April 3rd was a very special day in Portland, Oregon, and for a very good reason.

Thursday marked not only the very first day of Djo’s very first tour, but also the release of his third studio album, The Crux. Djo, aka Joe Keery, may be known to you as Steve Harrington from Stranger Things, Kurt Kunkle from Spree, or Gator Tillman from Fargo, but he’s been carefully cultivating his music career since 2019. Joe’s found success in the music world since the beginning, with indie hits such as “Roddy” or “Chateau (Feel Alright),” TikTok sensation “End of Beginning,” or more recently, “Basic Being Basic.” However, this means anticipation for his most recent album has been at an all time high, and is there a more perfect way to hear it for the first time than at the first of three sold out shows at Revolution Hall?

The energy outside of the venue was unmatched, an unspoken nervousness between fans as they tried to mentally prepare for the show they were about to see. Everyone was going in blind; no idea what the stage set was, no setlist clues, the album wasn’t even out yet! In a way though, the unknown made everything a little bit more exciting, as it felt like this big moment that we were all about to share together.

Revolution Hall was packed to the brim by the time I made it in, but there was nothing less than enthusiasm and exhilaration in the air. I could tell people were getting a little antsy as the clock clicked closer to 9:15, anxious for this moment they had waited so long for, but their patience paid off the second Djo took the stage, decked out in his jacket and beanie (suddenly it all made sense that he started the tour here, he fit in perfectly with all the Portlanders).

We started the night off with “Runner,” the first of many songs to have their live debut on stage that night, transitioning nicely into “Gloom.” No one knew what to expect this tour, because Djo had simply never embarked on a world tour like this before, so the setlist being a perfect blend of older and new tracks was everything we could have asked for. Songs from every album were hit, with an obvious focus on The Crux, but not so much that the rest of Joe’s discography was missed. Combine that with a crowd that knows every word to every song (night one crowd gets a pass because the album literally wasn’t even out yet) and isn’t afraid to dance, and you have the equation to a perfect night out.

Listen to The Crux.

Go see Djo on tour. I know it’s pretty much completely sold out. But I also know what Djo fans are like, and if there’s a will, there’s a way.

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