In the tradition of rock goddesses, Brody Dalle is better known than her band, the Distillers. She has borrowed not only Courtney Love's gravelly growl, but her propensity for tangled relationships, having married Rancid's Tim Armstrong before falling for Josh Homme, lead singer of Queens of the Stone Age.

The ensuing drama divided the LA punk-rock scene and provided inspiration for the Distillers' third album, Coral Fang, the growing success of which could transform Dalle into a fully fledged star.

She is the perfect idol for post-Pink teenage girls. With her blood-red lips and jet-black bob, she's as sexy as goth gets. She has a mix of sweetness and masculinity that lies at the heart of the band's music. Chugging chords and wretched screams smudge the pop choruses and anthemic angst, the band tight and raw.

Her low-slung guitar on her hip, Dalle rasps out the woah-woah intro of Die on a Rope, shaking her head vigorously. Bass player Ryan Sinn and guitarist Tony Bevilacqua provide menacing backing vocals, turning the one-woman assault into a gang rampage.

The Distillers tear through vicious but poppy hymns to violence and death. LA Woman is all frenzied drums and jagged guitars, The Hunger's acoustic melody forced to yield to Dalle's pained roar.

"We never play this song," she says, before beginning Beat Your Heart Out, its lyrical softness offering her a rare chance to turn from aggressor to love-struck little girl. For a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators' bluesy You're Gonna Miss Me Baby, she abandons her guitar and prowls across the stage, becoming a luminous presence from which it is impossible to tear your eyes.