'That was the most random thing I've ever seen," mutters one teenager to another as they slink off into the Bedford night. "Yeah – but it was funny though."
Tucked behind a secret doorway to the 13th-century Bedford Castle mound, a crowd of young Bedfordians are watching a guerrilla gig lit only by a streetlamp. These teens have stumbled on Josie Long's Alternative Reality tour, featuring fellow comedians Tiernan Douieb, Simon Munnery and Nathaniel Tapley, writer Alan Moore and singer Grace Petrie.
Their chaotic method is to roll up in town, find a suitable venue where they're unlikely to get arrested, announce it on Twitter, then walk around the town centre telling people about it. "Our main tools are social media and shouting," Long explains.
Crowd numbers have varied from seven to 70, and the feeling on the bus is that it's been a challenging but inspiring journey.
The Bedford gig is beset by stag beetles, church bell ringing practice and howling winds, but there's a magical atmosphere. Afterwards some of the crowd discuss whether they could put on more free shows. "It feels like it's been unfashionable to be a socialist for so long," Marisa Straccia remarks. "It's great that Josie's coming to places like Bedford and beating the drum, reassuring people that we're still here, and angry."
More information: alternativerealitytour.com
