Live Review: Abbe May, Bec Sandridge, Pynes

It's election day, the first Saturday since Queensland's newly minted lockout laws, and there's an air of defiance on the streets of Fortitude Valley. All this energy has made its way into Black Bear's candlelit hideout, and these punters are determined to make the most of their night — politics be damned. With the kickass line-up of female/female-fronted acts, tonight is all about subversion, power, being a bitch, and being proud of it.

Brisbane trio Pynes warms up the frosty evening with their brand of lo-fi indie-rock, citing inspiration from Patti Smith to The Drones. Big names to live up to, sure, but these newcomers (boasting ties to Little Scout and The John Steel Singers) easily earn some new fans with their unique shoegaze-meets-folk sound.

Bec Sandridge takes the stage sans band, like the mop-haired, glam-rock lovechild of Debbie Harry and David Bowie. Fitting, especially when the singer/turtleneck advocate performs a crowd favourite cover of Bowie's Heroes. Between banter about her sweat patches and other things only she could make appealing, Sandridge demonstrates her versatile pipes and six-string prowess a la St Vincent. Her songs are accessible and poppy, but the kind of poppy you want to tell all your friends about because you found her first.

By the time Perth hellraiser Abbe May appears, the worshippers have flocked to the altar. May has been in recovery since a dangerous seizure on tour in 2013, and tonight's return — in anticipation of her forthcoming album Bitchcraft — sees a change of direction, both in musicality and attitude.

Over the past two years, she says she culled the people, habits and attitudes that weighed her down. This newfound freedom is clear. Tonight, May is confident as hell, talking to the crowd like their much cooler, much wiser older sister. The venue pulses during the sultry T.R.O.U.B.L.E. and No 1 Killa (a track from May's side project Ghetto Crystals, with Doug May, San Cisco's Scarlett Stevens and Gunns' Jen Aslett). The tour's namesake tune, Are We Flirting?, is a bass-heavy toe-tapper, and a self-assured taste of what's still to come.