The Forum was an appropriately surreal setting for Tame Impala’s sensually uplifting performance. Alongside worn renaissance ornamentation and beneath a blue twilit ceiling, the Perth band made a scintillating impact. Tame Impala are well on their way to world domination and seeing evidence of their music’s broad acceptance you couldn’t help but reflect upon what a fascinating phenomenon they are. On paper you might predict that the meandering arrangements, unconventional song structures and explications of insularity would restrict them to a niche following, but somehow Tame Impala have aroused widespread affection. Melody is an essential component of their sound, but even the melodic content is not rendered predictably. However, drawing evenly from this year’s Lonerism and 2010s Innerspeaker, tonight’s show melodically communicated a fundamental innocence. The songs are depicted from the perspective of a social outcast and carry a questioning self-doubt, but Kevin Parker’s expressions of vulnerability had a radiant, intersubjective relevance. The vivid musical outpourings were both explosive (Music To Walk Home By) and fragile (It’s Not Meant To Be), allowing a sensation of discovery to overcome the discussed seclusion.
Even though Tame Impala is Kevin Parker’s project, it’s hard to think of him as a frontman. In spite of this preconception, tonight he proved he’s more than equipped to stand at the front of one of the world’s most exciting bands. His vocals were loud in the mix, which was a great contrast to the washy intermingling often heard on record. He struggled slightly with first song Be Above It, but the clarity and extroverted vocal strength in Solitude Is Bliss and Alter Ego was hugely impressive.
While they aren’t recording participants, the four other members weren’t merely twiddling side-men. The five of them sounded as if they were made to play these songs together and nothing studied or over-careful came through in their precise execution. There wasn’t much extra-technical activity on stage and all members were in a fairly subdued state of zen relaxation. New drummer, Julien Barbagallo was the most evidently excited of the players. It’s a surprise to see bass player Nick Allbrook (Pond and Allbrook/Avery’s frenzied frontman) so statically poised, even though it’s always been his Tame Impala persona. A complaint against his bass playing can’t be made though. The basslines are key melodic concomitants and he nailed all of the tricky sequences.
There were a few moments when you knew you were part of something. Latest single, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, is contagiously proliferating at present and the crowd’s collective sway and united falsetto showed that Tame Impala could potentially transport the masses to tranquillity in an arena setting. Similarly, Elephant sparked a throng of heads rapturously keeping time with the glammy throb.
They returned to encore with Half Full Glass of Wine, which incited the night’s rowdiest reception. They took the opportunity to really delve into extended jam territory and the outcome was a body lifting bliss. Everyday distractions were left behind as you realised your capacity to become an embodiment of the entire colour spectrum.
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
Photo credit: Josh Mutch
LOVED: Seeing the gawking enthusiasm of support act The Growl in the upstairs balcony during Tame Impala’s set.
HATED: Missing The Growl’s own set.
DRANK: Western Australian Beer.
