We're All Deadbeats: Tame Impala and Djo Sell Out TD Garden

Australian psychedelic rock pioneers Tame Impala stopped by Boston for two sold-out shows at TD Garden on July 28th and 29th. Boston marked the midpoint of The Deadbeat Tour, and frontman Kevin Parker had a slew of surprises up his sleeve. Fans came dressed for the occasion, sporting vibrant sequined shawls, statement jewelry, and tour merch. Many lined up hours early outside the venue to snag the fun pieces, including a floral tour shirt, a distressed pine-green zip-up, and 20 exclusive numbered charity posters signed by both Parker and Djo frontman Joe Keery.

Fans who flooded into the venue at doors were greeted by a gargantuan 360-degree stage built from multiple rungs of wooden circles. Electrical cables hung around the wood like garland during the holidays. Tame Impala is known for their transformative electronic experimentation, making it fitting that the stage resembled a giant synth.

Soon the lights dimmed, and fans released thunderous cheers. First up was breakout star Djo, who was returning to TD Garden after opening for Gracie Abrams in July of 2025. The band was met with an uproarious, warm welcome as red light flooded the venue. An eerie bassline rang in the speakers as Massachusetts native Keery sang the raw and raspy verses to The Crux Deluxe's opening track "Awake." The anticipation rose until the explosive bass drop at the end of the song. Fans head-banged and screamed the lyrics with smiles on their faces. Djo held the energy high, performing punchy tracks like "Basic Being Basic" and "Lonesome Is a State of Mind." He jumped around the stage and waved to fans in the pit, executing catchy guitar licks. He shared that many family members, including his parents, sisters, and cousins, were in the audience, eliciting cheers. The band fed off each other's energy the rest of the set. Generational talent and drummer Wesley Toledo propelled the night forward, sporting a custom Celtics jersey with "Keery 29" on the back, referencing the bridge of the track "Gap Tooth Smile." They ended their set with the viral track "End of Beginning," adding an extended emotional instrumental outro that influenced fans to take in the moment.

A hush fell over the venue as the sound of calming waves moved through the room. Everyone realized Tame Impala was about to take the stage and erupted with cheers. Seconds into the show, the production was already a sight to behold. The oval screen circling the stage played videos of the ocean while light panels underneath the platform flashed blue. The band strutted out and opened with the entrancing track "Apocalypse Dreams." The lyrics "This could be the day that we push through / It could be the day that all our dreams come true / For me and you" set the euphoric tone for the show, creating a shared bond between the audience and serving as a reminder of the connective power of music. The lights highlighted the masterful nuances in the instrumental, with stuttering lasers projecting light onto the fog in the room. During fierce tracks like "Elephant," spotlights flashed throughout the arena, highlighting basslines and making it feel as if the audience were inside of a disco ball.

While performing "Afterthought," Parker dipped down to walk around the barricade and dance with fans, effortlessly hitting his signature smooth falsetto notes. On his way to the B-stage, he made a cheeky stop in the restroom, where a cameraman followed him during the instrumental of the Deadbeat track "No Reply." A small circular B-stage lined with pillows and carpets sat on the floor. Parker used stage equipment to perform instrumental-heavy tracks "Ethereal Connection" and "Not My World" live. The set made it feel like an intimate recording session, as if Parker was coming up with the ideas and sounds for these songs on the spot, making the moment feel especially spontaneous and genuine. The chest-pounding bass captivated the audience, who looked on in awe as he established himself as the synth-whisperer.

Parker returned to the main stage and pushed the celebration into overdrive with the fan-favorite track off of Currents, "Let It Happen." Fans looked around with childlike wonder, as rainbow confetti popped out of cannons during the bass drop. They jumped to grab pieces and dance with their friends. The confetti swallowed the venue as the band on stage brushed pieces off their equipment. It was as if the venue was beamed up into a UFO, as light fixtures projecting rainbow colors tilted across the venue and scanned the audience.

At this point, some fans spotted Keery hiding in the back of the venue in a black jacket, wondering why he was sneaking around instead of watching the show with the rest of his band. The iconic fuzzy opening notes of the track "Loser" rang through the speakers. Parker suspiciously mentioned the music video the band shot with Keery, who played a younger version of Parker. Fans let out the loudest cheers of the night when they spotted Keery in his distressed striped button-up and jeans sauntering on stage as his character from the music video. It was the first time that Keery joined Tame Impala for this song, holding a red solo cup and picking up a cigarette off the ground, as he did in the music video. Keery is also an accomplished actor, having just wrapped a decade-long run playing Steve Harrington on Stranger Things and he is set to make his Broadway debut this fall in Other Desert Cities alongside heavy hitters like Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Keery and Djo guitarist Javier Reyes picked up some guitars and shredded the final parts of the song on stage. "Who were those deadbeats?" joked Parker as they headed back off stage and ran past the barricade high-fiving lucky fans.

Around the middle of the show, Parker performed a set of surprise songs. To much fanfare, night one included "List of People (To Try and Forget About)" and "Piece of Heaven." There was an added hypnotic, dreamlike quality to the live instrumental in "Piece of Heaven," which his breathy, gliding vocals complemented perfectly. Parker sat on some of the rungs along the side of the stage, fostering a personal connection with the crowd.

They returned for an electric three-song encore, ending with the aptly named track "End of Summer." Even though it was only the end of July, the memories of the performance would continue to warm up fans well beyond the end of summer. Tame Impala crafted an unforgettable night for fans of all ages. They matched the sound fans love with equally entrancing visuals. Boston was treated to tremendous surprises, which also included the live debut of the "Dracula" remix with Jennie on night two! Djo's final night as a guest opening on the tour is August 4th. Make sure to catch Tame Impala live before The Deadbeat Tour ends in September. Buy tickets here.