The term ‘girl power’ might have been permanently tainted by those spicy British tarts, but it was at the forefront of a night at Amplifier that saw no less than three female-led bands commanding the stage.

The majority of the Y chromosomes on display could be found in the first support for the night, Pond. A three-piece jam band, they did an admirable job channelling the psychedelia of the 60s in both their look and sound, and got the growing crowd warmed up for more to come.

And come it did, when Succulent Love Cunts arrived on stage to deliver a set of dream-like, hypnotic tunes. A highlight was the strangely familiar rendition of much-covered New Orleans song Iko Iko, given a down-tempo, vaguely doom-laden twist. The young band’s set was marred by a couple of technical glitches, including an awkward pause before their final song while the drum set was changed over. However, they pulled it together to end on an energised high note, showing they have the potential for better things once they’ve ironed out the kinks.

Next up was Hayley Beth Love Affliction, and they definitely had their act together. Starting out her set solo and armed with an acoustic guitar, Beth’s powerful voice filled the room and stopped many of the punters scrambling for the toilets in their tracks. Performing her song, Crooked Spine, Beth wailed that ‘so many boys have grown into men,’ casting a gaze across the crowd that demanded attention. After playing a couple of tunes Hayley Beth was joined by her band, remarking to the cheering onlookers they must be too liquored up to care what they were watching. And while this may have been the case for some, it was clear most were enjoying watching a very talented songstress working her magic.

Beth’s bluesy songs and strong vocals would have to be enough for anyone who expected Abbe May to be manning the microphone in her role as an honorary Sex Panther for the night. Instead, May appeared donning a golden cat mask and acted as joint lead-guitarist while singer Storm got the set off to a great start with Pet. Any initial disappointment that may have been felt amongst those who were hoping May would unleash the voice that has made her so renowned soon dissipated as the girls of Sex Panther blazed through a set of tight, sultry rock music. And one thing Sex Panther have really got going for them is their look; with a few strategically placed fans sweeping their hair in every direction, each member of the band – Storm, the Mouth on guitar, Jess Row Skull on drums and L. Joy on bass – was a reminder that often in rock one of the most important things is to put on a show. Unfortunately, it seemed that all too quickly the show was over, leaving the crowd wondering when they’d see the windswept girls of Sex Panther again. With a full-length debut album coming soon, we might not have too long to wait.