NEWS
EVENTS
The Ramona Flowers @ Electrowerkz, Angel
Indie | Tuesday 15th October 2013 | Alex
If I were to turn to someone and say, “Ramona Flowers”, the first thought to spring to mind would probably be the female protagonist from “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”. Instead, “The Ramona Flowers” offer an entirely different proposition, which didn’t disappoint at Electrowerkz in Angel, Islington last night. But first, some background knowledge…
These guys formed about 3 years ago and have been developing their sound since. Their music is an interesting blend of indie, rock and electronica, ranging from almost dubstep production to more light and uplifting pieces. The combination of time honoured instruments and a progressive addition serves the band well, paying tribute to the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s album “Blitz”, which the band so highly esteems. However, being so young in their recording lives (Ed and Steve say their debut album is 98% complete), we predict that their understanding will develop and they will know when to incorporate electronic influences into their instrumentals.
This is not to say that their live sound is diminished by their dualistic approach. The Guardian selected TRF as the New Band of the Day and needless to say it is an undeniable honour to be acknowledged by a publication such as this. One stand out comment was on TRF’s anthemic stadium sound that, when put into a small, 750-capacity room, serves as a good indication of how well this band could do two or three albums down the line. Having spoken to the band earlier in the day, they told me they threw in some sultry tracks on the new album and, for me, “Tokyo” was the highlight of the set. Complete with seductive Amsterdam-esque red lighting that illuminated the front stage trio - Steve (vocals), Sam (guitar), and Dave (guitar, keyboards) the song rumbled along, driven by the lustful bass riff. This is a track to turn the lights down to.
Previous singles “Dismantle and Rebuild” and “Lust and Lies” both garnered high applause from the crowd, but “Brighter” was the show stealing single. Having received just under 60,000 views on YouTube, “Brighter” could prove to be TRF’s signature track in years to come. With its soaring chorus and delicate guitar work, there’s no reason this couldn’t go down as being their song.
Overall, TRF played a very solid show. It wouldn't leave you thinking that these guys were the next big thing, but it certainly did leave an impression, and in particular, one that would make you want to follow the upward rise of this Bristol five piece. The future of this act is just as, if not more, luminous than its namesake’s hair.
Alex Taylor https://twitter.com/alextaylor18
