The Grey Lady Music Lounge, Wednesday 29th September 2010

Born on the 17th January 1988, Alex Beharrel has always been somehow involved with music. From the young age of 8 he was singing in the choir as well as taking part in the Beckingham festival with his classical guitar. From there Alex has always experimented with different genres of music from classical to rock to blues but then found a neutral divide with acoustic music. Taking part in a two-year music course at west Kent College, Alex boosted his knowledge of music and improved his performance skills and to this day is still performing and trying to adapt to the ever-changing world of music. His influences (to name some among many) would include the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Herbie Hancock, Barenaked ladies, Elliot Smith, and Daivd Bowie.

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Beatrice (Bea) Everett is a 17 year old acoustic singer/songwriter from Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Currently studying at Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School, Bea intends to finish her A- Levels and go on to do a degree at university, as well as doing all she can to become a professional musician. She has been writing music for about 4 years and performing her material live for nearly 3 years. By playing routinely in various local venues, accompanying herself mainly on piano and ukulele, Bea has become a fairly well established artist within her area. Her inspiration to write songs stemmed from a family wide interest in music and musical theatre, and experience of singing on stage from an early age in shows such as West Side Story, Bugsy Malone and Blues Brothers. Her main influences include KT Tunstall, Nora Jones, Katie Melua, Stacey Kent and Adele. Bea's life long ambition is to keep writing and performing her music and to one day make a decent career of it; sharing her music with bigger audiences, and being recognised for her unique sound by people outside of her friends and family in her local area.

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Paul’s music is best described as a captivating fusion of alternative/pop and classical. He composes and performs both instrumental pieces and songs. With influences such as modern day artists; Ben Folds, Elbow, Turin Brakes and composers such as John Barry, Samuel Barber and Rachmaninov, Paul is an artist that offers something different. Following his 3 previous album releases; ‘Ordinary Guy’, ‘Train of Thought’ and live album ‘Escapism’, Paul recently released his first EP entitled ‘The Sirens ‘which is available for purchase at live performances and downloads are available at Itunes and all good online retailers. The EP features Paul’s larger ensemble known as The Paul Dunton Orchestra, which comprises a line-up of up to 12 violins & 6 Cellos, guitar, double-bass and flute.

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What started as a crazy idea in an attic space in September 2005 quickly became something beard-strokingly serious for four teenagers with delusions of grandeur. Mashed Potato, a musical alliance between two best friends, soon evolved into Icarus, and from the sweaty depths of boys’ bedrooms came a unique sound, a blend of their love for artists ranging from Radiohead to Robert Johnson and Focus to Foals.

The band continued to grow, through members gained and lost and through taking the ultimate step of committing their collective noise to tape, at that time using a cheap mic in those same bedrooms. But via tenuous familial connections this music, self-produced in every sense, found its way into the ears of a very appreciative listener and soon enough Icarus were invited into the studios of Blizzard Records for what proved to be a very successful trial.

Now signed, cravats were tightened and scotch sipped with a new found vigour, as the glory days beckoned. They changed their name once more to ZIGO, they matured in their approach to writing music and most crucially, they pored over their expansive catalogue from their four years together to choose only 12 songs with which to populate their debut album – only slightly ironically titled This Is How It Ends.

Initially in the running to be the Tunbridge Wells Forum’s house band (despite no one knowing who they were) ZIGO have moved on to playing venues around the country, in the slums of their separate university towns. They continue to push themselves, their potential as a band, and their presence both on stage and off.

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