Live Review: Elizabeth Rose

Sydney local Elizabeth Rose gave Friday night's OAF crowd a glimpse of the '90s pop heyday.

Curtains part to reveal dramatic purple smoke, Rose in a ponytail, and a pastel, patterned, cropped tee, flanked by two back-up dancers. As she launches into her March full album release Intra, a debut for the producer/singer-songwriter, it becomes clear that Rose yearns for bigger things. Her dancers, Tasha and Marina, bring tight choreography and matching sports luxe. This is combined with Rose's own moves, the smoke and some pulsing graphics, making OAF seem too small for Rose's pop idol vibes. And rightly so, the crowd is gathered here to watch Rose cap off a national tour that, if her vision is anything to go by, will not be her last.

It is a slow start for her though — she doesn't always seem entirely comfortable mirroring Tasha and Marina, and her vocals, though pitch perfect and clear, aren't bringing the energy even as her production's tight and oh so danceable bubblegum pop beats carry on behind her. Mid-set, she gains momentum on Division, her 2015 plea for marriage equality. Here, the spectacle is pared back and Rose takes centrestage to rise above the warm timbre of a piano; the sobriety of this song seems to suit Rose's energy, and finally, she relaxes into the evening. As she builds to the track's first crescendo her energy follows and when she gets to the top it all comes out. The crowd is completely with her and from here Rose returns the good energy she's getting from the floor in spades. It's straight run of fun and cheer from here on out.

With such catchy beats, powerful, slinky vocals and a hefty dose of pop charisma (not to mention a lot of well deserved air-time), Rose is definitely on the road to the stage she deserves to be on.