Words by Bella Leith
Photos by Jordan Munns
Taking the stage before the main show, Ninajirachi wasted little time establishing her presence. Storming the arena with Girl EDM, there was an immediate invitation to move, with pounding electronic rhythms met by an equally energetic crowd. In true DJ tradition, every song flowed seamlessly into the next, sparing not a moment to rest.
Illuminated wires stretched across her sound stage, running down into the audience and evoking the image of Nina herself feeding life to the arena with every pulse and kick of her performance. Rapid-fire visuals – deliberately inundated with digital rot – transformed otherwise innocuous images into an atmosphere oozing with personality. When Nina revealed that this was her first-ever performance at an arena the moment felt particularly fitting; an artist whose music exists at the intersection of online subcultures and physical connection bringing her digital world to a live audience.
The set offered a glimpse into a new and uncharted sound for Ninajirachi, treating the audience to an untitled and unreleased track. Closing her set with Fuck My Computer, Ninajirachi – in a short 40 minutes – left the crowd roaring her lyrics back to her as the stage dimmed and the countdown to Tame Impala was on.
“Testing, one, two.”
These were the first words Kevin Parker spoke as he emerged onto the stage, opening with Apocalypse Dreams from Tame Impala’s 2012 album Lonerism. It was an entrance that immediately established the evening’s atmosphere; expansive, psychedelic and unapologetic in its ambition. What followed was the most astonishing visual production we had ever witnessed at a concert.
Tame Impala’s crew transformed the Brisbane Entertainment Centre into a fever dream of cascading rainbows, mind-bending lasers and thick fog that diffused the lighting into vast, luminous beams. Overhead rigs shifted throughout the performance, while layered, almost liquid imagery flickered across the screens, continually reshaping the space around the music. The kaleidoscopic of colours and hypnotic imagery blurred the boundaries between reality and illusion, perfectly mirroring the psychedelic qualities of Tame Impala’s sound. Immersive and ever-changing, the visuals ensured there was always something new to take in.
Yet, the spectacle never overshadowed the musicianship. Beyond the “Tame Impala is one guy” joke, Cam Avery, Julien Barbagallo, Jay Watson, James Ireland and Dominic Simper brought depth to the performance, from the driving bass of Elephant to the hypnotic drums of Feels Like We Only Go Backwards. Parker’s hazy, assured vocals shone throughout, particularly as their harmonies blended into the chorus of Eventually.
“It feels good to be home,” Parker enthused to the lively crowd, the long four years not going unnoticed since his last appearance in Australia. Much to his dismay, he even congratulated the Brisbane Lions fans for the win against Fremantle Dockers.
Moving away from the enormity of the main stage, the B stage was reminiscent of a bedroom floor. There were pillows, rugs and lamps scattered amongst DJ equipment. From here Tame Impala continued with Ethereal Connection and Not My World, as if we were witnessing Parker create music straight from his own home.
Returning to the main stage, Let it happen and New Person, Same Mistakes were the two best performances within the second half of the shows’ final leg (it’s hard to pick just one). They emphasised the heavy synths, driving guitars and mesmerising vocals that elevates Tame Impala from his contemporaries. With End of Summer concluding the show, concert goers scavenged fallen confetti as memorabilia for a night they won’t soon forget. Live performances offer what a studio recording cannot; the physical sensation of experiencing music alongside thousands of other fans.
Alongside with the rest of the tour, there is a further two shows in Brisbane this week. The tour will continue to Melbourne (14th–17th October), followed by Sydney (19th–21st October), before concluding with two of Tame Impala’s hometown shows in Perth on the 24th and 25th October – a fitting finale to the tour. Tickets HERE
