Has there ever been a moment in New Zealand’s popular music history like this one?   Every now and again a truly great New Zealand band comes along, but two at once? Never!

Solid Entertainment is thrilled to announce that New Zealand’s two hottest and most exciting bands are hitting the road together in September/October for their nationwide album release tour. Two very special bands, one very special moment in time.

Kids Of 88 and The Naked And Famous will be playing Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland to celebrate the release of their debut albums Sugarpills (Kids Of 88) and Passive Me - Aggressive You (The Naked And Famous).  These two young Auckland bands have achieved huge early success topping the NZ singles and airplay charts and turning heads globally.

Here are two bands burning fiercely and set to trailblaze internationally. They’ve got quality running deep through their veins and top tunes bursting out their brains. More ideas, more exciting, relevant, daring, vital and fresher than the rest. Best of all they come with a sense of occasion and a palpable thrilling frisson that something brilliant is about to happen.

KIDS OF 88 are the brainchild of Jordan Arts and Sam McCarthy, whose first single My House stormed the Top 10 scoring Gold status and a nomination for NZ Music Awards Single Of The Year. The duo's irreverent take on teenaged sexual politics was suddenly on the global pop radar from Sydney to New York, Los Angeles to London.

Another Gold selling single Just A Little Bit followed quickly and the Kids were flown around the world landing themselves a worldwide recording deal via their NZ Label Dryden Street with Sony Music. The anthemic groove of new single Downtown has just been launched and the band have been having fun on the road touring with the likes of The Scissor Sisters in Australia and Passion Pit in Auckland.

Debut album SUGARPILLS was released last week and immediately hit #1 on the iTunes albums chart and #2 nationally.  Operating as a four-piece band, KIDS OF 88 are known for their high octane live shows propelling a riotous dancefloor through their insanely catchy and wildly eclectic journey of 21^st century dance pop discovery!

It’s been a stellar year for the Auckland five-piece THE NAKED AND FAMOUS.  Young Blood, has stamped itself across a national conscience and is already a kiwi classic. The epic electro generational anthem entered the NZ singles chart at #1 – a feat that Radioscope noted has not been achieved by any bona fide local artist in the last 15 years! The band are short listed into the Top 5 of the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Awards. 

An impending release of Young Blood as a limited edition seven inch by the influential New York based music blog slash label Neon Gold has already gained THE NAKED AND FAMOUS some heavyweight international radio play.

Since making their debut in 2008 and becoming instant bNet favourites with two attention-grabbing EPs This Machine and No Light, its been a fast upwards trajectory for the five piece. Within NZ music fan circles and the wider world it’s obvious THE NAKED AND FAMOUS are a band with an undeniable stamp of quality who just keep getting better and better!

Having shared the stage with bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Florence & The Machine, The Temper Trap and graced festivals like The Big Day Out, Laneways and CMJ Music Marathon in New York THE NAKED AND FAMOUS have rubbed shoulders with rock’s royalty and are now themselves standing on the edge of greatness.

New single Punching In A Dream is an infectious fusion of electronica and industrial groove and their much anticipated first long-player Passive Me, Aggressive You is released on September 6.

The tour takes in the four main centres and all towns except Dunedin have an all-ages option for entry. Prices have been pegged as low as possible.

Bands of the year, tour of the year, party of the year, come and witness some New Zealand musical history as it’s happening!

KIDS OF 88 and THE NAKED AND FAMOUS play:

DUNEDIN
The Urban Factory (R18)
Thursday 30^th September

CHRISTCHURCH
The Bedford (AA/Lic)
Friday 1 October

WELLINGTON
San Francisco Bathhouse (2 shows - AA 5pm; R18 8pm)
Saturday 2 October

AUCKLAND
Powerstation (AA/Lic)
Saturday 16 October

TICKETS ON SALE from Ticketmaster, http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/, Real Groovy and Cosmic Corner Dunedin