Tame Impala Report.

In a previous post, I mentioned going to the Tame Impala gig in Brisbane and I linked a few photos that a friend of mine shot on the night. Another friend, Simon also accompanied me to the gig and he went and documented his own first hand experience into a wacky review/ report.
So here it is, The Tame Impala Report.

Going to see a band is a special type of experience. No matter which show you go to it will always be different. Not only do you get to see a sick band play right in front of you, tantalizing all five of your senses but also you’re guaranteed to meet a bunch of wierdos with the same eclectic taste as you. Maybe you’ll make lifelong friends or find love or even get in a brawl. If you’re anything like me then you’ll probably end up getting absolutely fuckeyed and partaking in depraved acts of debauchery. The memories of these events will last you a lifetime. They’re one off experiences that can’t be bought with money or created by anything other than pure chance, by being in the right place at the right time. Last Saturday I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see Tame Impala play at Riverstage alongside eight thousand other people. None of those people would have experienced exactly the same show.

For me the whole experience of going to a show doesn’t start when you walk in the gates. It begins months before the event when you excitedly wait for ticket sales to open and try your best to snag one before they all sell out. Luckily I didn’t have to worry about that because Jimbo had it all sorted (cheers mate). Once you’ve bought the ticket the next step is to completely forget about it for a few months until Facebook reminds you that the concert is tomorrow.

Lookin' good mate.

Fuck! You’re unprepared. What are you going to wear? Who’s going to have pre-drinks? Who’s even going to the show with you? How are you going to get there? It’s a mad panic to organise all your gear and so you do a hack job of putting together a half assed plan for the day. Great work dick head! Better get a good night’s sleep because you’re not going to be getting any tomorrow night.

No need to worry about transport!
 Brento has it covered! 









When you wake up on the morning of the show you’ll probably find that all of your plans absolutely go to shit because you’re completely useless and definitely hungover; because you got too excited the previous night and started early. Not to worry, I personally like wake up with the mentality that all I need to do is have some beers and then go and check out an excellent band. Don’t stress, just grab the fellas and head to the pub. Sink a few schooeys and rock in whenever the fuck you feel like it. Just try not to miss the band you’re going to see.

Perfect pre-show hangs 

When James and I arrived with plenty of time to catch Koi Child we were pretty surprised to find that it was an all-ages show. Shout out to the Joot Busters that had to deal with our drunken bullshit and that QUT security guard who knew where the bathrooms were, chatting to passing teen girls is kinda creepy but I like your style. Naturally we decided to go and get another jug instead of seeing the opening act.

The sunset on the way back was totally worth it 

We made it inside Riverstage right in the middle of magic hour. Watching the sun cast a warm orange glow over thousands of people sitting on the grassy hill in front of us to the sound of Mini Mansions was just short of the perfect moment. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the band but I had a blast clutching two beers while meandering around and babbling incoherently at everyone I knew. That being said the dudes absolutely set the vibes for a great night. Check ‘em out:



As night fell thousands of people began to pour into the venue in anticipation of Tame Impala. Faces began to blur, navigating the expanding crowd became increasingly difficult. At times it became a bit much for me but luckily a cache of free water, Jimbo’s drunken antics and friends in all the right places kept my spirits high.

Friendly faces in the smoker’s cage 

When Tame Impala took the stage all of my anxieties melted away. We rushed forwards with thousands of others to the sound of ‘Let It Happen’. I was immediately swept up by the music and lost in the dissonance that comes with seeing a long-time favourite band in the flesh. We stood for a moment in awe of the mind bending visuals that accompanied the band before pushing forward into the dense crowd.

From ‘Mind Mischief’ through to ‘Elephant’ Kevin Parker took me on a spiritual journey. Crammed in-between eight thousand other sweaty, churning bodies I felt privileged to be alive in that moment, to be sharing such an amazing experience with so many other people. To feel everything with such intensity will be forever beyond the reach of an individual’s experience.



As the band began to play ‘Cus I’m A Man’ the vibes started to change. The crowd got a bit mean. Suddenly James and I were transported to an alien spaceship. The little Grey beings circled around Jimbo. One held him back and the others probed him furiously. I was powerless to stop them. His pupils grew until they engulfed the whites of his eyes like a great white shark. He was an animal fuelled by hundreds of overpriced beers. One by one he dropped the small beings with mighty punches. ‘Apocalypse Dreams’ began to play and I was back in the crowd. I was Alone among thousands.

As ‘Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control’ wrapped up and an eight thousand strong crowd prepared for mass exodus the wind picked up dramatically. It was the universe’s response to eight thousand minds being ripped wide open simultaneously. My phone was dead and I was worried about my friend. I was one out of the handful of lost wierdos searching for their people. I was lucky enough to find some friends. We wandered to Ric’s (where the aliens had graciously dropped James ). With the knowledge that my friend was safe and sound I caught a cab home to sit in my room and reflect on what was undoubtedly one of the best nights of my young life. I’ll leave you with this classic:





Hope you dig the words from Simmo.
ENJOY YO SELF