There comes a time in every young BOTM’s (Band Of The Moment) life when they have to break on through all the hype and really come up with the goods if they are going to have any chance to sticking it out in a biz where fame is fleeting and fickle. I’m getting the feeling that NZ band The Naked and Famous might just be arriving at that point. Sure, they’ve got a debut album that went straight to number 1 in NZ, some great catchy anthemic-type songs with a couple of sexy vids to accompany the singles, plus the NME thinks the sun shines out of their proverbial. But wade through all the hype and buzz and you’ll find a young band poised between viability and indie electro-pop homogeneity.

Ok, so it was a dark and stormy night, with the sky lit up by the type of strange light that tells you a storm is coming later. A sold-out gig, with queues stretching around the corner of the Abart. And hot, damn hot.

Inside, Swiss band We Loyal had the support slot, and to be honest I was a little confused. So many genres, so many people, on one small stage! A little Joy Division, some Beirut-esque horns, some synth-pop, and extra drumming to boot: phew, I felt exhausted just looking at them bouncing from one genre to another. Admirable, but lacking in cohesion. Singer Sandro Simon intoned, rather than sang the lyrics, but I quite liked that. In fact, had they pursued a darker, gothier tone, with Simon’s imposing vocals it could have been quite a commanding performance.

The Naked and Famous are undeniably a good band with a fresh, youthful appeal, with Alisa Xayalith’s shiny cascade of hair playing a starring role all of its own. And when they are good, they are very good, all MGMT-like, with anthemic, punch-your-fist-in-the-air-and-dance-around type songs which you know are forming the basis of innumerable best-time-of-my-life experiences. It’s just that making the leap from being BOTM to being a band with any kind of longevity requires more than just good looks and some catchy tunes. Their best three songs (Punching In A Dream, Young Blood, Passive Me Aggressive You) were fabulously fun, but some of their more down-tempo, introspective and rockier songs had an almost soporific effect on me (luckily there was a barrier handy for me to lean on) – although perhaps the heat was party to blame.

After their shorter and perhaps tighter, festival set at the m4music festival earlier this year I had great expectations; but the Abart gig felt a little underwhelming, except for those flashes of electro-pop brilliance. Damn, it was hard not to like them, though, so shy, sweet-faced and young, stopping in between songs to sincerely thank everyone for turning up and seeing them (with Kiwi accents, which always hits my soft spot). I hope they pull out all the stops for their next effort – they’ve certainly got the potential for more and greater things.

The debut album from The Naked and Famous, Passive Me, Aggressive You, is out now on Somewhat Damaged.