Mosh pits and Hobgoblin: The 02 Ritz got Spangled!

Spangled are bringing back sweat and self-important Northern voices. 

Written by Jess Pittendreigh

Photography by Nora Toth

If you asked a group of strangers to guess who had a queue snaking outside Manchester’s O2 Ritz, you’d likely get ten different answers. That’s because the crowd gathering for Spangled’s headlining debut looked like a cross-section of the city itself: indie boys in distressed denim, Oasis disciples nursing pints, and rock ‘n’ roll devotees in (faux) leather boots and eyeliner. This was a celebration of Manchester’s most prestigious art form: bedlam, sweat, indie rock ’n’ roll. This was Spangled at their very best. 

But before that, three openers were tasked with warming up an already restless room. 

First up were Venkappa, a band seemingly born to soundtrack an early-2000s rain-soaked confession. With the melodic tenderness of Dizzy Up the Girl-era Goo Goo Dolls and a lead vocalist carrying a grungy, Avril Lavigne edge, their set felt comfortably nostalgic without slipping into parody. Their latest single, ‘Want’, was an audience favourite; a dreamy call-and-response that nodded toward early Dido and Coldplay, softening the crowd just enough before the tempo inevitably lifted. 

Next came Montello: 70s haircuts. Playful crowd-baiting. Tambourines raised with the campest of intent. Their set swung through hip-shifting melodies reminiscent of Blossoms and The Fratellis, all wrapped in conversational, Albarn-esque lyricism. ‘Suit and Tie’ ignited dance circles even at the back of the room- no easy feat at the Ritz- and cast away the grey Manchester drizzle for a set that felt like sunshine. Or drinking Peroni in the Northern Quarter in May. 

Last but not least- The Cavs. Swagger dialled up to full volume with adidas tracksuits, mod cuts and one simple mission: to ignite the room. From the moment they declared, “We are The Cavs from Manchester,” they did just that. Sharp synth lines and laddish lyrics created a generational, communal sound that threw you headfirst into the early days of The Stone Roses. They perfectly primed the night- and Spangled tore it open. 

Blending punk urgency with journal-entry honesty, Spangled embody the very best of Manchester’s indie legacy. Guitarist Jamie Halliday’s riffs were restless and electric, while frontman Ben Johnson commanded the room with incredible vocal reach. Strangers locked arms, pints sloshed, mosh pits bloomed and dissolved in seconds. 

The energy was chaotic but never cynical, something that many emerging post-punk bands teeter dangerously close to. Though the lyrics are raw, internal, and borderline nihilistic, the music itself feels visceral and urgent, anchored in the present moment. For all of the sweat and shouting, there was an undeniable presence of connection, and a belief not just in the lyrics, but in the people singing them back. 

When catching up with lead guitarist Jamie after the gig, he talked about feeling the heat radiating from the crowd moments before the band took to the stage at the Ritz. “You perform because you love it,” he explained, “but when the crowd loves it just as much as you do, it’s surreal. They’re feeding off you, we’re feeding off them, and that’s why we do what we do. It doesn’t get much better than that.” 

He went on to explain that Spangled’s electric stage presence is driven by their fans. Rather than building a following on social media, they’ve grown through word of mouth, fostering an organic connection with an older, devoted fanbase. 

This reflects in the diary-entry honesty of frontman Ben’s lyrics, pouring personal experiences and offbeat metaphors into his writing before the band builds the music around it. 

“He puts a lot of himself into the way he writes,” Jamie added. “That’s what makes it so special.” 

Rather than chasing generic hooks, they focus on songs that feel different and genuine. With a melting pot of influences - from Jimi Hendrix and Talking Heads to hip-hop, metal and dance music- their sound blends psychedelic, dreamy post-punk with indie swagger. 

Their unreleased single ‘Made For Gold’, which arrives this summer, perfectly encapsulates what makes the band’s sound so unique. 

With a retreat to Wales planned for the band to write their debut album, a collection of music coming out for the first time on vinyl, and a run of festival dates this summer, it’s undeniable that the band’s biggest chapter is just around the corner. 

And if the bedlam inside the Ritz was any indication, Manchester already knows it.