Concert Review: Tame Impala at the Moody Center

Australian psychedelic-pop artist Tame Impala took the Moody Center stage for his ‘Deadbeat’ tour on Nov. 6, delivering an unforgettable show filled with vibrant lighting and raw vulnerability.

Written by Valeria Mota

Photos courtesy of Colt Grice

Almost 20 years ago, Australian multinstrumentalist Kevin Parker started releasing music on MySpace, rising in the Perth music scene and attracting attention from record labels. He decided on a name that would encapsulate the balance of untamed creativity and refined artistry: Tame Impala. Now, with one Grammy win and two Billboard charting albums, the one-man act released his highly anticipated fifth album, Deadbeat, and is currently touring to showcase his unique take on psychedelic pop. Bursting with color and synthesizer-curated intimacy, Parker and his supporting band stopped in Austin for a one-night performance at the Moody Center that left concertgoers in awe.

The Moody Center featured a circular platform in the middle of the general admission floor, including multiple video screens in a circle hanging above the stage — a similar arrangement used for Moody Center’s basketball games — which allowed concertgoers to appreciate all angles of the performance. 

At 8:00 p.m., the lights dimmed for the night’s opening act, Fcukers. After frontwoman Shanny Wise introduced the band, the New York electronic act delivered high energy songs with a calm demeanor, with Wise’s aloof dance moves and the band’s concentrated playing. Warm-colored lights shone on the act as they performed the rock-infused “Homie Don’t Shake.” Barreling through the setlist with no breaks in between, Wise took advantage of the circular set up to skip laps around the stage, occasionally swaying her hips to the tunes’ beats. The frontwoman’s simple execution did get more energized with the reggae-influenced “UMPA” and the seductive “Tommy.” Guitarist Jackson Walker Lewis joined Wise for the catchy “Play Me,” with Lewis’ high jumps and frequent crowd checks elevating the set’s energy. The act concluded their performance with their biggest hit, “Bon Bon,” as red and blue spotlights swirled around the performers. The concertgoers applauded the set’s conclusion as Wise unceremoniously announced the band one more time — “Thank you, we’re Fcukers!” — and walked off the stage through the general admission aisle. With their lowkey presence but vibrant instrumentals, Fcukers prepared the crowd for the colorful sounds and visuals of the main act, making them a fitting opener for the psychedelic-pop star.

In the time between sets, fans across the arena turned their phone lights on and waved them side to side, almost as if they were summoning Parker and his band. About ten minutes later, their wishes came true. At 9:02 pm, the lights in the arena turned off, evoking shrieks from the crowd as they all immediately stood up. The hollers only got louder as Parker’s supporting band walked onto the stage from the general admission aisle. When Parker walked out moments after, donning a brown t-shirt and unkempt hair, the screams were deafening. 

“Austin what’s up!” the Australian singer hollered as the band immediately began to play the vulnerable “Apocalypse Dreams” from Tame Impala’s second studio album, Lonerism. Fog climbed from the center of the stage as Parker earnestly sang and played his guitar. The video boards above showed Parker in a green and blue filter, with very limited lighting changes for the majority of the song. However, after the band deviated from the studio version for a more techno-influenced rendition of the track’s third verse, light blue lasers suddenly burst from the stage’s perimeter as the beat dropped for the song’s closing chorus, delightfully surprising the crowd. The lights melted from a light blue to a vibrant orange as Parker soulfully concluded the song. Concertgoers loudly whooped at the end of the tune’s performance as one fan gave their first of many “I LOVE YOU KEVIN!” exclamations of the night.

Parker immediately transitioned into playing another track from Lonerism, “Endors Toi.” Accompanied by lava lamp-like colors swirling on the screen, Parker and his band were laser-focused on their performance. The crowd whooped at the song’s conclusion, but their excitement grew tenfold as the iconic vocals to “Dracula” began. The singer walked to the other side of the stage while red spotlights created a circle around the stage, fittingly matching the track’s brooding beat. As Parker sang “Run from the sun like Dracula,” a bright yellow spotlight shone directly on him.

“Dracula” drew to a close, and backing drummer Julien Barbagallo began to hit his snare drums as white lights punctuated his playing. The now instantly recognizable guitar intro to Deadbeat’s second single, “Loser,” commenced, driving the crowd wild. “I’m a loser, babe,” Parker and the crowd sang, “Do you wanna tear my heart out?” The video screens showed the multinstrumentalist in colorful filters, and blue lights above snaked around the stage in circles. Parker took a moment to thank the Austin audience as the song concluded — eliciting yet another “I LOVE YOU KEVIN!” — before the sprightly beat to “Breathe Deeper” kicked in. The concertgoers exclaimed as they recognized the tune, immediately nodding along to the song’s catchy riffs. Supporting guitarist Dominic Simper provided grooving backing vocals while the ring of lights above the stage tilted around in a circle with everchanging blue and orange colors. Parker got the crowd to clap their hands along to the song’s outro as multicolored lasers spewed from the stage, with Tame Impala’s classic futuristic synthesizers closing out the tune. 

