Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Naked + Famous Concert Review

Megan Purazrang
WCB Music Writer

Photo by Megan Purazrang
The Naked + Famous
Vic Theatre
3145 N Sheffield Avenue, Chicago, IL
April 15, 2012
Lead vocalists Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers of the growing band The Naked + Famous originally from Auckland, New Zealand, proved their continuing success on Sunday evening at their sold out show at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. The band is currently touring their debut album, Passive Me, Aggressive You.
Minnesota band Now, Now opened the show, and they were followed Vacationer. The Naked + Famous is an Indie-rock band that consists of four members that perform on stage, but the main focus is front and center where the duo thrive. The theatre is was the perfect size host, and actually surprisingly packed for the location of the show. The general admission section was space less and continued to fill all the way to the balcony section. From the moment that the band entered the stage, there was no mention or interaction simply straight music. It was enough for the crowd who accepted this even before they heard a note; some fans looked as if they were seeing a band they have been following for years when in fact the beginning of the bands career has only just begun.

Powers kept a beyond serious composer as he kept going through each song and soaking up the time, with the noted several guitar changes. Xayalith moves so smoothly with a serene elegance without hesitance to the musical atmosphere she creates. Uniquely visible is how each member of the band seems lost in their own world surrounded by their own individual vibrations. Rarely seen in live performances was the trust that is established with each person. Throughout the entire performance, only one glance was exchanged between Powers and Xayalith and they made it obvious that they trusted each other. They both remained on the same wavelength in stage presence without needed to rely on dependency. Energy out-put is a natural flow rather than needing to feed off of the crowd or one another. Clearly they have accomplished something that most bands take years to embrace.

The lighting was a completing element to the show. Huge beams of white and colored streaks, along with a strobe system grew from the stage reflecting off of a majestic disco ball set in perfect placement to affect each person in the crowd.  

One of the many highlights of the night was the song “Girls Like You” when Powers spoke for the first time thanking the previous bands for playing with them on the tour and gave a shout out to the crowd when he said, “We love you guys!” Afterwards the band left the stage to prepare for the encore.

The band ended with the “Serenade,”the first song that Powers and Xayalith wrote together, and “Young Blood” one of their most popular hits thus far.

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