Live Review: Tame Impala, Mini Mansions

After braving a sweltering 37-degree day, thousands of punters made their way to Thebarton Theatre for the first of two sold out Tame Impala shows. Although the Perth outfit's third album Currents coincided almost perfectly with their Splendour In The Grass performance, this string of shows marks the album's official tour in Australia.

Supports Mini Mansions gave their all in a short but energetic set that included crowd favourites Death Is A Girl and Vertigo. The LA three-piece toured with Tame Impala in the States earlier this year, and will join them for all of their Australian dates. 

During intermission, a Gatsby-esque green light shone unwaveringly onto the stage. When the lights finally dimmed, it distorted and dispersed to herald Tame Impala and their opener Let It Happen. The band played at Sydney Opera House just last week, but their performance was somewhat overshadowed by complaints of bad acoustics — namely, it wasn't loud enough.

Well, the noise control and sound mixing stars must have aligned last night, because Tame Impala all but tore down the venue. Every guitar riff and bass line bellowed across the theatre, and landed like a smooth punch in the face.

As expected, the band's stage design was every bit as layered and immense as their soundscape. CMYK kaleidoscope visuals lulled the crowd into a much-obliged acid trip. Eyes were a motif for the night — emblazoned in green on the stage, and implied through the seven coin binoculars looming behind the band, they offered a way of transcending beyond ordinary sight.

Though the set list was geared towards the new album, the crowd was most responsive to old favourites Elephant and Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind?. For two hours, the crowd swam blissfully through Tame Impala's mind-bending visuals and soundscape. Only after the encore Feels Like We Only Go Backwards did they reluctantly surface for air.