“Thank you Austin,” Parker said after the track concluded, “Holy shit, listen to you. So fucking happy to be back.” The audience cheered, and the Australian native continued to say, “I mean look at you, I can’t even see you,” prompting the hanging lights to turn and face the audience. “From the moment I stepped into this room a few moments ago,” Parker admitted, “I knew it was going to be … a loud one. You can just tell it in the air.” The crowd quickly confirmed his statement by amplifying their screams. “It’s fucking hot in here too, I’m loving it,” Parker remarked. “Feels like home, feels like Australia.” After giving a quick shoutout to Fcukers for opening, he announced the next track, “Borderline,” and received thrilled shrieks from the crowd.

Fans faithfully sang every word to the hypnotizing track, with Parker encouraging their singing during the song’s viral bridge. Red and blue lights flashed from above as crowd members waved their arms side to side, and Parker casually paraded around the stage. The song included a stripped-down version of the outro, with Parker constantly ruffling his already ruffled hair. After “Borderline,” swirling, multicolored lights shone on every part of the arena as the moving synths from “Gossip” began. The Currents interlude functioned as an instrumental break in the concert, with the video screens showing Parker nonchalantly laying down at the center of the stage.

“Alright Austin, Texas,” Parker said, standing up after suddenly concluding “Gossip” to play the rocking “Elephant.” “Here it comes,” Parker jokingly growled before the song’s first energetic beat drop, which caused the crowd to cheer as the stage lights pulsed. As the track grew in volume and energy, so did the light show — multicolored lasers and spotlights burst from the stage, with the crowd roaring in approval as the Tame Impala creator raised his arms to bask in the glory of the music and the audience’s energy. After a quick, groovy rendition of the song’s ending instrumentals, Barbagallo ended the tune with its iconic drum fill, though it was notably less intricate than the fill’s studio version. The song ended with the crowd’s most enthusiastic response yet, and of course, another “I LOVE YOU KEVIN!” from the same passionate fan. 

“Here’s a new one, it’s called ‘Afterthought,’” the singer announced after thanking his drummers. The performer walked around the floor section, high-fiving eager fans as he sang into the camera. “I’m an afterthought to you,” Parker vocalized as vibrant red lights lowered closer to the stage floor in a crooked, rotating circle. The video screens displayed a trippy montage of cityscapes and concurrent circles as Parker laxly strutted back on the stage, a Red Solo cup in hand. The psychedelic-pop star thanked the crowd before introducing the biggest hit off of Lonerism, “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.” A sequence of rainbow-colored lights slowly shone all over the arena. The video screens, slowly transitioning back to their original circle position, showed the performer intimately singing the track’s verse into the camera over a blue filter. “Sing it Austin!” Parker hollered, and the crowd followed his instructions by earnestly singing the tune’s relatable chorus.

While the instrumentals for “No Reply” played, the video broadcast showed the Australian native entering the backstage area of the arena, with fans wondering where he was going next. Their questions were quickly answered when Parker went into the bathroom to pee, the videographer recording only his white sneakers. The audience could not help but laugh, and continued to cheer when the video screens showed the singer washing his hands and slackily fixing his hair. 

Instead of returning to the center circular stage, the producer sat down at a small platform in the back of the arena. Antique lamps, a pillow, and various mixing consoles adorned the circular platform’s border. Parker immediately dialed in to play one of his newer tracks, “Ethereal Connection.” The Tame Impala lead was too focused on the audio mixing to acknowledge the crowd, who swayed but grew notably restless as the seven-minute song played in its entirety. “You and I are something / That I never could describe” Parker lazily sang as he continued to tweak his Prophet 6 synthesizer. The instrumental interlude continued with the producer seamlessly transitioning into “Not My World.” He laid his head on the pillow as he idly sang the song’s chorus. The multinstrumentalist continued to play a raving house beat, still focused on the consoles as he fine-tuned the music. He finally looked up and smirked to the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause. 

The central video screens, arranged in a circle that covered the whole main stage, started to play a hazy, blue video of ocean waves as Parker casually strolled back to the main stage through the general admission aisle. The screens rose once again as the beat to “Let It Happen” kicked in. The crowd shrieked in recognition of the tune, clearly excited to participate after the loaded instrumental section. A sudden, strong whiff of marijuana permeated the crowd as blue lasers shot from the stage’s perimeter. Parker ambled around the stage, evoking passionate cheers as he simply stood and grooved along to the track’s bass. Parker took a moment to check in on the Austin crowd before asking, “Alright, you guys ready for this next bit?” After the crowd shouted their approval, a sudden burst of pink lights and confetti blew from the stage when the beat finally dropped, elevating the crowd’s already high excitement. Rainbow-colored lasers concluded the song, and the elated reception was even more pronounced than that of “Elephant”. 

