Tame Impala @ The MetroTheatre, Sydney (15/05/10)

Tue 18th May, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Take the spirited vocal crooning and warped guitar droning of the Beatles circa the late 60s psychedelic years, dirty it up a bit with a heavy, continuous drum beat and deep bass, and throw it all together in a true rock star setting complete with ultimate fan adoration. This was Tame Impala at the Metro, Sydney.

Tame Impala’s sold out show was nothing less than extraordinary. Their sound is so distinctively unique that, while it is possible to ‘kind of’ liken them to other bands, they are essentially in a league of their own.

Simply based on their mellow, chilled out, ‘don’t know how we got to this stage, but here we are so we’ll give it a go’ manner, it was immediately apparent that we were in the presence of rock stars. And while The Metro theatre is suitable for many bands that have passed through it’s doors, Tame Impala seems to require something bigger and more open to the elements. An open-air stadium would perhaps be more appropriate for a band of such caliber, the music these boys produce could ricochet off of mountains and valleys were it given the chance.

Where some may feel that Impala missed their era with their rockish retro, psychedelic demeanor, it rather seems as if they’ve single handedly reinvented it. They’ve resurrected a music scene that has faded unintentionally over time, and with the smooth vocals of lead singer Kevin Parker, mixed in with Dom Simper on bass and Jay Watson supplying the hard drums, there is no arguing that they’re on to something here.

Opening the show with an instrumental intro, it was as if the audience had walked into a private jam session that, although not exactly invited to, we were quite welcome to stay….well, we weren’t going anywhere anyway. The crowd filled in every second of silence as the band moved from song to song with rapturous, almost violent, applause and cheers.

Playing songs from their soon to be released debut LP InnerSpeaker, the band started out with a more somber collection of tracks, before launching into an all out rock mode. And although the lyrics were sometimes too droned and warped to be understood, this seemed to be a conscious decision rather than a sound mishap, as the vocals wove seamlessly into the overall trance inducing effect.

Having stated in the past that their music is ‘all about the feeling’, Impala brings a refreshing passion to the psychedelic sound. The hard bass and drum effectively contrasts the soft reverberations of Parker, allowing listeners to interpret the music in whichever way they wish; someone head banging and essentially ‘loosing their shit’ could have easily found themselves standing next to a composed, quietly swaying individual. Every interpretation was warranted.

Finishing with a collaborative (about seven other people joined the band on stage) rendition of crowd favourite I Don’t Really Mind, it was as if the jam session had ended and we were entering party mode. But celebrations were abruptly cut short when the band exited the stage, and although the crowd eagerly anticipated an encore- clapping hands, stomping feet, and violent chanting ensuing- the band neglected to show their faces again. Smart decision? I’m not so sure. The puzzled and deflated faces of fans as they left the venue told of their disapproval of Impala’s refusal to play one last song.

Leaving the audience high and dry was a risky move, but on reflection, it was fitting as their entire performance seemed to walk on the edge. Their sound is so uniquely different from anything that pervades the ears of music listeners in this day and age, and had the chance of falling flat to crowds looking forward rather than back. But the response from the audience and the fact that the gig sold out despite their somewhat recent arrival on the music scene quickly dispels any chances of this.

So, not only are these boys extremely talented, they are also evidently quite smart. No encore? Don’t be discouraged, adoring Impala fans, for it must simply be a calculated move in their quest to bring you music in a timely, laid back fashion, and leave you wanting, heck- writhing, for more.

Check out the photos from the gig