The Naked And Famous get us on stage at Auckland City Limits

Saturday marks not only the first Auckland City Limits Music Festival but also the first time the Samsung GEAR VR will be shown to the public. The GEAR VR is a device which, when put on, allows you to get a 360 degree view of the festival - from on the stage - LIVE while an artist is playing! A pretty incredible piece of technology to try out, if you're heading to Western Springs tomorrow. 

We spent the morning at the Samsung GEAR VR festival tent today, which will be located next to the bars and near the main stage area of ACL, and had a chat with The Naked And Famous, who were all giving the gear a go themselves. We found out what they thought of this new way of viewing music and what we can expect from their set... 

Hi guys, so I hear you’re just finishing up your third album?

Yes we are. Yes-ish! Yes and no. We still have a lot of work to go but it’s getting there.

Can you tell us a little bit about it? 

Well, we’ve been writing for the last year or so. We’ve just built up a catalogue of new songs and we are chipping away at it very, very slowly. But the third album, I would describe it as taking all the best bits from the first and second record and that’s what the third record’s going to be. A somewhat ambitious pop record for The Naked And Famous.

Exciting! And I’ve just seen you try out the Samsung 360 degree GEAR VR. How was it?

It was really fun! I’ve never ever tried anything like this before and I think for anyone who is curious about new technology, they are going to be excited about it because it adds an extra element to watching a live show - you can actually feel like you’re a part of the experience on stage as well as being off stage.

Obviously being at shows as big as this, people can barely see the acts unless they’re right at the front, do you think this will make more people head so they can see exactly what’s going on?

Absolutely! I'm like 5'3", so I'm one of those people that's always stuck at the back, trying to watch a show through the cracks of the tall people in front of me! So  for me especially, this is really exciting. I think, in a way, it will make people feel closer to the acts they are watching as well. 

And I mean, you’re still at the festival, you’ve still got the whole atmosphere!

Yeah!

Who will you be watching live from the GEAR VR tent tomorrow?

I am a huge fan of The National! I’ve seen them play twice now, and the fact they are playing in our hometown, I’m just very excited.

And you’re playing at the same festival!

And we’re playing at the same festival! So that’s pretty awesome!

Who else are you excited about seeing on the line-up?

I’m excited to see Lord Huron, and I’m excited to see Cold War Kids, Broods, and Grace Potter! I hear she is like a phenomenal performer, vocalist, and just all round awesome female front person. That’s all I can think of right now from the top of my head!

You're based in L.A. so are you really excited about performing back at home and seeing all your friends?

I’m nervous! I’m actually really nervous about playing ACL because it’s our first hometown show in a really long time and also I’m really nervous about playing the West Coast and East Coast shows in the States because we haven’t played many shows for like a year and a half. We did just play Singapore, we did just play the Philippines, but it won't be quite the same as playing in L.A. and playing in Auckland.

So what can people expect from tomorrow? A bit of oldies?!

All the old stuff, but we’re going to chuck in a few of the new ones too! So that’s going to be exciting, and nerve-wracking! I hope people like it! Don’t hate me!

Watch The Naked And Famous tomorrow at the Samsung GEAR VR tent from 6pm and to keep up to date, check the #GS7JOINTHEBAND hashtag throughout the day.