KEY POINTS:
Few would have picked the Rapture and Gnarls Barkley as apt touring buddies. The New Yorkers dubbed "the dance Strokes" would surely have little in common with the Atlanta soul freaks behind Crazy, last year's biggest pop song, even though Danger Mouse produced two tracks from the Rapture's
last album.
And when they joined together for Wednesday's Big Nights In gig (one of a series in Auckland care of Australia's V Festival this week) they only reinforced the notion that they're worlds apart.
If the crowd didn't straight away warm to the Rapture's cheeky dance punk, they were converts by the end. Rocking through highlights from debut album Echoes to its more light-hearted follow-up Pieces of the People We Love, plus a sprinkling of new songs, their set was great fun, completely unpretentious and with the momentum and spirit of a polished funk band. Except they were anything but polished. They may play a clever mix that draws from 70s punk and modern dance music but there's an adorable, uni-band naivety to them.
Just watch Gabriel Andruzzi leap around with his cowbell or dance like a loon behind the keyboards. They also use the stage as a playground, whether alternating between lead singers, switching from rock band to disco-DJ mode or simply bringing down the house together on House of Jealous Lovers.
But they're at their best huddled around Vito Roccoforte's low-riding drumkit trying to keep up with his sloppy beats, particularly on the infectious Whoo! Alright Yeah Uh-Huh.
Gnarls Barkley also tried to put on quite a show. Bringing a live band that included strings, back-up singers and an expanded rhythm section all dressed in school uniform, they looked like they were in an Outkast video.
At the centrepiece of this rather dramatic ensemble - someone tell the blonde cellist her hair might get stuck in the strings with all that head-tossing - was an overbearing Cee-Lo, the soul singer we know best from Gnarls' big hit. Try as he might to keep their set vibrant with strip-tease and self-puffery, ambitious songs from the St Elsewhere album just didn't translate to the stage.
Most of the crowd seemed familiar with just their number one song anyway and their abrasive cover of the Violent Femmes' Gone Daddy Gone. When Crazy finally came, it was a welcome respite from what felt like a gospel version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
A pared-down performance might have worked better if Danger Mouse showcased more of his expertise on the turntables, and Cee-Lo toned down his all-about-me approach. Otherwise, their live show was all Barkley and no bite.