Culture Cabinet

Djo, the musical moniker of multi-hyphenate Joe Keery, brought his Another Bite Tour to a sold-out crowd at Asheville Yards in Asheville, North Carolina, on September 30. The night kicked off with a high-energy set from supporting act Post Animal that more than adequately warmed the audience up, before Keery and his band took the stage for an electrifying 90-minute setlist spanning all three of Djo’s studio albums.

An artist like Djo naturally draws a wide mix of fans: from long-time followers who’ve been around since his 2019 debut Twenty Twenty, newer listeners who discovered him after the sleeper success of his mega-hit “End of Beginning” from 2022’s Decide, and, of course, younger attendees decked out in Stranger Things merch. But, no matter their entry point, Keery (and his band) were well equipped to provide the audience with a set that blended tight musicianship and striking visuals.

Unsurprisingly, the set leaned heavily on tracks from The Crux,  which was released earlier this year, opening with “Awake” from the recently released deluxe edition. While The Crux skews more stripped down and less electronic than its predecessor albums, Keery still delivered a spectacle with every song. Songs like “Egg,” “Fly,” and “Potion” felt intimate and acoustic in their stylings, but they were balanced with older, synth-heavy tracks from his other two albums that were paired with a full-on light show. A standout moment came with the instrumental interlude song “Listen,” a Decide B-side (or D-side, as it was marketed) track that unfolded against lighting effects splitting the stage into vivid sepia toned and stark black-and-white halves.

The show was also well paced, taking the audience on a wild ride that never faltered. Keery remained energetic without being rushed, immersive without dragging. Even the transition from Post Animal’s set into Djo’s felt seamless. The finale, “Flash Mountain,” brought Keery’s full band and his former Post Animal bandmates onstage together, radiating camaraderie and joy.

What elevated the night most was the electric exchange between performer and audience. Fans, many of whom had braved hours of pouring rain, screamed every lyric, while Keery and crew responded in kind, even laughing off a forgotten verse in “Basic Being Basic.” The result was a show that felt both communal and cathartic, offering Asheville a dose of pure joy in a year marked by hardship.

“I’ll keep writing music for as long as you keep listening,” Keery told the crowd. Judging by the night’s energy, he’ll be writing for a long time.

You can get tickets to Djo’s Another Bite Tour here.