Tame Impala @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, 8/7/12

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The Australian psych-rockers, Tame Impala, have been in the back of my mind for about a year now as a band I should have been listening to. I took the actual plunge with the opportunity to catch them perform live and was rewarded handsomely for my efforts. More and more, I find my ties to what music I follow is based on how well I judge the artist live.

Opening tonight was Young Magic, an experimental/electronic trio based in Brooklyn. I actually caught them opening for Korallreven earlier this year, and was mightily impressed then. They’ve got a trippy sound all their own, which was completed tonight with Hindu-themed visuals. However, it seems they’ve caught themselves in quite the bind this time. They played tonight without their drummer, who is stranded in Australia with visa issues. Sampled drums substituted as best they could. I hope they can resolve their issues.

Upon taking the stage, Tame Impala quickly asserted control with their second single, Solitude is Bliss. I find their heavily distorted guitars quite interesting when juxtaposed with their singer’s light tone; it eerily evokes The Beatles for me. They play some good jams, though the energy level never gets high enough to really get people doing more than just spacing out. Their main set closer, Half Full Glass of Wine, was definitely pushed to a furious tempo and length live. Apparently, we were the beneficiaries of a special treat tonight, Tame Impala’s alleged first encore. I find that hard to believe for a band of their maturity, but hey, bring on the good times.

Tame Impala is a band only gaining in popularity, with the impending release of their second album, Lonerism, this Autumn. They play two shows here again in November on a tour specifically in support of it.

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