A Monday night gig can be a band’s worst nightmare – the start of the working week for most, not many people drinking and a more subdued mood – but New Zealand’s The Naked And Famous pushed through all that and brought their best for the Brisbane crowd.
Photo: Emelia EbejerLead singer Alisa Xayalith was battling a cold and apologised for it late in the show, but there was no need. The band were flawless; moody yet relaxed, they were hair-flicking perfectionists and guitar-swapping enthusiasts.
Everyone was clothed in black, with beautiful beards, sleek hair with a general air of hipster stylishness permeating the stage. Yet all these details were inconsequential when compared to their musical performance. With downward columns of light on stage and shadowed by a giant painted flower as a backdrop, The Naked And Famous created a dramatic and moody stage which complemented their sound perfectly.
The visual elements of a performance are still an important factor for a band and The Naked And Famous seem very comfortable with who they are. And why shouldn’t they be, having experienced a high level of success and global recognition as well as having their music featured on television shows: ‘Gossip Girl’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Skins’; plus films: ‘Carrie’, ‘Prom’ and ‘The Cabin In The Woods’.
Photo: Emelia EbejerTheir sound could be described as atmospheric indie-rock, or even ambient-electro-rock, and their instruments include guitar, keys, drums, vocals, bass, tambourine, hand shakers and synths. Obviously seasoned performers, the two leads Xayalith and Thom Powers, chatted to the crowd between songs, with the group sharing an obvious camaraderie.
Photo: Emelia EbejerThe set included all their main hits and some more obscure tracks with a constant electronic hum and hypnotic bass throughout. Although the crowd were eerily still as the songs played (except for the front row of punters), the clapping was raucous, loud and excited. Finishing up almost an hour into their set, the band trooped off stage smiling to return a few minutes later for an encore of their biggest single, ‘Young Blood’, which the crowd had obviously been hanging out for as this was when most people started dancing and singing along.
Photo: Emelia EbejerIt was such a high to end on; and the Monday night seemed young and full of possibility as we all wandered out onto the street afterwards.
