Live Review: MS MR, Grrl Pal

Local electro-pop duo Grrl Pal have been carving up some hefty support slots over the last six months, so a well-fitting show at a familiar venue should have been a walk in the park. Unfortunately they struggled between Jay LeKat losing her vocals in the heavy mix, Danny K shunting rhythms as he tries to control a foldback issue and both microphones dropping out randomly. Technical hammerings aside, they salvaged what they could, dropping two well-timed covers of SBTRKT's Wildfire and Drake's Hotline Bling boosted the atmosphere and carried their own Suggest and Dare to an ultimately well receiving crowd.

It would be impossible to criticise the energy levels of MS MR, it's a cardio workout simply witnessing their effort. Max Hershenow never ceases cutting shapes while Lizzy Plapinger completely beams with drive and a gleaming smile. Their set seemed more like a house party on risers than a gig. Remarkably through all their vigour, their refined live performance is studio perfect, smashing out Reckless, Fantasy and Tripolar to whip the floor up early. Plapinger appears the perfect frontwoman, her dominance of the stage easily switches their set from heavy party numbers to the more subdued Wrong Victory in seamlessly, virtually commanding the crowd to lose control at just the right moment.

This wasn't so much the New York fashion suave appeal the duo gather with their sound, this was an all-out dance off, smashing together a pop dynamic, rock style and a dance-punk attitude. Tracks like the breakout hit Criminals lifted the room and never let it drop. The clear intentions of MS MR is not to make the quickest dollar or do the least amount of work, it's to put together a show that manages to link themselves with their fans for 90 minutes of stupidly fun partying. Humble and adoring of their attendees, they hit the mark in a sweaty, tired, but still smiling way.