Tame Impala rips through First Avenue

Tame Impala at First Avenue in Minneapolis

“We are a band called Tame Impala,” singer and guitarist Kevin Parker politely exclaimed a few songs in to the sold out show at First Avenue. Reminding the capacity crowd wasn’t necessary though, as nearly every square foot of the mainroom was occupied to see the psychedelic rockers from Australia.

With a lot of fuzz buzzing from the speakers, Tame Impala created a cloudy haze then again and again cut right through it. At times, the band led by Kevin Parker, played very loose with some songs extending into noisy jams. Sometimes those jams hit a grinding halt, only to explode back into the original groove much to the appreciation of the mostly young crowd who bobbed along and danced.

“Elephant” from their 2012 release Lonerism hit especially hard. “Mind Mischief” was also great, as was the upbeat “Apocalypse Dreams” that was played before encore break. All night long, the stage was lit with swirling psychedelic colored patterns while dizzying strobes sparkled above the crowd. Tame Impala at First Avenue was more than an amazing musical performance, it was an mesmerizing experience. Tame Impala loved Minneapolis, and the feeling was mutual.

Opening the night was Mini Mansions, a pop-rock trio from Los Angeles led by Queens of the Stone Age bassist Michael Shuman. It was a high-energy impressive performance that surprised many in the crowd. Upbeat songs showcased them at their best, with Shuman front and center switching between banging on stand-up drums and guitar. Bassist Zach Dawes banged out the sound as well, typically playing lead with a thunderous fuzzy sound. Mini Mansions brought a great energy to First Avenue and are well worth checking out.

Photos and review for Reviler.

Tame Impala

Mini Mansions

Tame Impala at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN – May 13, 2015 Setlist
Intro
Let It Happen
Mind Mischief
It Is Not Meant to Be
Why Won’t They Talk to Me?
Elephant
Be Above It
Disciples
Alter Ego
Eventually
Oscilly
Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?
Apocalypse Dreams
Encore:
Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control