Alongside the release of his new album, “The Crux,” Djo kickstarted his “Back On You World Tour” in the Pacific Northwest, arriving in Seattle April 8. The concert took place at the Paramount Theatre on Pine Street. Fans lined the sidewalks in excitement and anticipation for the doors to open.
The show opened with a stellar performance from Chicago band, “Post Animal,” a psychedelic rock group that Djo was formerly a member of. “Post Animal” was a unique opening act that had audience members energetically dancing and in awe of their various guitar and drum solos.
Djo is the stage name for musician and actor, Joe Keery, who is most known for his 2022 song, “End of Beginning,” which has over 1.4 billion streams on Spotify, and his role as Steve Harrington in the Netflix series “Stranger Things.” Djo released his first album, “Twenty Twenty,” in 2019 and defined his artistic persona and distinct sound. Djo’s music tends to blend psychedelia and synth-pop with indie rock tones.
Djo’s setlist blended older releases from his previous albums “Twenty Twenty” and “DECIDE,” playing long-time fan favorites like the songs “Chateau” and “End of Beginning,” while also including plenty of new tracks from “The Crux” like “Basic Being Basic.” Other songs featured in the setlist are “Runner,” “Fool,” “Lonesome Is A State of Mind” and “Gap Tooth Smile.”
Djo’s new album, “The Crux,” shows his love of retro rock sounds like that of The Beatles or Queen, while still remaining authentic to his electronic sound that can be heard in his previous album, “DECIDE.”
First-year Creative Writing Major Ava Norlander described how she feels listening to Djo’s newest album, “The Crux.”
“It’s just so twangy, it sounds like I would just be sitting in a cottage listening to it,” Norlander said.
Certain songs from the album really embody that bright twang and coziness, such as “Potion,” while other songs have a richer, full-bodied sound like “Fly” or “Golden Line.” The latter half of the album really emphasizes Djo’s appreciation for the rock sounds of the 60s and 70s. Djo includes lyrical references to Queen’s frontman, Freddie Mercury, in “Gap Tooth Smile” or the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”-esque instrumentation and “Octopus’s Garden” inspired lyrics on “Charlie’s Garden.” Throughout all of these tracks, however, Djo’s signature synthy sound is still present. “Egg” and “Crux” blend Djo’s familiar electronic sound from songs like “Roddy” or “Gloom” with his new, more acoustic sound.
Djo’s performance quality was captivating and the atmosphere was mystifying. The sound quality was clear and Djo’s instrumental and vocal skills were incredible. Djo formed a connection with the audience as he guided them on an emotional journey through the setlist.
First-year Chemistry Major Adilia Hjelle described the atmosphere of Djo’s concert as safe and comforting.
“Going to a concert can be a very emotional experience, and this felt like one of those places where it wouldn’t be weird to really like, feel those emotions and stuff,” Hjelle said. “It felt very safe and everyone seemed very nice. The sound quality was really good, I love Paramount, so the venue was really fun to go to, especially floor seating since I had never done that before.”
From the moment the concert-goers entered the Paramount, there was a mutual respect for the space and everybody in it, creating an enjoyable experience.
Norlander agreed that the atmosphere of the concert was comfortable and pleasant.
“It was super fun. I went with my friend. When we were in the crowd, we were pretty close, and all the people around us were dancing, everyone was singing along and we would always be talking about Djo with someone. The atmosphere was pretty fun,” Norlander said.
Djo’s concert gave fans and music lovers the opportunity to experience a genuinely passionate performance in a safe space, free of judgment or harm to just enjoy good art.
First-year Chemistry Major Renee Ng also enjoyed the concert.
“Sometimes Seattle audiences are stiff at concerts, but Djo was definitely an exception to that and I’m excited to continue exploring live music in Seattle,” Ng said.
At the end of the night, Djo left a remarkable impression on the stage of the Paramount and positively impacted his audience. Audience members had exciting and touching experiences, gaining a new appreciation for the artist. Despite not being familiar with every song on “The Crux” before attending the concert, Hjelle says that the unfamiliarity with some of the songs greatly contributed to their experience of the concert. During the show, Hjelle heard Djo’s new song, “Fly,” for the first time.
“It was one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. I’m very glad I heard it live… It showed me that maybe it’s sometimes good to go in a bit blind and not know everything,” Hjelle said.
Djo’s impact on his audience is outstanding and rare, he is a performer with a striking presence, an authentic appreciation for his fans and a true dedication to his craft.
