REVIEW: Tame Impala & Djo's Two Sold-Out State Farm Arena Shows Redefine Rock
- Mikey Smith
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
Kevin Parker and co. put on the best "arena rock" show in years (and it's not even really "arena rock")
“Arena rock” is a dying art form. While I believe that rock music as a whole is far from over, the spaces it thrives in today tend to be more intimate room focused on fan interaction or high-energy chaos. Even when a “rock” group does reach arena status, it can often feel artificial (unless it exists in the “legacy” act category), lacking the all-consuming engagement that listeners look for. For an artist to create a compelling, rock-inspired sound in these spaces, they must innovate beyond the status quo. Luckily, Tame Impala and Djo know just how to do that. The two artists teamed up for two sold-out nights at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, leaving the city blown away by the combinations of pop, rock, house, and electronic delivered in a laser-filled package.
Djo’s return to Atlanta after his headlining show at Coca-Cola Roxy in 2025 was met with demand that exceeded expectations. His opening set both nights was soundtracked not only by tracks from his most recent records, but the cheers and shouts from the 360° barricade. Each evening ended with his surprise online hit “End of Beginning,” which was surrounded by a sea of flashlights from the audience on Night 2. Djo continues to defy expectations, and with his evolution into larger and larger venues, more people can open their eyes and ears to his wide array of songs and sounds from an underrated discography.
The arena erupted in energy each night when Tame Impala hit the stage. The project, fronted by producer/singer/songwriter Kevin Parker, fully enraptured ATL with a psychedelic, in-your-face visual and sonic spectacular. Tame Impala shows notoriously have a “no bad seats” reputation, and with two sold-out crowds, there really isn’t any angle where you can’t get fully immersed. Throughout the songs from Lonerism (“Elephant,” “Apocalypse Dreams,” and “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”), Currents (“Yes I’m Changing” (N1), “Eventually,” and “Let It Happen”), or The Slow Rush (“Borderline” and Breathe Deeper”), fans were kept on their toes to see what part of the room would be covered in lasers, confetti, or moving screens.
Where the fun really begins with this tour, though, is with Parker’s latest album Deadbeat. Although initially met with divisive reactions from listeners due to the switch in sound, popular hits from the record like “Dracula” and “My Old Ways” satisfied those searching for summer vibes in 2025. The band kept these tracks alive on the latest leg of the tour, emphasizing the house elements from the B-Stage set shortly after Parker’s backstage bathroom break segment. For those who may have been skeptical about this sound combining with their 2010’s indie-psych back catalog, there’s no reason to fret.
Overall, Tame Impala played the best arena rock show I’ve seen in years—and it’s not even really “arena rock.” Yes, the group has been playing these spaces for nearly a decade now, but they still continue to stun with each subsequent tour, trying to figure out how to one-up themselves and nailing it every time. Without an empty seat in State Farm Arena, it’s a miracle that we could witness something of this caliber in Atlanta.
Article and photos by Mikey Smith. Please credit @mts2.photo or @art.seen.atl if reposting on social media.
