The Naked and Famous at The Ogden: 4/18: Review

From time to time, Denver is hit with one of those “under the radar shows” that seems to slip through the cracks. The last time I saw The Naked and Famous was two years ago at South By Southwest they had just released their debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You.  With two years of touring and promoting the album, they are now a fixture on many radio stations. With catchy hooks and an infectious post-punk revival sound, it is no wonder they are selling out arenas in every city.  The group from New Zealand made up of of Thom Powers and Alisa Xayalith have a fresh way of capturing and engaging an audience during their live performance.

The sold out crowd sat through a rather unique set from openers Vacationer, who were able to play a longer set due to Now, Now canceling their performance. As the house lights dimmed and the LED backdrop lit up, The Naked and Famous opened up with an all too familiar single “All of This”. Although the crowd seemed to enjoy the performance, I feel it may have lacked energy at some points throughout the night. With most of their songs being dance numbers, the crowd seemed perplexed anticipating radio friendly hits such as “No Way” and encore song “Young Blood”.  These songs in particular showcased the skillful guitar play of Thom Powers and the angelic stage presence of Alisa Xayalith, the way she moved in her garment reminded me of wings at times.

Castro

Setlist:
All Of This | Punching | Spank | The Sun | The Source | Bells | Frayed | Eyes | No Way | Jilted Lovers | The Ends | A Wolf In | Girls Like You | Da Da Da | Young Blood |