Review of:

 “Stunt Pigeon” at

The Arena Tavern, Letchworth on:

Thursday 23/12/04

 So after a bit of a break this was my first opportunity to catch the re-formed Stunt Pigeon at their first gig and on the whole I would say it was good fun and well worth the effort of a ride out to Letchworth to see.

 The music was an eclectic mix of rock tunes old and new and certainly got the pre-Christmas revellers on their toes and bopping in what was an exceptionally crowded venue.

 Leon was as ever the evervessent front man leading from the front with a confidence and style I had not seen for a long time. Pleasantly the songs chosen suited his vocal style well and good justice was made to old and new rock classics alike.

 Shane, the band’s only guitarist had his work cut out for him working both rhythm and lead competently and effectively however I felt that more could have been made of the songs if a second guitarist were introduced to allow for a more varied and interesting string arrangement.

 Lee on drums provided the beats and though he held it all together well, at times I felt the drums sounded muffled and a bit flat. No big bass drum boom in my belly for me I’m afraid!

 However having said this the venue might have had as much to do with this as anything else as the performance space was in a lowered pit area of the pub and acoustics were not the best I have ever heard.

 Finally Alex on base completed the rock quartet offering a competent and enjoyable performance.

 In a way this gig was a gig of two halves. I very much enjoyed the first set of the evening which offered old dependable rock classics from the likes of Aerosmith as well as newer stuff from the likes of Green Day. All very pleasant  and  which were performed well with style and panache and punctuated at times much to my pleasure with good vocal performances from Shane and Alex as well as Leon.

 However the second half unfortunately did not live up to the first and before I go any further I need to point out that this re-formed band had only 5 weeks to prepare their material for this performance so 10 out of 10 for effort and hard work chaps.

 Material was therefore somewhat limited and scarce and much of the second half was filler, not helped when Lee had a finger injury and a standby drummer had to be called in.

 If  I’m to be perfectly honest the true low-lights of this second half of the evening was a particuly poor performance of  the Bon Jovi classic “Living on a Prayer”  as well as a surprising cover of ; wait for it, a Britney Spear number! Please guys no more! Keep to the rock!

 But having said that please don’t be put of, this is a good band and one well worth going to see. They are in effect a great sing-along party covers band!

 What I think sets them apart from many covers bands on the circuit is that they perform the songs in their own honest and unique “Stunt Pigeon” way and I’m absolutely sure that with a bit more polish and a bit more practice time in the studio Stunt Pigeon will be back with a vengeance in 2005 with a great set of songs to stir even the most ardent of pub stool sitters. I for one will be looking forward to catching them again very soon when they fly in to a pub near you.

 Gaby