T in the Park review: Tame Impala

THE deluge that strikes Balado midway through Saturday afternoon is a double-edged sword for Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala.

On the plus side, it attracts a healthy crowd under the canvas to watch their set in the Red Bull tent. But it isn't exactly the sort of atmosphere their acid-fried music was designed for.

Casting such doubts aside and with little ceremony, they launch themselves into a set which unsurprisingly draws heavily on last year's Innerspeaker album. Unsurprising because that's their only LP to date.

It's a swirling, trippy ride that could almost have been dug up in a time capsule from 1969. But unlike the full-scale indulgence of that era, there's an edge to Tame Impala that propels their sound comfortably into the 21st century.

While some of the crowd are undoubtedly here to shelter, there is a hardcore ring of punters at the front who bounce along, punch the air and break into near hysteria at the start of Desire Be Desire Go.

It's not the highlight of the weekend by any stretch of the imagination, but Tame Impala prove they are a band for all elements.

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