In an age of increasing gear and growing complexity, it's almost counter-cultural to rock it with little more than the instruments you brought in.

Fiawna Forte and her band brought in exactly three pedals; one for each of the two guitarists and bassist. The stage was remarkably uncluttered, which was necessary for the band to move around. And move they did. Fiawna and her band went nuts on stage: dancing, headbanging and generally strutting their stuff. Even the drummer couldn't stay on his seat, routinely standing up and banging with fervor.

But the stage was not enough for Forte; twice she entered the audience while performing, once with guitar in hand and once with just her mic. She roamed around in the audience, trying her hardest to invigorate the listeners.

Antics aside, her music was enough to arrest the audience; her brand of no-frills rock and roll was sold by her roaring voice. Even though there was a power to her vocal cords, it never became guttural or non-feminine; her voice is just powerful. When paired with body-movin' riffs and ear-snagging melodies, it became an irresistible formula that I and the audience could not take eyes off.

Fiawna Forte has an electric stage presence, great songs and a bright future. I am blown away.