Djo, an indie band fronted by Joe Keery — most famous for his role as Steve in “Stranger Things” — had a vice-like grip on the T-Mobile crowd on the second day of Lollapalooza.
Before Keery even sang a word, the audience’s anticipation was palpable as the band’s intro trailed on. As Djo began his performance, his passion for the city and the audience was evident.
“What’s up, Chicago?” Keery said. “It’s been too long.”
Keery was born in Massachusetts, but attended DePaul’s theatre school for college and grew quite attached to the city of Chicago.
With the performances of “Link” and “Basic Being Basic,” Djo established a gritty style that captivated the audience with Keery’s thick vocals laid over dark and driving instrumentals.
He then lightened up the performance with “Charlie’s Garden,” a ballad written about Keery’s time sharing a backyard with Stranger Things co-stars Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer during filming. The floating instrumentation and cheerful lyrics conveyed the buoyant feeling of true friendship — something further exemplified by a video of Heaton wishing Keery well that interrupted the song.
Heaton’s appearance on screen excited the audience, and many festivalgoers mumbled hopes that he would join Keery on stage. To their dismay, Heaton stayed present digitally, but his love for his friend was apparent through the screen.
In addition to Heaton’s message, “Charlie’s Garden” stood out with a trumpet solo — an instrument typically not present at Lollapalooza.
Djo then took the audience back in time with one of his earlier songs, “Roddy.” Switching up the established sound, this track incorporated synth with funky instrumentation to deliver the audience a unique listening experience.
In between many of his songs, Djo could be seen looking at the audience with an incredulous expression. Perhaps this was due to how full-circle this moment was for Keery.
“Not something I ever thought I would do, and to be up here looking back at you means a lot to me, so thank you for being here in a weekend full of great artists,” Keery said. “Thank you.”
Then, the moment most anticipated from his performance arrived.
“I wrote this song because of you guys,” Keery said right before a montage of his college years appeared on screens.
The end of the montage started Djo’s most well-known track, “End of Beginning.” The song serves as a testament to how much he enjoyed his time as a student in Chicago and how magical the city feels to him.
Keery’s love for the city was seen everywhere in his set, from an inflatable bean statue on the stage to his constant gratitude towards the audience.
This love, layered with Keery’s instinct of being expressive, made him an extremely interesting performer to watch from an audience standpoint. Although he didn’t employ all the bells and whistles, his personality carried his set to exemplary status, giving festivalgoers a set that allows them to reflect on the city they are in.
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