Live : The Ritas / Flowers / The Rileys / Pale Man Made (London Sebright Arms March 02 2013)

Four indiepop bands blasting out your eardrums in the dungeon like basement of an East London boozer, there is nowhere else i would rather be. Tonight we saw elements from the past, present and future of indiepop. Or something.

The Ritas started the night off. Ironically The Ritas are based in Birmingham like me but the first time i get to see them live is in London. The Ritas are two sassy women and a sometimes misbehaving drum machine producing razor sharp punk pop. They started with "Glitter and doom", one of my favourite songs from the last few years and it was totally amazing. They ended by invading the audience area. PUNK ROCK!

Flowers will have a record out soon on Cloudberry, they could be the next big thing (well in indiepop terms anyway). Punky and poppy with great female vocals. They had a few problems with the instruments (which i think were all borrowed) but shone through with some blistering pop tunes.

The Rileys, C86 originals, were back after a long absence (they said 17 years, really so long?) Drumless due to illness but no less lovely were their often folky pop songs. They loved being back and that just reflected the glow from the audience.

Pale Man Made ended the night, what a great band too. Tight and throbbing with indie pop power. A driving melody accompanied by waves of guitar noise. A storming end to a storming night.