Off the back of her newest EP In The Fog, Bec Sandridge was set to play The Foundry for her first ever Brisbane headline show. With a totally female fronted lineup, I expected no less than a night full of absolute bangers, and I was not disappointed. 

Local duo OKBADLANDS opened the night up with their brand of charming indie pop. The two girls proved they needed no backing band to pack a punch, and their versatility on the stage was impressive. A drum machine filled out the rhythm section and complemented their dreamy harmonies. Seriously underrated, they captured the audience with the beauty of their voices and simple aesthetic. 

Next on the bill was Sydney-sider ELKI, accompanied by her 4 piece band. Her borderline cheesy pop refrains pumped up the energy in the room, and brought more of the punters towards the front of the stage. Funky synth riffs and groovy guitar parts complimented her cute demeanour, and the intoxicating pop melodies seemed contagious; dance fever was spreading quicker than headlice in a primary school. Some microphone distortion muddied her vocals, which was a shame as it took away from the stereotypical pop harmonies that she worked to her advantage without seeming cliché. Latest single Golden Age closed out her set, with a series of vocal loops, hand clapped rhythms and bittersweet melodies.

Opening with an unreleased song, Sandridge waited until the first few chords had rung out before entering the stage; an escalation from her usual theatrics, but a grand enterance is a must when dressed in a red pantsuit and turtleneck on a Friday night in the Valley. Welding her battered Fender guitar, the audience apprehensively moved closer to the front of the stage, warming up to the new music, all whilst praying the long ends of her guitar strings didn't take their eyes out. Warming into the set, latest single High Tide was complimented with pulsing synths and layered harmonies, adding another dimension that I hadn't seen before in her live show. 

On a downside, it all felt a bit loud. Excessive feedback assaulted my ears, and judging from the look on Becs' face, (and her subtle sign language to the sound guy), she was doing everything in her power to fix the problem, with no success. The Foundry often has less than par sound, and it was no better this time. 

The awkward banter she provided between songs conflicted with her powerful stance in a weird way; you would expect her to be blunt and sophisticated, instead, the way she talked was cute and endearing. Upon asking the crowd how they were going, Aiden, a punter from the front row eloquently suggested that we all "have a f**king good time", which was an excellent suggestion the audience took in heed. 

Amping up the pace, she played You're A F**king Joke", an empowering anthem she dedicated to some tosser she used to know. Performing a few new untitled songs, she informed us in her roundabout way we had reached "...the emo part of the set", and called for song title suggestions. Gaudy LED lights flashed behind her, which hugely contributed to her tacky 80's aesthetic. Despite all the online flack she had received, she still played her cover of John Farnham's You're The Voice, which was indescribably better live. With the vocals and guitar parts cranked over the synthetic drum patterns, the full arrangement of the cover was audible, and should have satisfied even the crankiest of internet trolls. 

Closing out her set, she played the title track from her record, In The Fog, In The Flame, an absolute banger that only gets better each time you hear it. With a promise of a sweaty cuddle at the merch table, Bec Sandridge left the stage - and left me wondering how I could ever be as cool as her.

-Olivia Shoesmith