Djo at Palace Theatre (26 Apr 2025)
Joseph David Keery aka Djo has a successful side gig as an actor, landing a breakout TV role as Steve Harrington in the wildly successful Stranger Things. But before all that he was living in Chicago, attending DePaul University, studying theater and playing in a band that was the opening act.
Djo Setlist
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It was a busy weekend in the Twin Cities with both the Timberwolves and Wild hosting playoff games. The Wild were locked in a 3-3 tie with the Las Vegas Golden Knights as I made my way through downtown St. Paul, the game playing on multiple TV screens at Smorgie’s Bar, which had opened its garage door windows to the warm spring air.
As I passed the Xcel Energy Center, a security guard asked me if I was heading to the Wild game.
“Off to the Palace,” I replied.
The Palace was as packed as the Xcel by the time I arrived, which wasn’t unusual considering who was headlining.
Joseph David Keery aka Djo has a successful side gig as an actor, landing a breakout TV role as Steve Harrington in the wildly successful Stranger Things. But before all that he was living in Chicago, attending DePaul University, studying theater and playing in a band that was the opening act.
Post Animal kicked off an early evening with a robust progressive rock sound. They are from Chicago with Dalton Allison on bass, Jake Hirshland on keys/guitar, Javi Reyes on guitar, Wesley Toledo on drums and Matt Williams on guitar. They are from Chicago and are on tour with Djo, supporting their latest album IRON with a release date of July 25th.
Playing together since 2014, we last caught them in June, 2023, opening for Temples at Fine Line, writing, “Everyone in the band took turns to take lead vocals at some point in their set, so it felt like there was really no one band leader… The band looked like they were having a very good time on stage, often moving and invading each other’s space on stage.”
The egalitarian spirit was still alive as everyone took turns at the mic with songs like “Caving In”, “Setting Sun” and a crowd favorite, “Alabaster.” Then, a new song on their upcoming album, “Last Goodbye” which was co-written with Djo, who joined them on stage.
Djo left Post Animal on amicable terms for his side gig demanded more of his time. He also took his musical career in a solo direction, already supporting his third solo album, The Crux.
Djo took the stage with a full band, some of the members like Toledo and Reyes had played the set before. He also played the role as band member instead of a rock star by covering up his famous hair and filling the first few songs with strobe lights to give the concert photographers a challenge.
All was fun as his vibe was laid-back and West coast cool, at times speaking into the mic with songs like “Basic Being Basic” and “Delete Ya”. Everyone in the crowd knew all the lines and sang along to them as well as “Charlie’s Garden” and “Lonesome Is a State of Mind.”
It was a full crowd and a young crowd, and they seemed to connect to Djo’s songs about navigating a life in your twenties like “Figure You Out” which felt personal and “End of Beginning” which was about going back to Chicago and realizing things will never be the same.
“Another year older, another year wiser,” Djo said after the song. “Another year… We’ll see.”
Remaining Tour Dates
- April 28 – Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Theatre
- April 29 – Toronto, ON – History
- May 01 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
- May 02 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
- May 03 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
- May 05 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
- May 06 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
- May 07 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
- June 01 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Olympia
- June 02 – Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy
- June 03 – Manchester, UK – O2 Victoria Warehouse
- June 05 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
- June 06 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
- June 07 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
- June 10 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Poolen
- June 11 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
- June 13 – Stockholm, Sweden – Annexet
- June 15 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands – Best Kept Secret Festival
- June 16 – Cologne, Germany – E-Werk
- June 17 – Berlin, Germany – Huxleys
- June 18 – Warsaw, Poland – Progresja
- June 20 – Scheebel, Germany – Hurricane Festival
- June 21 – Tuttlingen, Germany – Southside Festival
- June 23 – Paris, France – Élysée Montmartre
- June 24 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
- June 25 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
