Concert Review: Tame Impala Electrifies Dallas During the ‘Deadbeat Tour’

Written by Isabella Navarro

It’s been 1,773 days since I witnessed Tame Impala during ‘The Slow Rush Tour.’ Now, he’s nearing the end of the ‘Deadbeat Tour’ in North America. Kevin Parker, the mastermind behind Tame Impala, took the stage on Sep. 17, 2026, at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 

Dominic Fike and DJO were the opening acts for this run, with Fike commanding the stage in Dallas. Fike started his set with “Westcoast Collective” under orange-dimmed lights. “Mona Lisa” was one of my favorite songs Fike played, with a new rendition of the track that was more guitar-esque with additional harmonizing vocals throughout. 

During “misses” technical difficulties occurred when Fike’s mic went silent as he attempted to sing, so the set took a pause. Once the mic was working again, Fike came back on stage, unfazed by the mishap, and continued on to express how much he loved Texas. Fike mentioned that he ate brisket earlier that day and felt like a true Texan, showing gratitude and love toward the state since Fike is from Southern Florida, and hospitality is a big part of the South. 

“Babydoll” and “How Much Is Weed?” were two classics Fike played for the crowd. The audience all screamed in unison while singing “Photo album, but the color faded from it / If I could go back and tell you how it ends, I would've done it / Don’t look down (ooh).” 

“bowie box” created a nostalgic feeling during the set, shifting from upbeat sounds to a mellow tone. Fike ended his set with “Why”, a song that got everyone on their feet and jumping up and down. Despite the technical difficulties he experienced, Fike amped up the crowd throughout his set with vocals and stage presence that remained impactful to new and old fans. 

At 8:45 p.m., sounds of ocean waves and volcanic eruptions filled the arena before Tame Impala entered the stage and opened with "Apocalypse Dreams." Afterward, the beginning drop of “Borderline” began, and the crowd went wild, including me, for this iconic song. Parker yelled to the crowd, “Dallas!” before singing all together, “Will I be known and loved?/ Is there one that I trust? / Starting to sober up / Has it been long enough?” 

Recently returning to the limelight with the release of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” “Loser” then boomed through the arena to a sea of cheers. When the recognizable guitar riff started playing, the audience all cheered and swayed to the melody, singing “I'm a loser, babe (Yeah) / Do you wanna tear my heart out?” with flashing lights taking over the stage. 

Tame Impala is known for bringing an enormous amount of lights, lasers, and color to their show, and that was evident during “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards,” as rainbow lights filled the arena and rotated in a circular motion, capturing all of the different colors on fans’ faces. The light visuals made me feel like I was in a trance, with my eyes wanting to take a snapshot of the memory and hold it in my brain forever. 

Parker then moved to the B Stage, where fluorescent warm-lighted lamps surrounded him. Taking it as a moment to rest, the audience relaxed into their seats as Parker started with a jam session with the equipment he had on stage. Parker then performed “Ethereal Connection” and “Not My World” from his most recent record, Deadbeat. 

I’ve seen “Let It Happen” live once, and it's a phenomenon everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Seeing this song live again brought me back to seeing Tame Impala in 2021 when I was a sophomore in high school. Now, I’m a junior in college, and a lot has happened between now and then. But something that will always stick with me is singing the lyrics “Baby, now I'm ready, moving on / Oh, but maybe I was ready all along.” As the drop toward the end of the song was approaching, Parker talked with the crowd and told everyone to “get ready.” When the bass dropped, confetti shot out from the stage as it floated down over the crowd, people reaching for the small pieces of paper to remember the moment. 

One of the most memorable parts of the night was when Parker announced that he’d be playing a deep cut from his discography. I was anxiously waiting for him to say what song it was, but before he did, he said that he only played this specific song when he “really liked the city.” Parker paused, and the chords of “List of People (To Try and Forget About) began. I, along with several other fans, screamed with excitement because this song had been one of my favorite underground tracks of his since 2020. The instrumentation, performance, and energy in the room were unparalleled, and I felt like I was in a dream, except it was my reality, a surreal one at that. 

The emotional “Eventually” and “New Person Same Old Mistakes” had everyone in their feelings. During “Eventually” the hardcore drums and high-pitched vocals from Parker brought the song to life when everyone sang “Wish I could turn you back into a stranger / 'Cause if I was never in your life / You wouldn't have to change it.” Another explosion of confetti shot out again after the bridge of “New Person Same Old Mistakes.” The crowd sang “Feel like a brand-new person / So, how will I know that it's right?” while being covered in confetti and pure bliss. 

“Dracula,” the first single off Deadbeat that was also remixed with BLACKPINK member Jennie, started the encore section of the setlist. After that, Parker performed “The Less I Know the Better”, the most streamed song in his discography, and for good reason. The arena was the loudest it had been in the two-hour set, with everyone yelling the chorus with a smile on their faces. After the bridge, confetti rang out a third time as Parker sang “I was doin' fine without you / 'Til I saw your face, now I can't erase.” No one was ready to leave, and Parker kept the momentum for one more song. 

Parker told the crowd, “I don’t know if you realize this, but it’s nearly the end of summer,” before finishing off the show with “End of Summer.” My eyes were glued to the stage and Parker’s band, not wanting to ever say goodbye to the euphoria I felt during the concert. Parker outdid himself once again, bringing psychedelia, rock, and ultimate jams for everyone to enjoy. The music that brought over 20,000 people together to see “just one guy” was an unforgettable experience that I’ll be searching for in the shows I see next. 

Photographs shot on mobile by Isabella Navarro