Live Review: Clamjam 2016

Clamjam 2016, a night to celebrate and enjoy some of the most amazingly talented female artists circulating our music scene, officially rolled into Jack Rabbit Slim's and the shows that they put on were nothing short of brilliant.  

Opening the night, Bells Rapids weaved a slacker vibe with alt-country harmonies. Their grunge-tinged tunes included the energetic sounds of GF and another track with a dreamy, '60s-inspired pop riff.

Abacaxuva may have confused a few not only with their band-name pronunciation, but also with their sleazy, '70s rock leaning stage presence. For those who clicked with it, it was infectious and fun, with Bubbles That Burst opening the dancefloor for many.

Timothy Nelson and his 'sausages' brought their folk-pop melodies with Cocoa Jackson and the sweet falsetto chorus of Mary Lou. His short set was packed with songwriting gems that now feel permanently etched in our minds.

Has Odette Mercy & Her Soul Atomics ever played a bad show? Probably not. Bursting with energy at every turn, beaming that cool '60s soul and instantly engaging the room, every foot in the room began tapping. Ain't Nothin' and Baby may be favourites, but the band's "roll of the dice" to debut a new track brought the boogie to its peak.

Coming off the back of a massively successful national tour, Abbe May demonstrated she's completely dominating as a musician. Standing in front of a spiralling projection, May instantly pulled the room in with her entrancing vocal before flooring us under blasts from her ivory Gibson SG. Her onstage prowess, the dirty-rock guitar licks and subtle electro samples all swirled and clicked together perfectly. May showed she can stand up against any musical peer of choice. The setlist was stacked with Karmageddon, Are We Flirting? and Doomsday Clock, and was executed in way that dripped with May's intent, emotion and power.