Live Review: Ecca Vandal, Waax, Sarah Connor

This is exactly where you wanted to be on Friday night. This female-led line-up threw out the rule book and absolutely slayed their fierce sets, proving that all they needed was their talent to win us over.

Her rhymes were as fiery as her red hair, and her tongue as sharp as her wit; Sarah Connor showed us why she deserved to win the Hilltop Hoods initiative. She commanded our attention, and received it in spades, and even scored herself a date proposal in the process.

Next up, Waax made sure our eardrums were bursting. Forceful vocals and thrashing punk rock blared from the speakers, which, coupled with the crowds impromptu moshing, broken guitar strings and the impeccable sound system at Newtown Social Club, felt like they were tearing up a mid-afternoon festival set.

Our standards were high after those stellar supports, but Ecca Vandal still managed to raise the bar and lift the roof off the place. She didn't need her fluoro get-up to prove her authority, she already had our attention. She is a force to be reckoned with, between her fiery stage presence and genre-defying bangers.

The crowd was probably the rowdiest this reviewer has ever seen at this venue, but they only mimicked the energy Vandal was radiating.

Credit has to be given to her fantastic band who kept up with her quick pace and masterful melding of genres and styles throughout the show. Set highlights included singalongs to End Of Time, RATM-esque Running At People Exiting and White Flag.

Things were already hot and sweaty on the dancefloor, but Vandal wanted us to turn it up for the last hoorah, receiving in return hard-hitting Father Hu$$la and a blistering rendition of Battle Royal.