Afterwards, the short yet popular “Nangs” started to play, eliciting hollers of recognition. After the small interlude, Parker took a moment to engage with the exhilarated concertgoers. “Someone told us today that you guys have broken a record,” he said, the audience whooping in excitement and anticipation. “What is it … most tickets sold to a Moody Center show ever,” he announced, and the sheer volume of the crowd’s reaction easily confirmed the statement. “If that’s true, then it makes fucking sense, because it feels pretty fucking good in here,” the Tame Impala lead continued, with the audience members echoing his sentiments. “Alright, you guys didn’t buy tickets to hear me talk about this kind of stuff” — with one fan quickly shouting “WE DID!” in reply — “so we’re going to play a song we don’t play very often,” Parker announced. The concertgoers cheered as Parker and his band began to play the upbeat “Expectation,” a track from Tame Impala’s debut album Innerspeaker. The six-minute psychedelic tune was played in its entirety, with concertgoers swaying to the song’s crescendoing guitar and drums as white lights pulsed like thunder over the band.

As hot pink lights shone on them, the performers seamlessly transitioned into one of the most beloved tracks from Innerspeaker, “Alter Ego,” punctuated by yet another “I LOVE YOU KEVIN!” After the crowd enjoyed the two older tracks, Parker sat down at the edge of the stage for the vulnerable “Yes I’m Changing,” with dark blue lighting enveloping the frontman as the bass reverberated through the arena. Though the Moody Center was packed with people, Parker still managed to create a unique sense of intimacy with his most passionate singing of the night, Red Solo cup still in hand.

“You guys look fucking beautiful, you know that?” the Australian native asked. “Let me get a look at you.” The hanging white lights once again shone on the audience, further enhancing the artist’s connection with the crowd. Suddenly, the explosive introduction of “Eventually” kicked in, taking the crowd by surprise before their shock quickly transformed into eagerness. “Wish I could turn you / Back into a stranger,” Parker sang as he strummed his guitar, the audience belting along with him. The flashing yellow and white lights amped the rocking verses, and the song drew to a close with a magical light sequence of blue and purple lasers. 

Simper only had to pluck the first note of the moody “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” for the audience to roar in approval. Concertgoers knew the chorus by heart, and when Parker asked, “Are you still fucking with us?!” the crowd’s volume grew tenfold. As the singer began to sing the last chorus of the tune, multicolored lasers and confetti erupted from the stage, delighting the audience. Barbagallo concluded the beloved track with an improvised drum solo, and the Tame Impala creator thanked the audience and promptly walked off the circular, elevated platform and entered its lower entrance along with his band. 

Not even seconds after the performers walked underneath the stage, the concert crowd seemed to convert into a football arena — the fans were already chanting for an encore the moment Parker faded from view. One fan started shouting “Otra! Otra!” (“Another! Another!”), though someone did interrupt them saying, “I don’t think Kevin knows Spanish.”

Returning to the stage, Parker made heart signs with his hands before sitting down at the edge of the stage, a single spotlight forcefully shining on him. A string of discordant piano notes played while the singer vocalized some improvised lyrics, but fans quickly recognized them as the lead-in to the first track from Deadbeat, “My Old Ways.” Kaleidoscopic shapes played on the screen as Parker sang about falling into temptations. An alternate, disco-influenced version of the outro played as the frontman ambled around the stage, alternating between a Liquid Death and his now iconic Red Solo cup. The last chorus featured cutting blue lasers as the singer delivered the last line in a higher pitch: “Back into my old ways again.” Parker finished his Liquid Death and chucked it into the crowd, with fans fighting to catch it like single ladies grasping for a wedding bouquet. 

The crowd applauded the Deadbeat tune before Parker jokingly asked, “What do you reckon the next song is, Austin?” “Could it be… ‘The Less I Know The Better’?” he quipped, proving the crowd’s assumptions correctly. Immediately after, Simper plucked his guitar strings to play the song’s iconic guitar riff, pulsing rainbow lights kicking in. The performer instructed the Austin audience to sing the bridge, which they passionately did: “I was doing fine without you / ‘Til I saw your face, now I can’t erase.” The track concluded with an extremely satisfied audience, who only grew more enthusiastic when Parker announced that he “fucking loves [the audience]” — with the same fervent fan screaming “I LOVE YOU KEVIN!” back to him.

Yet the concert could not have been complete without Tame Impala performing the first single of Deadbeat, “End of Summer.” As soon as the beginning loop of the track began, the crowd shrieked in recognition. The ring of hanging lights above the band pulsed along with the anticipating instrumental bridge of the song, transitioning into a bright red before a final burst of lasers and confetti when the track’s beat dropped. The crowd bounced along for one last time, and as Parker thanked and waved the crowd goodbye along with his band members, the video screens showed the two bass drums used during the concert — one said “DEAD” and the other “BEAT,” spelled out with fittingly informal black tape.

With a concert that lasted over two hours, Tame Impala established his skilled artistry and production with masterful lighting, instrumental execution, and impassioned vocals. Parker maintained his classically cool persona throughout the concert, matching both the self-deprecating energy of Deadbeat as well as the emotional vulnerability that permeates his entire discography. With fans walking out with piles of collected confetti strips from the arena floor and positive reviews, it made total sense that the same zealous fan shrieked “I LOVE YOU KEVIN!” one last time.