Telecom and Auckland City Council bring local pop Serenade to Nixon Park

 They’re quirky, upbeat, and they are hotter than ever…

Nixon Park is all set to showcase up-and-coming electro-pop band, The Naked and Famous, at Telecom Summer Sounds on Valentine’s Day.

Aucklanders by heart and home, the talented pair, composer Thom Powers and vocalist Alisa Xayalith will be accompanied by their 4-piece live band to bring summer groovers an afternoon to remember.

“We are really thankful to have the opportunities we have in Auckland. Having travelled overseas really opens your eyes to what a great city we live in”, says Thom.

Telecom Summer Sounds features multiple award winning artists brought to you in a series of eight concerts set to the backdrop of some of Auckland’s most spectacular parks.

The act will see this dynamic duo bring their blend of upbeat pop and punk tragedy to Kingsland.

Both raw and intoxicating, The Naked and Famous are well on their way to stardom. The song of unrequited love, Serenade, written the same day the pair first met, debuted at number one on the Radioscope New Zealand Alternative Chart with Kill the Littleblackdots following in its wake.

“This unison definitely works for us. I have been in plenty of failed bands before this”, says Thom.

Their sudden rise to pop culture was unforeseen little under 10 months ago when their first EP, This Machine was released.

Since then, they have played at the CMJ music marathon in New York, Auckland’s Big Day Out and will be the supporting band for American industrial rock act, Nine Inch Nails.

Unlike their name suggests, The Naked and Famous are feverishly down to earth and although they follow suit to the indie wave taking the world by storm, they are certainly one to their own.

“A number of people have said we don’t sound anything like Nine Inch Nails but for them to have inspired our music so much, that’s a major compliment”, says Thom.

Auckland City Council is in its 16th year of providing free local music in the city’s striking parks and 2009 will be a first for Telecom as a major sponsor.

Telecom Sponsorship Manager, Rebecca Earl says, “We are really excited to be involved this year. Telecom is stepping up to give summer 2009 more verve than ever.”

The Naked and Famous will feature with Kiwi acts, DIE! DIE! DIE!, Chris Knox and Battle Circus on 14 February at Nixon Park, Kingsland from 2-6pm.

For a copy of the Music in Parks programme including a full timetable of Telecom Summer Sounds and Telecom Movies in Parks, click here.