FBi Social - Saturday 20th August

Anyone with the slightest interest in independent music in Sydney loves FBi Radio, 94.5FM. It's an institution, run by the people for the people and has helped countless local bands get the break they needed and deserved. Well, not content with filling the city's airwaves with awesomeness, FBi also has a venue, meaning punters can get their fill of live talent too.

Saturday saw four Sydney acts take to the stage. Opening things up were female-fronted four-piece The Glimmer, who offered some country surf with a pop twist and the odd sea shanty thrown in for good measure. Their set boasted some seriously catchy tunes. Next up was the evening's highlight. The beautiful, bespectacled Caitlin Park (pictured, below), along with her drummer from Bobbysix's hometown of Brighton, served up intelligent, experimental lo-fi folk music laced with electronic elements. Despite battling against sound issues, she utilised samples and loops to fine effect. Park's songs were accessible while remaining interesting and nuanced. She is an artist certainly worth checking out.

In contrast to Park's understated delivery, March of the Real Fly's vocalist/drummer Cam Crew stood atop his stool, occasionally wandered around the stage and employed all manner of histrionics with a level of overconfidence that was kind of irritating at times. However, there is no doubting his relentless energy was the driving force behind a fun, American-influenced punk-pop set that had the biggest crowd of the night dancing. Keyboardist/percussionist/vocalist Anita Miles (pictured, top) bopped around twixt sweet indie uber-nerds Daniel Levett and Sam Clayton to create a dynamic so cute that you just wanted to put them in your pocket and take them home.

Whipped Cream Chargers, the night's headliners (above), perfectly dissected rock n roll swagger and cool disinterest. Frontman Sebastian Harrison-Naish was the prime example of this, with his rubber-legged hip-shaking belying a facial expression that suggested he might just doze off at any moment. He didn't though, and nor did the audience, who were treated to a typically excellent barrage of dirty psych-garage-swing-punk that brought proceedings to a suitably impressive close.

Four fine local acts for ten bucks? Nice one FBi.