"I like what's going on in this room." - Joe Keery, September 27th, College Street Music Hall

Djo, the musical project of actor, producer, and multi-hyphenate musician Joe Keery officially kicked off the Another Bite Tour at a sold-out show in New Haven, Connecticut on September 27th. It was an unexpectedly warm fall day, and fans began lining up for the show at the crack of dawn. They wandered around the street to exchange friendship bracelets and other handmade goodies, fostering a community of joy and celebration long before the music began. Pins featuring photos of Keery and lyrics from songs like "Basic Being Basic" were scattered across tote bags and jean vests. Fans jumped in front of the marquee to snap photos and show off their outfits, including skirts with the "Gap Tooth Smile" apple graphic sewn on the pockets and shirts with the number 29 bedazzled on them. The crowd flooded inside right when the doors opened, beelining directly to the merchandise booth, spiraling the line across the venue right up until Djo took the stage. On this leg, whimsical designs included a plushie keychain of the doorman mouse featured on The Crux album cover, a tote bag with a Djo logo reminiscent of the stickers on fruit, and a football jersey.

At 8:00 pm sharp, five-piece Chicago-born psychedelic progressive rock band Post Animal kick-started the show. Members Javi Reyes (vocals, guitar), Wesley Toledo (drums), Matt Williams (vocals, guitar), Dalton Allison (vocals, bass), and Jake Hirshland (vocals, keys, guitar) strutted onto the stage, flashing smiles at the crowd. They dove into the hypnotizing and mellow track "Caving In," swaying to the beat and getting a feel for the audience. They quickly switched up the energy with one of their most lively tracks, "Gelatin Mode." Fans started thrashing their heads to Toledo's signature sharp and powerful percussion, propelling the set forward. Members Hirshland and Allison pulled double duty, switching between instruments effortlessly throughout the set. They operated as one well-oiled machine, feeding off each other's energy and exchanging giddy glances during each track.

The band released their newest album IRON in July, with original member Keery reuniting with them to create this collection of songs. Connecticut was in for a treat, as Post Animal made the live debut of two fan favorite tracks from the album. About midway through the set, the touching voicemail from Toledo's abuela and the first melancholic synth notes of "Maybe You Have To" elicited thunderous cheers. Fans resonated with the heartfelt themes of dealing with grief and savoring the time you have with loved ones, screaming the lyrics back to them as a moment of catharsis. Their freeing performance style inspired fans to lose themselves in the music. Toward the end of their set, they debuted the eccentric track "Dorien Kregg," which boasts a sound reminiscent of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This sound is new for the band, making it an impressive feat for vocalist Allison to pull off live. He placed his bass on the ground and pushed away the mic stand to get into character, conquering the song with his swooping, theatrical voice and sweeping arm gestures. Post Animal signed off with the explosive track "Dirtpicke." Reyes shredded on the guitar and each member left everything on the stage. At this point, the walls were already sweating in the venue, but that didn't stop fans from jumping anyway.

Next up was Djo, who prepped the audience with a killer preshow playlist that included artists like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Kacey Musgraves. The selection of "Loser" by Beck was particularly timely, as Keery just starred in a music video for the newest rendition of the song by Tame Impala that aired earlier in September. Fans buzzed with excitement, guessing what the setlist would be now that Djo released 12 additional tracks on The Crux Deluxe just 15 days earlier. This performance in New Haven was tucked between two festival headline slots, meaning anything could happen at this full-length show.

The lights finally dimmed, and fans released roaring applause. A dramatic red spotlight from offstage right shone on the mic as Keery stepped onto the stage in a vertical-striped shirt, polka-dotted hat, and dark grey flare jeans. He kicked off the show with the haunting deluxe track "Awake," mesmerizing the audience with his acoustic guitar and husky vocals. Toward the middle of the song, the instrumental section hinged, and a floor-shaking bass line, accompanied by flashing lights, infused a jolt of energy into the venue, as if it had taken a collective shot of espresso. Djo touring band members Adam Thein, Teddy Matthews, Trent Prall, Samuel Jordan, Wesley Toledo, and Javi Reyes joined Keery on stage for the bass drop, welcomed with cheers and ferocious headbanging from the audience. It was the perfect show opener as it foreshadowed the night of spontaneity and raw emotion ahead.

Djo's extensive catalog of genre-bending music kept fans on their feet. After finishing "Awake," Keery walked over to Prall at a table of MIDI controllers and synthesizers. He worked with a laser focus, turning the knobs with the precision needed to craft the groovy instrumental track "Uglyfisherman." Warm magenta and pink lighting flooded the venue, transforming it into a sunset dance club.

During songs like "Basic Being Basic," "Link," and "Delete Ya," Keery grabbed the mic and stomped around the stage: bouncing to the beat, pointing at excited fans, and climbing onto speakers to get closer to the crowd. Midway through the set, he played "Potion," a magical love song and single from The Crux. The crowd’s reaction to the track was a powerful reminder of how live music unites people and celebrates the shared human experience. At the song’s climax, warm lights bathed the audience, spotlighting a couple sharing a tender kiss as the lyrics echoed “I'll try for all of my life / Just to find someone who leaves on the light for me.” After viewing the image captured below, a fan pointed out how the couple's pose perfectly aligns with the "Potion" tattoo design featured in the official visualizer, a serendipitous symbol of the cyclical mirror relationship between life and art.

Keery paused to chat with the audience, humorously noting that no two songs of his sound like they are from the same album, before setting the scene for the atmospheric and wistful track "Fly." Keery has been on the move for the past decade of his life, filming various projects and touring the world. He invited Connecticut to "put your mind's eye in the snowy town of Calgary," where he wrote this track, as the whistling wind and chime sounds began to swell. The venue put up their flashlights and waved their arms to the instrumentation, emulating a sky of stars or a blizzard of flurrying snowflakes.

They held the energy high the rest of the night, sprinkling in hits from each of Djo's albums, including the viral track "End of Beginning." Keery shared that his dad was in the audience that night, making this song about transitioning through life's phases especially surreal and bittersweet when reflecting on how 2025 has been one of the biggest years in his musical career. Djo returned for an electric two-song encore, ending the show with the beloved floor-shaking track "Flash Mountain." Post Animal joined Keery for the finale, with Allison carrying a megaphone to yell the lyrics into. Chaos ensued as they raucously shredded on the guitars and drums, squeezing every drop of energy out of the venue. Keery harnessed his acting background as he pretended to lose steam and stop singing, before revealing it was a psych-out and executing his biggest jump and loudest singing of the night.

Make sure to catch Djo live before the Another Bite Tour ends later this month. Limited tickets remain here. Post Animal will embark on a headline tour of their own that kicks off November 1st and stops in New England on November 4th and November 5th. Buy tickets here.