On November 3, 2025, Tame Impala brought the Deadbeat Tour to Chicago, hosting in the United Center. It was a night of dazzling lights, almost flawless sound, and moments of brilliance, yet I was left a little underwhelmed.

When I initially bought my tickets, Kevin Parker’s latest album “Deadbeat” was not yet released. I was excited, curious even, to see what he would come up with next. However, when the album was released, it felt… off. The album didn’t feel like the Tame Impala I’d been listening to my whole life. Nevertheless, I told myself I’d give it a chance, but I still hoped to hear plenty of the classics that made me a fan in the first place.

So, when nearly half the concert’s setlist consisted of his new songs, which accounted for 75% of the new album, I was surprised. I understand Parker is promoting his new work, but I felt like some of his best songs were sacrificed for the sake of exposure. However, that didn’t fully ruin the show for me (I mean, I saw Tame Impala live!) It just shifted the energy.

The visuals, though, were unreal. Lasers washed over the crowd in hypnotic waves, pulsing perfectly with the beat, exactly how my brain had imagined. It was surreal and deeply satisfying. And the sound? Incredible. Even from five stories up. I could hear every lyric, every layered sound, and even Parker’s breaths between verses.

I understand that Parker has been making music for almost 15 years, and change is natural. Still, Deadbeat didn’t hit like albums such as “Currents” or “The Slow Rush”. It feels more like chill background music than the kind of songs that make you dance like no one is watching. I respect the risk he took trying something new, it’s just that the emotional punch wasn’t there for me.

I will say, I did have a great time seeing Tame Impala live. The concert was visually stunning, almost sonically perfect, and a truly memorable performance, but Deadbeat as an album and as a live experience feels like it’s missing the spark that made Tame Impala unforgettable. As time passes, and I reminisce on the whole experience, I hope his new songs grow on me like Parker’s album Currents did.