The set, directed by filmmaker Sean Durkin, featured three songs from the group’s new LP, Deadbeat
Tame Impala showcased three songs off their new album Deadbeat for A24‘s “Sound Check” live series. The set, held at New York’s Cherry Lane Theatre and directed by The Iron Claw filmmaker Sean Durkin, featured renditions of “My Old Ways,” “Dracula,” and “Loser.”
The Australian group, led by Kevin Parker, set up on the empty theater’s stage in a circle to perform the sprawling tracks. The performance stayed largely true to the album, released last week, focusing on its psychedelic rock vibe. Durkin gave the clip a moody feel with low lighting that kept the musicians in the shadows on the stage for some of the performance.
Deadbeat is Tame Impala’s highly-anticipated fifth studio album. Last week, Parker and company visited NPR’s Tiny Desk to deliver the band’s first-ever all-acoustic performance. Armed with six acoustic guitars — one of which was used as the percussion — Tame Impala played four songs over 20 minutes, opening with The Slow Rush’s “Borderline” before performing two tracks off Deadbeat, “Loser” and “Dracula.”
Parker previously described his long-awaited follow-up to 2020’s The Slow Rush as “kind of a future primitive rave act,” and an accompanying press release for Deadbeat reiterated that compelling musical aesthetic, citing Western Australia’s rave scene and bush doof culture as inspiration.
Tame Impala will hit the road later this month on their six-city U.S. tour in support of Deadbeat, beginning Oct. 27 with a four-night stand at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and concluding Nov. 17 with the third of three gigs at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.
