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In a sleek black tour bus parked outside the Oran Mor, Strathclyde Fusion was able to catch a chat with ‘electro minded indie outfit’ The Ramona Flowers. Currently supporting recent chart entrants Bastille on a sold out nationwide tour, the 5-piece were in good spirits and excited to experience their debut Glasgow gig, which took place on Saturday 2nd March.
“It’s our first time in Glasgow and we can’t wait”, explained lead singer Steve. “The Oran Mor is a tight venue, so it’ll be cosy, and it’s all sold out so the crowd should be up for it.”
Some of this excitement was undoubtedly a residue of the previous night’s performance at the Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh, which made up the other half of the tour’s two Scottish dates. The Ramona Flowers were first on stage, and the onrush of eager audience members when the doors opened was described unanimously by the band as “really cool.”
Another reason for excitement is the Bristol boys’ impending new record, which will take form with the release of their second single Lust and Lies on April 29th. This new EP will also contain two remixes, done for the band by Ladytron and Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard.
“The Ladytron remix is amazing, really cool”, says bassist Wayne. “We havn’t even heard the Hot Chip one yet, he’s still working on it, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Such prestigious recognition doesn’t end there for The Ramona Flowers, as they were also recently chosen as an NME ‘Buzz Band’, and compared even to Radiohead by the music magazine. This praise came as a surprise to the guys, who upon learning of their appearance in the publication immediately feared the worst:
“They can be harsh at times, they voice their opinion strongly so this was a result”, says singer Steve.
Guitarist and synth maestro Sam agreed, summing up the feeling of the group upon claiming such a notable accolade: “It’s great! We never thought we’d make it into NME. We were just like ‘it better be good!’”
And good they are. Lust and Lies was the obvious highlight of a half-hour set that was described by Steve as “quite upbeat, with some emotional parts, before building to heavier and more energetic songs.” The new synthy single shows clear progression from the group’s first well received track Dismantle, and is certainly worth a listen. The set as a whole faltered slightly on the final song, which came across as a bit confused, but on the whole remained excellent with The Ramona Flowers, complimented by keyboardist Dave and Ed the drummer, bouncing off of each other well and Steve showing formidable vocal talent. His voice is undoubtedly a mainstay of the band’s appeal.
All in all, The Ramona Flowers are in bloom and on tour. Go and see them.
By Daniel Lawson
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