I first came across Tame Impala the summer after my first year and have been hooked ever since. I love listening to them when I run because of the relatively fast pace of the music and how you can lose yourself in it.The band formed in the 2000s, but over the past few years have become incredibly popular. I had been dying to see them live and my wish finally came true over the past weekend in D.C. It was amazing.
For those of you who have not heard of them, Tame Impala is a band from Australia who plays psychedelic rock/alternative music. They currently have two LPs, "Inner Speaker" from 2011 and "Lonerism" from 2012 as well as their self-titled 2006 EP, with a long awaited follow-up, "Currents," coming out July 17. Kevin Parker, the lead singer, has a voice that is eerily similar to John Lennon's in a way that is pleasing to any fan of the psychedelic music of the Beatles.
They've been releasing teasers from their new album sporadically over the spring, and the sound is dreamier than their previous material in a way I think is perfect for summer. First it was the long, "trippy," "Let it Happen" followed by the defiant, "Cause I'm a Man." The next was the wistful "Eventually," which is an unusual break-up song focusing on the time when both former lovers will be happy.
The arena for the concert was Echostage, which is a venue that has a large dance floor sided by two bars and a smaller upstairs area overlooking the floor. They opened with their recent single "Let it Happen," one of my new personal favorites, and the show flowed seamlessly from then on. They played a perfect mix of their recent singles as well as old favorites from all three albums. They also had cool lighting effects that went along really well with each of the songs. You can really just lose yourself in the music and the overall experience.
My personal new favorite is "Let it Happen." For an idea of the live experience, check out this link of them performing at this years Coachella:
If they're playing at a town or festival near you, you should definitely check it out. It's more than just a concert.
