When you hear the 9-5 roles ‘advisor’, ‘book shop employee’ and ‘music teacher’ – what musical genre comes to mind right away? If you’re thinking to yourself, “Well, that could be anything really,” you’re probably as close as you could get to what Gold Medal Famous generally sound like. 

Chris Wilson, Tamsin Grigg and Vorn Colgan are as versatile and capable at their craft as they get, not shying away from giving any genre a crack, and that’s what they’ve done for the last nine years as Gold Medal Famous. Following a metal album, on Saturday, May 27 the Wellingtonian three-piece are set to release ‘Activity’, an album that fits onto the same playlists as the likes of Peaches, Electrocute, Chicks On Speed, Le Tigre, or their upcoming local tour buddy Scarlett Lashes.

However, the music is only half of it.

“Beautiful, fucked up, weird shit in golden speedos”, “writhing around on the floor”, “has to be seen to be believed” – their live show has it all, including some cleverly woven in social commentary. “They make you dance, laugh, think,” Jess Haugh of Scarlett Lashes sums up the Gold Medal Famous live experience.

Gold Medal Famous will start their tour across the North Island this weekend, taking along Scarlett Lashes and her sidekick Natattack. There will be Theremin contests and all of the above-mentioned performance art carry on. Curious? Head along!

• May 27 (3pm) UFO (New Lynn) with The Knee High Socks and Ages Powerflip
• May 27 (8pm) Wine Cellar with Scarlett Lashes, Antimatter, Tortiseshell, Natattack
• June 9 Paekakariki, private house party with Scarlett Lashes, Natattack, Barkhausen
• June 10 Whanganui, Lucky Bar + Kitchen with Scarlett Lashes and Natattack
• August 19 Wellington, Moon with Moon Lander and The Doubtful Sounds