Ecca Vandal ProfileOver 100 dates in more than 30 countries across two years of touring culminating in an Australian Music Prize-winning album, LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW, multiple ARIA nominations and now - finally - a long-awaited home tour. Ecca Vandal has had a hell of a last couple of years.
Brisbane’s Brightside, in a city Vandal hasn’t played in nine years, is the place to be on a warm Spring night as we watch Sydney/Korean hip-hop act 1300 kick off proceedings in only the hype way they can.
The five members of the group bounce continually around the stage, soaking up the crowd and encouraging participation with tracks from their most recent album, ILLSAMGONGGONG. In fact, we all learnt a little bit of Korean with that song and later the word “shibur”, which has the crowd involved. They are infectious and bring the good vibes to the night
The space at the outdoor Brightside stage filled fast as the anticipation built for the homecoming of Ecca Vandal.
Her bandmates Richie Buxton and Dan Maio take to the stage, and with almost a jump scare, Maio attacks the drums for the start of EYES SHUT. Ecca Vandal appears on stage and performs one of the most ferocious starts to a set you’ll ever see.
Vandal looks out at the audience with a smile. She’s home, and you can tell she’s happy to be playing to a home crowd again. “The last time I played here was inside (pointing to the inner stage), and it was 2017. Thank you for coming back to see us,” Vandal declared after the first track.
The second track of the set was GHOSTS, a decidedly different track to the opener, and it’s these eccentricities of her sound that we hear throughout the show. Only two songs would be played from her debut album, instead focusing on almost the entirety of her second album that has launched her around the world.
The order of the tracks keeps us on our toes, but like anything from Vandal, she can move from classically delivered tender singing to utter ballistic screaming. All while she struts around the stage that she is clearly owning.
Buxton and Maio face each other, giving Vandal the space to move and own, and she doesn’t just own it; she chews it up and spits it out. “Any girls here tonight?” is met by screams from the audience, which is probably a fairly even split of men and women and ages, it has to be said. Her music has certainly connected with a huge demographic. She then dives into BLEED BUT NEVER DIE, pointing the mic at the crowd to sing, “Cause I-I-I, I bleed but never die!”. It’s visceral.
A short break in the middle of the set, possibly due to some audio issues, ended up being timed well for a breather, with DID A LITTLE MORE TO FORGET providing one of those moments for Vandal to deliver that mix of vocals that punctuate her album, operatic singing to fire raps. That’s just part of what makes Vandal so unique.
Then we were provided with the hottest four-track block we could have hoped for. From MOLLY to VERTICAL WORLDS (this reviewer’s highlight of the night) into CRUISING TO SELF SOOTHE (via the interlude of DANCE IN DEBT). There was no wonder that drummer Maio was doubled over in exhaustion. So was the crowd, where pits formed and closed and frenetic dancing was only matched by the passionate energy from the stage.
“We pinch ourselves every time we get to do this. You guys are the reason we are here. It’s a special night for us. Thanks for coming.” Vandal addressed the crowd after we caught our breath, and she spoke with sincerity in her voice. From the bedroom of Richie Buxton to stages around the world, the path of Vandal is deserved and exciting, and there is a feeling that next time we won’t be seeing her on such a small stage.
SORRY! CRASH! rounds out the night, after we were told they don’t do encores, and it looks like Vandal, who is possibly saving her voice for the final run of Aussie shows, was pretty spent, and if there was any criticism to be made of the set, perhaps it was not the best choice of final track.
Finally seeing Ecca Vandal on a headline tour of her adopted country was worth every minute of the wait. With the Australian Music Prize in her swag (along with the $50,000 prize), we are sure to see so much more from this prodigal talent. Do NOT miss seeing her live.
