Psychedelic rock artists Tame Impala and Djo play to a crowd of nearly 20,000 fans during the Tampa stop of their Deadbeat tour. Photo credits to Marley.
Djo and Tame Impala–or Joe Keery and Kevin Parker, performed to a sold out show at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, on July 9. The night kicked off at 7:00 p.m. with Djo as the opening act, who performed a 10-song set that got the crowd excited for what was to come. Djo and Tame Impala collaborated together on Tame Impala’s song “Loser”, with Joe Keery being the lead actor for the music video. Djo is opening for Tame Impala for a total of 13 shows– Tampa being the third show on the North American leg of the Deadbeat tour.
Djo’s music compliments Tame Impala’s well as both blend a mix of psychedelic rock and indie synth driven sounds. The pairing of both Djo and Tame Impala gave the show an electric vibe, as both artists music complimented one another, which made the show feel as if they were one big artist and not two separate artists. Fans of Djo were introduced to Tame Impala’s larger-than-life live production, while longtime Tame Impala fans had the chance to experience an artist whose music shares many of the same psychedelic and indie influences. After Djo wrapped up, there was a break of 45 minutes before Tame Impala took stage.
Tame Impala’s set included a full laser show with atmospheric smoke, a 360-stage, and confetti. It is mentioned a lot that there are “no bad seats for Tame Impala”, meaning whether you are on the floor or in the nosebleeds, the lasers are reaching wherever you are for a unique experience. A concert go-er mentioned that she was happy she had nosebleed seats at the top, because she could see the full production of the lasers.
Tame Impala performed a 21-song set, followed by a three-song encore. During the encore, Kevin Parker noticed a fan in the crowd holding a sign that read, “Pick a Song,” with four covered song choices. Kevin told the audience, “We’ll play the game,” before one of his bandmates added, “We’ll play it, but it’s rigged,” earning laughs from the crowd. Kevin picked number two, revealing “The Moment,” which the band then performed.
One of the most memorable parts of the performance was seeing how engaged the audience remained from beginning to end. During slower songs, thousands of phone lights illuminated the arena, while upbeat tracks had nearly everyone on their feet dancing. The crowd’s excitement never seemed to fade, even after more than two hours of music. There was even a B-stage that Kevin switched to, where he performed two songs before going back to the main stage.
By the end of the encore, the audience left the arena filled with adrenaline. Right outside the doors, staff were handing out memorabilia tickets for fans to take home. Both Djo and Tame Impala put on an unforgettable performance, and fans are excited for future music and tours.
Check out Tame Impala’s website for information on tour dates, ticketing and more: https://www.tameimpala.com/