Review and Photos by Danielle Boise
“I said, Shake it Atlanta!!!!!” – Tyler Glenn
The Tabernacle turned into a retro-fit 80s dance party Friday May 23, as the “Tabby” shook, hopped and stammered then night away when Neon Trees brought it’s Pop Psychology tour to Atlanta for a true poptastic experience with Nightmare and the Cat and Smallpools in support.
Neon Trees covered a range of material from 2010’s Habits, to 2012’s Picture Show and of course the namesake of the tour and 2014’s new release, Pop Psychology, like “Love In the 21st Century,” “Animals,” “I Love You (But I Hate Your Friends),” “Mad Love,” “Close to You,” “Teenager in Love” and “Text Me in the Morning.” “Thank you for knowing the words to new music.” Tyler Glenn declared to the screaming audience after “Text Me in the Morning.” “I get to sing these songs up here every night. You don’t know how much I appreciate you guys learning the words to new songs. It means so much to me.”
The most beautiful, poignant moment of the evening was when the lights dimmed to a single spot light on the stage and Glenn sat past the light, just slightly out of reach and quietly opened up to the audience as he exposed his struggles, darkness and joy over the previous few years as Glenn went into the touching “Voices in the Halls.”
The highlight of the night when Neon Trees caused the entire Tabby to go into a crazy sing-along and ruckus over 80s cover of The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” that left everyone in attendance elated and on cloud nine.
“Atlanta, Georgia (pause) can I let you in on a little secret that has helped me a lot recently? I meet a lot of great people out on the road. I run into some real assholes, some real jerks.” Like a preacher on a Sunday morning, in rapid fire succession Glenn spouted off a series of questions. “Why do you dress that way? Why do you do your hair that way? Why do you dance like that? Why do you” Why do you like boys.” And his answer is simple. “I don’t have the answers to any of the questions, that is just who I am.” As Glenn launched into Neon Trees’ top-charting single, “Everybody Talks.”
I can honestly say that Tyler Glenn is one of the most dynamic performers alive to date, very reminiscent of Michael Jackson, circa Bad. Glenn has a natural fluidity and gracefulness that propels him across the stage on point with ease in one second then in the next drops to his knees and folds backwards to the floor, all while never missing a note.
If you can only see one show all year long, this would be the show to see. The Pop Psychology tour is all that and more with a great line up of originals and covers, dance music and of course ’80s pop music making its presence known. It’s a night that should be repeated, and often.
Full Photo Gallery of Neon Trees
Full Photo Gallery of Smallpools
