Singer Thom Powers took the lead on Girls Like You getting the wall to wall crowd jumping and singing along. Between songs the band attempted some banter, but you could barely hear over the massive sound coming from the excited audience. Even during slower, moody, songs like Waltz, there was a unceasing rumble from the crowd.
Grow Old, found the room lit up with purple stars, made from disco ball mirrors, as Powers sung gently through a vocoder, creating a dreamy slow dance, which then turning it into an angsty cry from Xayalith, over a chorus of clashing symbols.
If All Of This, from the bands first album Passive Me, Aggressive You, didn't turn the entire place into one giant mosh pit, then Punching In A Dream certainly did.
Jumping between soft, synth moments, to eruptions of intense, head-bang-worthy ones, the Naked and Famous love musical juxtapositions. They did this both from song to song, as well as within tracks like Frayed and No Way.
The band also took advantage of a great lighting production, which helped emote the music and turned their performance into a full theatrical show.
After being welcomed back on for an encore the band tried to share a few words but were only able to stand speechless and smiling as every punter in the elated room roared and cheered, before launching into The Mess and To Move With Purpose.
The night ended where it all started with hit anthem, Young Blood, which had the entire audience dancing harder than ever, as bubbles floated down from the ceiling.
The Naked and Famous play The Powerstation again tonight.
Who: The Naked and Famous
When: 16 May (and tonight 17 May)
Where: The Powerstation, Auckland
- nzherald.co.nz
