South Africa born and Melbourne raised, Ecca Vandal has something to say. And it is something loud and abrasive. From the start of her Friday White Stage set things were very directly in one’s face, in a good way.

This was her first performance in Japan, and she left her mark. Her voice snarled and soared, the drums pounded relentlessly, the guitars squealed. The group was able to pull from a wide variety of genres and references to other artists while making a distinct and original sound.

It was the kind of set that makes you feel like you are a few feet from the stage regardless of how much space might be in between. It harkens back to artists like MIA or Rage, ones who aren’t afraid to say what they feel, and say it loud.
Sometimes when an artist demands to be heard we should probably just listen.