POWERPOP REVIEW
CAVERN CLUB 23rd of May
Peter and the Penguins are able to capture the essence of Beatlesque harmonies, melodies and song structure without sounding totally derivative of their idols. The exception might be the infectious 'Surprise' which is such a dead ringer for 'Please Please Me' it may as well have been a Rutles song! However the band more than redeem themselves with very original spin given on their song 'There Goes Pete Best' which tells the story of how the writer is about to get Pete Best's autograph, but has a change of heart when he questions why he'd want the autograph of "...the unluckiest bastard in the world". The Penguins went down a storm with more than a sprinkling of dedicated fans amongst the throng. Their nifty cover of the Spongetones "She Goes Out with Everybody" was another highlight and prompted our purchase of their latest album 'How To Choose A Sweetheart' at the gig as a souvenir of a great concert. 


Minty And The Beeb Go Giggin
Cavern Club 23rd of May
By 11pm, when Peter & The Penguins took to the front stage, the Cavern Club was heaving, and you couldn’t get anywhere near the front! The sound was tight, the harmonies in place, and the reception from the crowd, fantastic. They played many new songs, but also retained in their set, some old favourites such as “Took Me By Surprise”. Good, solid pop from Scandinavia. Always a great band to see at the IPO. 

Cavern Pub 24th of May
......Unfortunately, their set clashed with another great band, Peter & The Penguins, who were due on at the Cavern Pub. Peter & The Penguins played a different set to the one played the night before, including this time, "You Should Have Seen My Turtle" and "Bumblebee". The Cavern Pub does not always give the best sound and do the bands justice, but the vocals for Peter & The Penguins were spot on. With this band, you know what you are getting and they never fail to deliver a great set, filled with catchy pop tunes that have you tapping your feet. You are guaranteed to have a great time, and if you haven’t seen them, make sure you catch them next year.