Has anyone noticed a severe lack of live dance music lately? A bunch of mid-alphabet grade celebrities are about to change the scene. The Famous, with their fresh techno/pop/rock sound – let’s call it rocknopop? – hit Newtown’s The Sando this week.

Producers Joel Joslin and Danny Muller met songwriter Natasha Rate at a charity fundraiser, whose guest list included stars from BB02 and the first Australian Idol competition. Rate was amongst the crowd as Joslin was entertaining fascinated ears with an analysis of the relationship between early 90s minimal techno and Damien Leith’s vocal technique. Joslin was passionate that a band that exploited this relationship would be an inevitable success in the current 80s backlash, until Rate stood up and challenged him to prove it. A perplexed (but aroused) Joslin suggested she audition for the band, and before the sultry red-head could reply, he’d tucked her under his arm and whisked her to the studio where they spontaneously began making passionate acid licks on a beat up 303 and Danny’s 808. When Muller suddenly knocked down the front door minutes later with a mind-blowing Toto-inspired guitar solo and a trio of backing singers, The Famous was born.

Now recovered from their 303 squelching bender on that fateful night, the band has come a long way since their memorable live career as Kid Kay Ferris in the early Brisbane electro scene. KKF’s success peaked with twelve inch hit ‘Phil Collins Running’, hailed by Kid Kenobi and picked up by Ministry of Sound. Disbanding and reforming to make The Famous, the band have a limited release self-titled EP, which captures the group in transformation from techno/electro studio producers into a dynamic live act. The addition of singer/songwriter Rate to the group adds a uniquely visceral feel, complementing the very distinctive style of Joslin and Muller. Drummer Dylan Adams (ex The Reason) and lead guitarist Kayne Jansen set The Famous apart as one of most exciting acts to enter the scene at the moment.

Catch The Famous (before they become their namesake) at The Sandringham in Newtown, Wednesday January 24. For more info head to ITM Whatson.