Djo with Post Animal at Grinders KC, Kansas CIty MO (2025-10-07)

This show was anything but ‘basic being basic’–

Sold-out months and months ago, a capacity crowd stood outdoors on the backyard wood chips of Grinders KC for a much-anticipated show from Djo and Post Animal, currently out together on their Another Bite Tour.

Djo is the musical project of actor / producer / songwriter Joe Keery (from Stranger Things) who released his third record, The Crux earlier this year. As an unexpected follow up, The Crux Deluxe was released last month– a 12-track companion album from the same sessions, written, recorded and produced by Keery and his collaborator Adam Thein (both records are out now, available via AWAL).

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The night began with a well-received set by Chicago indie psych rock band Post Animal, (which still counts Keery as a member) in support of their new album Iron- released in late July and their first record made with original band member Keery, in over seven years.

In 2017, Keery retreated from that band to focus on acting as Stranger Things began to take off, and then he also began his own solo music project. The remaining members carried on and all reunited in the studio after time apart, so the new album and resulting tour, is a true musical family reunion.

The crowd was enthusiastic from the beginning (the band themselves couldn’t remember their last time in town, so people were understandably happy to see them), jumping in place and singing along to their songs, as band members switched who would be on lead vocals, depending on the song.

The band noted the still-large effect of the fall harvest moon in the eyeline of the dark horizon, and managed to work in a song commemorating the event (Neil Young cover?) and Keery himself emerged from backstage, to join the band on their final two songs- the new “Last Goodbye” (not to be confused with the Jeff Buckley song) and 2018’s “Dirtpicker”, from their debut album.

When the band asked who was from Lawrence, a loud cheer from mostly students was heard, and the band reminded all, that they’ll return to the area (likely without Keery) on December 3^rd at The Bottleneck, so there’s one more chance if you missed the show or want to see a headlining set.

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Halloween looked like it was coming early as lights dimmed and a dense fog rolled onto the stage as the members of Djo took to the stage one by one, for their headlining set. Once Keery said, “awake”, the lights brightened and the band launched into their opening song of the same name.

An early on hiccup found Keery’s synth not working correctly, but he assured all that their tech, David would fix it. Sure enough, as the crowd chanted his name, he fixed it quickly and show went on. In maybe a nod to the previous weekend’s nearby Chappell Roan shows, Keery even donned a pink cowboy hat, with the ladies along the front rail swooning to his every word and move.

Keery described everyone on the tour as his family and mentioned that 2019’s single, “Roddy” was the first music that he composed for this project. He also commented how fun it was to say, “Hit it, Wes!” as the song segued into an extended drum solo from one of their two drummers, Wesley Toledo.

Midway through, crowd members took to heart the lyrics of song, “Potion”- “Just to find someone who leaves on the light for me, leaves on the light for me” and held their cell phone lights and lighters high, echoing a social trend that every city is doing when the band plays this song.

With temperatures higher than average and a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, someone passed out near the front, which the band noticed, causing them to stop playing for a few minutes, with Keery mentioning after medical staff resolved the situation, that this was a show full of “twists and turns.”

With Post Animal’s guitarist Javi Reyes at his side (Reyes played both sets), Keery asked the crowd to sing along with 2022’s “End of Beginning”, further inciting them to sing louder, which the audience happily complied with, and Keery mentioning the show being a “wild ride” and one they wouldn’t soon forget.

The two-song encore began with Keery emerging from backstage, making sure to thank everyone that had to wait in the long entry lines (it was sold-out after all) and lyrically reminisced about meeting someone special on 2019’s “Chateau (Feel Alright).”

The affection for the crowd was answered back, as we spied someone dressed as Maya Hawke’s character from Stranger Things, Robin while another girl made her way up to give Keery a bouquet of flowers.

As Keery held up a finger for one more song, the additional members of Post Animal came back out (with one member carrying a megaphone) to sing with him on the evening-closing, “Flash Mountain” as the crowd bounced and danced along one last time, singing with the chorus, “Flash Mountain is getting you up, that’s right!”

Twists, turns, and, dare we say it- a few stranger things, but ultimately a fun and worth-the-wait show from Djo and Post Animal, who happily took another bite in Kansas City.

DJO at GRINDERS KC, KANSAS CITY MO (2025-10-07)

POST ANIMAL at GRINDERS KC, KANSAS CITY MO (2025-10-07)