The Pinnacle Nashville, TN
Contact: katien@grandstandhq.com
Web: djomusic.com
Players: Joe Keery, vocals, guitar, mellotron; Adam Thein, keys; Trent Prall, bass, keys; Sam Jordan, guitar; Javi Reyes, guitar, keys; Wesley Toledo, drums; Teddy Matthews, drums
Outside of The Pinnacle, fans camped over 12 hours to see Djo’s Nashville debut. Djo (pronounced “Joe”) is the brainchild of Joe Keery, star of Netflix’s Stranger Things.
Djo is not Keery’s first musical endeavor. After studying theater at DePaul University, he began creating music with Post Animal —a Chicago-based psych rock band. Due to his acting commitments, Keery parted ways with the band in 2017, but has since rejoined to record their latest record IRON. Post Animal opened the night with a set that had fans equally as excited.
The stage was soaked in a dark red light and the crowd was struck silent as Djo walked on stage and began to strum his guitar to the tune of “Awake.” Besides the music, all that could be heard was the quiet shutter of the photographers’ cameras in the pit. It was a scene unlike most concert openers. After a couple of minutes, the chords progressed and one brave fan shouted, “let’s go!” just as the lights turned bright white and the bass dropped. With that, a switch was flipped and the room became electric with shouts and cheers as the song transitioned into “Uglyfisherman.”
Djo’s latest album, The Crux, was released this past spring, breaking the Top 10 in U.S. Rock charts. It is a bit of a departure from previous albums Twenty Twenty and DECIDE, as it features more of a classic rock sound as opposed to the synthpop that fans were used to. With its deeply vulnerable lyrics, the album acts as a commentary on the idea of success, insecurity, fear, fame, and more.
A fan project turned the crowd into a sea of green light for the song “Potion.” Djo remarked that whoever coordinated the endeavor ought to be proud of their work. He also shared that his grandmother was in the crowd, prompting everyone to welcome her with cheers. “End of Beginning” practically shook the room with the crushing weight of nostalgia. The hit song has joined the Billions Club on Spotify and has become a part of the pop vernacular. After “Back On You,” fans pleaded for an encore, to which Djo happily obliged with “Chateau (Feel Alright)” and “Flash Mountain.”
Perhaps the most undercover artist of the night was Carlos Katsurayama, lighting designer and programmer. His work added an entirely new dimension to the performance. At times, he managed to split the stage in half, with one side appearing to be in black and white and the other in color. His use of light and color transformed the space into something that could not be achieved within the physical confines of the space, and truly left an impression on the crowd.
