Live Review: Ecca Vandal, Kid Kairo

The dimly lit Danceteria in Goodgod, with its low stage and intimate vibe, was the perfect location to absorb the raw power and energy of Ecca Vandal's return to Sydney with her Father Hu$$la tour.  

While the crowd chattered, Kid Kairo commenced proceedings with a rap set that would have been better suited to a seedy rap club in Los Angeles. It's not that his rapping skills were lacking, but the indiscernible vocals over the loosely produced beat track were distracting to say the least. Unfortunately, the set rarely encouraged people to take a break from their conversations.

It was only six months ago that Ecca Vandal played one of her first ever gigs, and it was in this same location. Fast forward to now, with a number of high profile support slots under her belt and a deal with Dew Process, and this pocket dynamo from Melbourne is turning heads on a daily basis.  

Each track that Vandal belts out is epitomised by the pure intensity of her delivery. It doesn't matter that she is just three singles into her career, her live performances are developing into the stuff of legend. We were treated to Vandal jumping into the crowd, bouncing with the punters as each song was revealed with the fusion of punk, rock and rap overlapping effortlessly.

The boundless energy from the frontwoman is matched by an equally enthusiastic band. Pounding drums, ruthless guitars and thick bass/MPC sounds lay a solid bassline in known tracks, White Flag and Battle Royal and there's enough variety in the 45-minute set to whet the appetite for a future album.

Sometimes we are slow to pick up on new and exciting sounds in the Australian music scene, but we can't afford to let Ecca Vandal out of sight. She's on fire and here to stay.