Live Review: Ecca Vandal w/ WAAX & Average Art Club @ The Foundry

Sometimes, a concert is just reeeeeallly good. Like a satisfying sandwich, all layers are evenly distributed and delicious. Ecca Vandal’s Brisbane leg of her ‘End of Time’ tour was one such satisfying gig sandwich. The tunes were great, the bands were talented, and the dancing was plentiful. It was so good in fact, that we even got a sticker to commemorate the evening. Now that is a telling factor!

“…the band starts playing and she turns into Regan from the Exorcist. It’s pretty f*cking badass.”

It all kicked off with The Foundry first timers Average Art Club (who are apparently quite above average at art). The 5-piece from Toowoomba proved to be an awesome start to the night with their easy breezy alt-rock sound. What makes Average Art Club so damn charming is they’re just really fun. In fact, their commitment to providing sick boogs is so prevalent that guitarist Ayden Roberts (who resembles the bespectacled lovechild of Edward Sharpe and Kevin Parker) has a wireless guitar lead set up purely so he can dance with the audience whilst he plays. It really is a sight to behold.

Average Art Club were followed by Brissy favourites WAAX, who are supporting Ecca Vandal for the entire national tour. Frontwoman Marie DeVita is probably one of the most engaging performers to watch on stage, mostly due to the fact that she seems quite literally possessed by music. Seriously, the band starts playing and she turns into Regan from the Exorcist. It’s pretty f*cking badass.

Along with their usual set of tunes, WAAX brought a couple of new ones into the mix and they are perfect for head banging and generally aggressive limb movements (but bad for those with neck injuries). They also included a cover of David Bowie’s Heroes which was pretty swell! Having performed at the Foundry Bowie tribute last week, their rendition of Heroes most definitely brought the required level of emotional intensity to the stage. All in all, WAAX thoroughly enjoyable act from a band that brings a massive amount of infectious energy to their set.

Of course, all the best dancing had to be saved until the headlining act. Ecca Vandal burst onto the stage with great ferocity. Thanks to her magical elixir of genre melding music nearly every dance move was needed (except for maybe the nutbush, that has a time and place). With braids flying and feet stomping, Ecca Vandal brought the house down and with the amount that the floor was shaking, we were actually worried that this would be a literal statement.

Vandal and her three bandmates Kidnot, Dan Maio, and Stacey Gray seemed to be tapping into a supernatural source of energy. Not once did the set falter or drop in intensity as they made their way through her latest EP and already established singles. The audience was lapping it all up. When she launched into End of Time, the lead single off of her latest EP, the audience was quick to begin a passionate sing along. Vandal was all smiles as she announced “that’s the second time that’s ever happened, that the whole audience knows the words.”

Running At People Exiting should be declared an official war cry. As Vandal belted the chorus whilst running laps from stage end to stage end, it became clear that if given the word, the audience would do pretty much anything she said. Father Hu$$la was another turning point in the night, where levels of aggressive grooving sharply increased. The entire set ended on an explosive rendition of the incredibly fierce Battle Royal. Heads were banging, hair was flying and walls were shaking. Of course, Vandal was not alone on the stage, her band are a bunch of crazy talented musicians and incredible multitaskers. With frequent instrument switches and the management of a DJ set up, these guys could probably power a small village with the amount of energy they brought.

As many have discovered, what’s exciting about Ecca Vandal is her fresh approach to music. This is a lady that doesn’t let the confines of genre dictate what she makes. As entrancing as this music is to listen to, it is given a new life when performed on stage. Ecca Vandal is electric. Though surprisingly small in real life, she packs a goddamn punch and puts on a spectacular show. Be warned however, you will get sweaty and your pants may accidentally fall down to due to the sheer amount of dancing you will be doing (sadly we speak from experience).

There are still a couple of more dates of the tour yet to come, so if ya keen get on it!

Check out our live Gallery HERE, read our review of EP ‘End of Time’ HERE, and read our interview with Ecca Vandal HERE

Ecca Vandal ‘End of Time’ EP Tour

THU 3 MAR
The Small Ballroom, Newcastle

FRI 4 MAR
Newtown Social, Sydney

Get Tickets HERE