Six bands on one bill can be overwhelming for any live music fan, but the chance to watch an amalgamation event with Extended Family, Lost Boy Records and Slowly Slowly was a party not to be missed.

Wollongong's Cry Club started the night early with a taste of their self-described "angry gay guitar pop". They're very fun to dance to despite having such emotionally charged lyrics. A rollicking version of Le Tigre's Deceptacon typified their sound.

Jack R Reilly deserves to be playing big rooms. The hard-working singer-songwriter, with a strong sense of nuance, performed with a full band - so full that it forced him down onto the floor - and delivered a typically solid set of well-crafted songs. The dual keyboards and backing vocals really highlighted his talents despite a dodgy mic stand. The crowd huddled closely and sang along. Maybe smaller rooms allow for a better appreciation of the emotion of this musician and his art.

It's hard to know what to expect from Sports Bra. Sometimes they're raucous, sometimes they're sensitive and sometimes they're straight-ahead punk rock. The rotation of singers really highlighted the changes in mood to kept their set interesting. Across it all, though, they are raw, emotive and honest.

The Flying So High-Os from Melbourne are a rambunctious bunch of blokes. Their music could be described as feisty, indie, folk rock, but, during their set, they eventually transitioned into a distasteful brand of white-boy reggae. Despite some nervous banter and a countdown of their top five most played songs on Spotify, the set was an enjoyable mix of flavours, even if a little disjointed.

Due to such a full night of music, the set from Antonia & The Lazy Susans was sadly shortened. This was a shame, since they were so amazing. Lead by the charismatic pair of Antonia Susan and Kieren Turnbull, the music is pure and passionate - melancholic yet uplifting, evoking wholehearted singing from a clearly devoted audience.

Slowly Slowly are riding the wave following the release of their second album, St Leonards. They kicked off their set with the first song from that album, Dinosaurs, and didn't hold up for the whole set. Ben Stewart plays and sings with a joyful intensity that's great to see in a frontman; it's clear how much pleasure he gets out of playing. The packed Chippendale Hotel crowd obviously were not new fans. They sang along to older tracks such as Death Proof, Black Confetti and the touching tribute to grandmothers everywhere, Chamomile. But the newer tracks, Aliens and Alchemy, really got the joint grooving along.

The chance to watch talented up-and-coming bands in an intimate venue like The Chippo is what makes live music continue to tick in this country. The night was a celebration of great music, positive vibes and a blossoming local scene. Get out there, see live music and always arrive early.