Tame Impala, Ninajirachi
Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
Friday October 9th
Over the last 17 years, Kevin Parker has built Tame Impala into the biggest Australian act in the world and four years since performing in Brisbane, he triumphantly returned with a sold-out stadium show that showcases exactly why Tame Impala are world-class.
Teaming up with the explosive talents of dance-star Ninajirachi was a master stroke. Her support set felt perfectly suited to the large arena space, having already played to massive crowds around the world, including Coachella and her own sold-out shows around the country.
In a true juxtaposition to the main act, Ninajirachi wanted us hyped. Her electronic music is non-stop, and with the occasional twirl and acknowledgement, she managed to whip the crowd into an early frenzy, peeling through the opening track of her award-winning album, I Love My Computer. “London Song” with its pounding bass is like a gateway drug, it pulls you into the sound, presents us with the striking visuals and inspirational illuminated cabling suitable for an arena-sized show whilst the crowd spontaneously threw their hands in the air.
We were hooked. Her dance music is hard, but accessible, even for those who might not have been there for the edgy EDM that she is capable of. Her recent collaboration with Porter Robinson, “Wannacry,” is a highlight of the set, mixed in between album tracks and a new unreleased (and unnamed) beat.
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Hyped? Primed? Ready for the main act? You’d better believe it.
With a hoodie on, arms raised in the air and a stage full of musicians, the always relaxed-looking Parker took to the stage reuniting Tame Impala in Australia for the first time since their fifth album Deadbeat was released, almost a year ago and just under four years since wrapping up their Slow Rush tour in 2022.
From the bush doofs of Western Australia to stadiums around the world, Parker and band are no strangers to a big crowd, but there’s something special about being back in their home country.
“I’m so happy we’re doing this; we finally made it back to Brisbane!” declared Kevin Parker to a rapturous crowd. “Apocalypse Dreams” from 2012’s Lonerism showcased Parker’s falsetto early, and it really was a joy to appreciate those high notes, especially throughout a two-hour-plus show.
But it wasn’t just the sound that blew our minds; the ring of lights that lowered down above the band was jaw-dropping. That, accompanied by a multitude of lasers, gave us a sensory-overloading light show that enveloped the entire arena.
One of the hottest songs from their album at the moment is “Loser,” and being just the fourth song in the set, it prompted a huge pop from the crowd. It’s also a great time to appreciate the band on stage, despite barely any reference to them throughout the show. With the additional five members on stage, Tame Impala are complete. Despite the constant reminders that this is Kevin Parker’s project, the live show doesn’t happen without the massive talents of musicians like Jay Watson on synth, guitar and backing, Dominic Simper on bass and Julien Barbagallo on drums.
“Elephant” is a song synonymous with the early days of the project as the leading release to their second album, Lonerism, and it still stands up as a masterpiece. The slightly adjusted mix of the track was a pleasure to hear live and reminded us that there are always plenty of tricks in the Tame Impala bag.
In a suitable break in the set, Parker had to address that (pun-intended) elephant in the room.
“Let me sit down, I want to talk about something. I didn’t come here to talk about sport, but do we have any Brisbane Lions fans in the house?” A medium-sized roar rose from the throng along with a bunch of laughter. Parker and band, self-professed Fremantle Dockers diehards, had attended the Grand Final in Melbourne just two weeks prior, only to be devastated by the loss to the Lions.
Parker took a big audible breath before declaring, “Congratulations. You broke my heart two weeks ago, but don’t worry about us. Our time is coming. That’s all I’ve got to say about it!”
That leads into the opening track from Deadbeat, “My Old Ways,” one of the more downbeat tracks of the evening, which saw Parker sitting on the edge of the stage.
At a mid-point in the set, Parker leaves the stage, and on the big screen, we are ‘treated’ to watching him head backstage for what is seemingly a bathroom break. Without wanting to spoil things, he may have been ‘taking the piss’ as a minute later, Parker reappears in the middle of the arena on an intimate-looking platform with a rug, lamps and synths.
The following two tracks gave us an insight into the creative genius of Parker. Surrounded by synths and samplers, Parker performed “Ethereal Connection” and “Not My World” solo. It feels like this is really how he makes music, on a rug on the floor, lying on his back and getting lost in the beats. It was a nice touch.
The band returned, and the epic “Let It Happen” took over our next eight minutes or so. The lighting again blew our minds as washes of rainbows and lasers flowed over the crowd, as well as the first dose of confetti.
Afterwards, Parker announces, “We’re going to play a song we’ve never played in Australia,” before chuckling in realisation, “Oh, actually we haven’t played a lot of these songs in Australia before!” The song was “List of People (To Try and Forget About),” a B-Side from Currents that has only been performed on the most recent US tour.
“Eventually” was one of the highlights of the night. A song that reminds us just how great the band are with the booming bass around the stadium; you started to worry that the ageing Brisbane Entertainment Centre might just fall apart.
As the confetti flew for the second time at the end of the main set, the band left the stage, but no one else was leaving. The band returned swiftly, and Parker announced, “There are children here tonight. My children!” Not just his, but other members of the band had brought their kids, and it’s a nice call-out to the other families that attended on the night, the band’s legacy now seemingly spanning generations.
A mega-trio of final songs was performed, including the biggest single from Deadbeat, “Dracula”, along with a flood of red lasers over the crowd before the album and live show finale of Grammy-award winning “End of Summer,” giving those with enough energy one last chance to dance.
There were so many things to love about this show. From the pristine clarity of Parker’s falsetto to moments of introspective band jamming to explosive visuals to joyful albeit sometimes awkward dancing, Tame Impala still manage to stimulate all of the senses through their five albums of music.
The band bring Parker’s expertly crafted music to life in a way that we may have forgotten over the last four years, and it’s not just presented to us, it is shaped to flow around us, and that’s the glorious beauty of Tame Impala in a triumphant confetti-filled homecoming.
