GENUINELY explosive rock singers - the type that can bewitch an audience with their stagecraft - are a rare commodity on the Australian indie scene in 2019.
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However, we have found one in Waax frontwoman Maz DeVita.
On Friday night the Brisbane punk band returned to Newcastle's Cambridge Hotel to celebrate their debut album, Big Grief, released that morning.
It was fitting that Newcastle was chosen to host Waax on the biggest day in the six-year history of the five-piece.
Hunter audiences were among the first to embrace the Queenslanders, whose modern take of '90s grunge and emo punk has increasingly caught fire due to explosive singles like Same Same, Labrador and FU.
Another Brisbane band that's called Newcastle a second home is indie-three Sweater Curse, who opened the night.
However, this show carried greater significance as it was their debut in the Cambridge's main room. Bassist and vocalist Monica Sottile marked the occasion by wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with Newcastle indie artist Fritz.
Indie bands are dime a dozen in Australia, but Sweater Curse possess an intensity and dark emotion not readily found. The combination of Sottile's haunting vocals and Chris Langenberg's slashes of post-punk guitar are central to that sound.
Their closing track Can't See You Anymore drew an encouraging response and more songs of that strength will see Sweater Curse playing to larger rooms.
The Cambridge swelled to 500 as Waax exploded onto the stage.
There was a visible change at the back with virtuoso Newcastle drummer Kye Smith sitting behind kit. Smith is famous for his drumming medleys which have covered bands like The Beatles, Silverchair and Red Hot Chili Peppers and in the process attracted more than 145,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel.
On the morning of the show Waax drummer Tom Bloomfield accidentally rubbed a shard of glass in his eye, resulting in a tear to his eyeball.
Smith came to rescue, sitting in to learn Waax's set a mere four hours before showtime.
And you'd never know the difference. Waax didn't missed a beat and from a visual viewpoint it was impossible not to be drawn into DeVita's performance.
She was a ball of visceral intensity as she tore through the opening FU with the classic punk chorus of, "Nobody hurts me/ F--k you for trying."
DeVita isn't the cleanest vocalist, but that's not the point, She's about unbridled energy. A thrilling combination of Courtney Love, Alanis Morissette and Karen O from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
DeVita's arms were constantly outstretched to the crowd like she was delivering a punk rock sermon to the audience and the crowd reached back.
Other times she held her hand over her heart as if attempting to contain the emotion that was pouring out in her lyrics.
Older songs You Wouldn't Believe, Same Same and Wild & Weak were interspersed with four new album tracks Why, Fade, No Apology and History, as well the already-released singles FU, I Am and a ferocious Labrador to finish.
No Apology is an obvious future single with a pumping guitar riff that had the Cambridge bouncing as DeVita's screamed, "This time I gonna rip down the city/ I'm wanna give no apology."
Only History, with it's quieter and more circumspect opening, failed to engage the audience.
It was way too short and sweet at 11 songs, but for pure rock energy it's difficult to fault Waax's set.
DeVita and her bandmates are the electric shock the Australian indie scene is crying out for.
Josh Leeson
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
