At Bar Bodega, Tuesday 3rd March

Sydney garage/electro outfit WOW have had a huge year-and-a-bit since they began in late 2007. Originally starting as a 2-piece with Matt Cribb and Bree Carter, they have recently expanded to include Matt Blance (DJ Drugmoney) on drums, and Stephen J. Mitchell (Emergency! Emergency!) on synth and electronics.

WOW started off as a bedroom-jam project between Cribb and Carter, employing unusual production methods and a range of cheap electronic equipment like toy keyboards and homemade instruments. Combine this with a DIY ethic and absolutely no idea how to play any instruments properly, and the first bunch of WOW songs were born. Weeks later WOW’s first home-produced demo CD was passed around Sydney’s radio stations and tastemakers, which saw the band kick up a mini-frenzy of interest that led to a hectic 2008.

On the live front, WOW went on to play with a multitude of local and international bands including Crystal Castles, Ladytron, Lady GaGa, Holy Fuck, El Guincho, Telepathe, Van She and Grafton Primary. They also made appearances at the Big Day Out, Parklife, Field Day and Playground Weekender festivals in Sydney, as well as a headline slot at The Hanoi International Music Festival in Vietnam in early 2008.

Joining them are quite possibly the best band you’ve never heard (yet), Auckland’s The Naked and Famous won’t be a secret for too much longer. With two EP s This Machine and No Light on Round Trip Mars (home to SJD, Phelps & Munro, James Duncan, Unitone, Hifietc.) through Universal NZ, they are already further down the track than many who have been around a lot longer. The band, named after a line from a Tricky song, are based around the ferociously talented pairing of composer/control freak Thom Powers and vocal siren/lyricist Alisa Xayalith, though they operate as a 4 piece live.

Also playing is Kitten Tank. Franko Eggleton started Kitten Tank as a solo project in 2006 in Dunedin. In 2007 he moved to Wellington. In 2008 debut album Post Modern Hoe Down was made, produced by Rory Storm which has been called “a lo-fipop masterpiece”.