Tame Impala’s music soared at Kemba Live
If you waited in line for nearly five hours in constant rain for a rock concert – for instance last night at Kemba Live – your best bet for sunny redemption would be Tame Impala, who finally took the stage at 10:30 p.m.
In case you missed it, it rained yesterday. All day yesterday. And all last night. Gates were scheduled to open at 5:30 pm. for the Australian band’s first appearance in Columbus in seven years. Though it was pitched in the huge parking lot behind the venue – capacity 10,500 – the concert was sold out.
And then the rain came, causing delays that kept the gates clamped shut until about 8:15 and left the last soaked stragglers trailing in about two hours later.
L.A. band Automatic opened the show The last bunch missed opening band Automatic, who performed an appealing but short set of post-punk. The L.A. women’s trio played a set of guitar-less, nervous pop that reminded of ‘80s English bands such as the Au Pairs and the Raincoats and American bands such as the Bush Tetras and Waitresses. Despite the limitations of the gig, they seemed plenty ready for prime time.
Then it rained some more.
Finally, Tame Impala takes the stage
Tame Impala took the stage buoyed by the youngish audience’s stamina. By the band’s second song, “Borderline,” the crowd roared as loud as a of couple jet fighters passing overhead. The band’s set was top-loaded with songs from its newest album, “Slow Rush,” just its fourth full studio album in its 12 years. The euphoric beats and positive vibes were the best thing a crowd soaking for hours in the rain could hope for. The lilting synthesizer parts often suggested the swaying of the surf and sunlight as reflected by the ocean. It was not altogether surprising, given the band’s origins in Perth, the
coastal surfside metropolis on Australia’s west coast.
Band auteur Kevin Parker writes, performs and produces all the band’s recordings while performing with a fivepiece band on the road. Clearly he is the focal point on stage but the group nonetheless has a chemistry that belies its solo-generated albums.
Despite delays, performance was worth the wait
As the set reached the midway of its 90 minutes, the band’s material began to show its depth. “Breathe Deeper” was an early highpoint. Its ‘80s soul music feel
brought a smile and a dance to the crowd that by then was more than ready for a good time.
Then Parker said, “Let’s kick it up a notch,” as he led the band into “Elephant,” from the group’s 2012 neo-psychedelic classic “Lonerism.” Built on a rumbling Pink Floyd-inspired bass line, it also featured the sort of obtuse melodic verse that can be found in early Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath recordings. And the crowd roared some more.
A few more songs from the early days outlined the transition the group has made from guitar-based psychedelia to rave-inspired electronica with its last two releases.
Video screens behind the band featured psychedelicized images of the group while performing as well as abstract designs and nature clips. One song in particular was augmented by a huge crashing surf behind the band.
Its laser light display was scintillating and was made even more so as the raindrops glistened in the lights’ trail like floating glitter.
When all was said and done, though, the rain that had been perhaps forgotten just for a few golden moments, outlasted the show. As the band came back for an encore, it continued to drizzle, a gentle accompaniment to memories of a pleasant but hard-fought night.