Tame Impala at Rogers Arena

A kaleidoscope of light and colour cast a vision of hazy, psychedelic dreams throughout the stadium as Australia’s Tame Impala performed the fan-favourite, “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” to the ecstatic crowd in Vancouver. The meticulously-choreographed light show is as imperative to the performance as the music and provides an impressive glimpse into the imagination of Tame Impala mastermind, Kevin Parker.

The full circumference of Rogers Arena was sold out for the show, the first of two nights in Vancouver following the release of Tame Impala’s fifth studio album, Deadbeat, in 2025. A large circular stage was set up in the centre of the floor with a small, secondary stage located to one side. The surrounding area was crowded with fans following the night’s opener, Dominic Fike. What a 19,000+ capacity venue like Rogers Arena lacks in intimacy, it makes up for in energy as the large crowd was positively buzzing in anticipation of the headlining act. As the lights dimmed and the musicians climbed up the steps to the main stage, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers.

Conceived in 2007, Tame Impala is the project of Australian musician Kevin Parker, who writes and produces the project’s music. Though often described as Psychedelic rock music, Parker boldly draws influences from many genres when creating for Tame Impala, with the latest album Deadbeat leaning heavily into electronic and dance influences.

Throughout the two-hour set, a satisfying blend of tracks from Deadbeat and the rest of Tame Impala’s discography was met by an enamoured and euphoric audience who let forth bursts of energy and sang along to songs like 2015’s “Let it Happen”, bobbed along under an eerie red glow to 2025's “Dracula”, and occasionally called out words of affirmation like, “We love you, Kevin!”

Midway through the performance, Parker took the audience along, via video camera, for a bathroom break (an ongoing tradition he instated at shows to turn an awkward pause into an opportunity), before chilling out on the annex stage for a couple of tracks. Lying down against cushions amid a circle of ornate lamps, Parker appeared to offer a glimpse into his often home-based and solitary creative process. With synthesizers at his feet he set the beats going and lied back to sing out while staring up to the ceiling. Parker’s completely chill position contrasted yet complemented the pulsing rhythms of Deadbeat’s, “Ethereal Connection” and “Not My World”.

On the main stage, Parker’s bandmates kept their places, sometimes lost in the lights, while Parker circled around to ensure face-time with all of his fans. Wearing trousers and a striped sweater, his hair soon matted with sweat, Parker’s demeanour remained low-key throughout the night. He engaged the crowd with simple conversation and a few light jokes between songs, letting the brilliant arrangement of sound and light provide ample dynamism and excitement.

From the first song of the night, “Apocalypse Dreams”, to the three-track encore, every moment of the show was expertly sequenced as each song was represented by its own spectacular arrangement of lights and lasers. From the pink and blue glow circling the stage for 2020’s “Breathe Deeper” to frantically flashing rays shot up into the balcony for the night’s finale, 2025’s “End of Summer”. Add to that the three separate explosions of confetti that filled the stadium and it was more than a concert, it was a holistic experience.