The Naked and Famous rocks Hollywood’s Music Box
Monday night, The Music Box in Hollywood hosted the newly popular “The Naked and Famous,” an indie rock group from Auckland, New Zealand that gained recognition with the release of its wildly popular hit single “Young Blood.”
The show mirrored the album precisely, forming a catchy blend of upbeat, mellow and downright trippy that somehow suits both wildly energetic dance-a-maniacs and more subdued audience members. The group, comprising four males and one female lead singer, has a unique alternative ‘electro-pop’ sound reminiscent of what might happen if you combine MGMT with the XX.
The band played nearly all of the songs from its album, most of which were noticeably better live than on the record thanks to high-quality vocals, dazzling visual effects and palpable energy and passion emanating from each band member.
The performance was powerful and lively, if a bit predictable. The songs had a natural, flowing progression, and after exiting the stage for a few minutes, the members unsurprisingly returned to perform one of their more popular songs “Girl Like You” and the obvious finale “Young Blood.”
In addition to the dynamic headlining performance from TNAF, the Music Box also featured a short but undeniably impressive and memorable set from the up-and-coming indie rock band “The White Arrows.”
Featuring five young men — three of whom are related — the group has an electro-infused, pop-rock sound that was refreshingly unique and undeniably catchy, especially for a lesser-known band. The members laughed and joked along with the audience as they played their almost hypnotic tunes, mesmerizing the unsuspecting crowd by the quality of the music as well as their charm and energy. Though they played for less than an hour, they certainly left an impression on me and many of my fellow concertgoers.
All in all, the evening was a thoroughly enjoyable night of great music and great company, providing a welcome respite from the school week and exposure to promising new artists.