CityLife

The Beans @ Britons Protection

GUERRILLA gigs are so yesterdayés news. So The Beans would have you believe anyway. Sometimes the best are those simple, more traditional types set in old menés boozers.

With musty patterned carpets, curling wallpaper and gold painted light fittings, thereés no place better suited to this band é even if they do do Britney Spears covers.

Following young strummy whippersnappers Sam n Me and Sam Hammond, the two guys on guitar and bass have a difficult job; half the crowd have disappeared and The Beans are more like a Foster and Allan tribute band (ask your dad).

But whilst the youngsters can only try and emulate an éolderé or more éclassicé sound, here weére presented with the real thing. éThis songés oldé about as old as meé admits acoustic Bean noticing the remaining 20-somethings in front of him.

True, the idea of two greying guys doing a cover or two with some of their own chucked in for good measure is about as appealing as forgetting your shoes and having to endure the rest of the set wearing nothing but your granddadés slippers.

Applause

Still, for some reason, it goes down well and the whistles and applause coming from the darkened room induces an embarrassed look of sincere appreciation from the frontman.

Sun is Shiningés gentle acoustic melody sounds as though ités been written one Stella-soaked afternoon and the warm sound is nicely broken up with rustles of pork scratchin packets and mid-set banter which adds an element of spontaneity for fans of impromptu gigs.

After plugging the CD thatés available at the back of the room and plenty of smiles é possibly at the prospect of funding for addictions (éAll proceeds go to meé for fags and thaté one Beanie jokes), the night takes a turn into weirdness for a slightly melancholic version of Hit Me Baby (One More Time).

The vocals split into 3 part harmonies as they invite éDaveé up on stage éto do the high bitsé; a guy who with thick rimmed glasses looks as though heés been lured away from a computer screen or could be Graham Coxonés geekier brother.

But it doesnét stop acoustic Bean from producing eye scrunching eeks as he tries to squeeze out as much vocal as possible on the climactic moments.

True, he canét quite induce the same hormone frenzy in the girls in the room that Britney does with the guys, but still youéve got to admire his determination. Who cares about dirty rock n roll when you can enjoy good tunes and a few pints with friends?

This gig is just that and whatés more, its all being wrapped up in time for last orders.