Review: MGMT in Auckland

MGMT performed the first of three sellout shows at Auckland's Powerstation on Tuesday. Photo / Supplied

MGMT certainly are a contrary bunch of lads. Contrary and confusing, but undeniably brilliant.

They are, officially, a duo - comprised of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden.

But as they took the stage at Auckland's Powerstation on Tuesday night, for the first of three sellout shows, they appeared as a five piece.

One half of the outfit looked like your typical indie kids, with shaggy mops of dishevelled curls and the obligatory skinny jeans. The other half, could have been ringers from a death metal band.

And while they appeared to form a traditional rock band line up on stage - with guitars, drums, bass and keyboards - they, of course, turned out to be anything but.

As they made their way through their debut album Oracular Spectacular - plus some new tracks from the upcoming Congratulations - in perfect vocal harmony, they pulled out pan flutes, recorders, bongos and other curiosities to add to the psychedelic swirl of their music.

The band's music is as much psych-rock as it is electronic synthpop, but even their most danceable of tracks - hit singles Electric Feel and Kids - became strung out, kaleidoscopic jam sessions in the flesh.

Yet even at their most frenzied sounding, the band never physically broke loose. They were content and contained as they rocked out in a curiously low-key fashion. But never dull.

Their restrained energy levels only served to make them more engaging and never was there a sense they couldn't be bothered, simply they didn't see the need for musical histrionics.

Banter was kept to a minimum, a quick chat here and there, but without feeling stand-offish.

More than a pub band, not quite a stadium act, MGMT occupy an unusual place in today's music landscape. Their genre-bending tracks have found mainstream success on top 40 radio stations, but still remain favourites with the indie scenester set. But most curiously, they seem to appeal to a sector of society often neglected by concert promoters - 20-somethings.

Not poppy enough for teenagers, but too experimental for baby boomers, MGMT have captured the in-between set. Which is rather apt, for a group who are a bit in-between themselves.

Curious, contrary and really quite brilliant.