with a sore throat all those years ago) but instead highlight some of the incredible acts we have managed to book for the rest of 2021. First off though, the venue will open with a series of socially distanced gigs before we return to a desperately required sense of normality from the 21st of June.

Through August to December Esquires will host the absolute best of a wave of new hyped indie bands (Dream Wife, PVA, Yard Act, The Lounge Society, The Goa Express, Coach Party and TV Priest), some classic ‘vintage’ bands such as The Futureheads, British Sea Power, CUD, The Nightingales and Shonen Knife and still fi nd room to accommodate the likes of The Dub Pistols, The Meteors, The Blockheads, Lee Scratch Perry, KatyJ Pearson, Tom Grennan and Emily Capell. Seriously, there are too many to list here and as if that wasn’t enough, a new one-day multi-stage annual festival (CEREMONY) will be launched on Saturday 17th July with sets from a dazzling array of the best emerging UK bands.

We cannot wait to see you back at live music events in Bedford and after a year of staying in, it will soon be time to go out EVERY NIGHT. Keep music live, Milky.

Wed 2nd June Tom Hingley (ex- Inspiral Carpets) Thur 3rd June Mark Chadwick (Levellers) Fri 4th June Mark Chadwick (Levellers) Sat 5th June Spike (Quireboys) Wed 9th June SHAME (SOLD OUT) Thu 10th June Kirk Brandon (Spear of Destiny) Fri 11th June Kirk Brandon (Spear of Destiny) Sat 13th June The Smyths Tue 16th June Don Letts – There and Black Again – Book tour

Restriction’s lift, let us get gigging!!!

Mon 21st June Sarpa Salpa + Tom Lumley & the Brave Sat 3rd July Daft Funk LIVE + Hitman + Mass C Wed 7th July PVA + Lazarus Kane + Folly Group Fri 16th July The Smyths perform ‘Meat IS Murder’ & ‘The Queen Is Dead’ Sat 17th July CEREMONY #1 – multi-stage one day festival (Billy Nomates, Big Joanie, Pins, JOHN, Crows, Feet, Talk Show, Thyla, Lynks, Bleach Lab, Regressive Left, Grandmas House, Lowgirl) Fri 23rd July The Rifl es (acoustic) Tue 27th July Squid (SOLD OUT) Fri 30th July Elijah Miller

+ many more Check listings at bedfordesquires.com for details or facebook.com/bedfordesquires Tickets available from Esquires, Slide Record Shop and online – seetickets.com

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