DJO BRINGS STAR POWER AND SYNTH-POP DREAMS TO RIT’S GORDON FIELD HOUSE IN ROCHESTER, NY
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY TAYLOR RAMBO
It’s 2016, and Stranger Things has premiered on Netflix, quickly captivating audiences with its 80s sci-fi setting and lively cast of characters. Among the standouts is Steve, played by Joe Keery, a name that would soon be associated with more than just acting.
It’s 2024, and I see Joe Keery staring back at me on TikTok while an infectious synth-laden pop song plays. Soon, I’m hearing that song echo throughout viral videos and on the radio. It’s his song. “The End of The Beginning” is inescapable and has struck a chord with audiences everywhere, launching Joe, aka Djo, into the public consciousness.
It’s 2025, Djo is set to play at the Gordon Field House at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The very same school where I once attended photography classes. I make my return to photograph this night among the same buildings where I attended lectures and labs many years ago. While Keery’s music career did not begin with his viral song or breakout role, I was curious to see what the artist known as Djo had to offer. The Gordon Field House is a multi-use facility that hosts concerts like this sparingly, but has set up a full-scale production and welcomed a massive all-ages crowd. With fans spread out throughout the floor and stands, the anticipation was palpable from the start.
Opening the show was Lisa Heller. A solid pop act accompanied by a drummer and guitarist. She set the tone well with her brand of pop, showing influence from Avril to Olivia. While her set began on the slower side, it picked up energy both in terms of music and in stage presence. This is where I felt she really shone. It’s always fun photographing a 3-piece act. Simple is often best, and they had a full sound that the crowd seemed to love. It felt very new age in a way, plus covering “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers is always a plus. She got the crowd warmed up and was fun to photograph. Before Djo even began, I noticed their changeover music was a funky, moody instrumental that would start and stop. You could practically hear the crowd hold their breath during the silence, eagerly waiting for the lights to drop and the show to begin. I felt that this was both a sign of their showmanship done right and the excitement building among the packed audience.
After opening with a synth instrumental (Uglyfisherman), the crowd erupts with cheer as Djo goes right into one of their hits, “Basic Being Basic,” with Joe Keery standing center stage at the mic. He carries himself with confidence, not arrogance, as if he were born for this rockstar life. Pure showmanship at work. The production looks incredible, with tons of color LED lights, strobes, and haze galore. The stage feels ethereal as I begin to take photos, still captivated by this larger-than-life figure who shows command and control over the audience. As an actor and public figure, I get the feeling he has a strong sense of self-awareness and where the cameras are. I find him in a couple of shots posing a bit, though not unnaturally. The band itself is huge; I counted six keyboards, two drum kits, and four guitars. The sound is full and robust, yet all eyes stay on Djo.
As the set goes on, it ebbs and flows with slower and faster tracks that blend seamlessly. “Gap Tooth Smile” features an upbeat count-in to “Awake,” a slower ballad that culminates in a surprisingly loud crescendo. I noticed that during this slower moment, the crowd pulled out their phone lights completely unprompted. They were entranced. I could see people dancing both up front and all the way in the back. The songs themselves had so much range, and he seems to wear his influences on his sleeve. It's 80s pop, it's the Beatles, it's The Killers, yet it’s all so modern. He would hop on keys for a few songs and had a few instrumental interludes. At this point, it’s clear to me that Djo is so much more than an act with a TikTok hit. These songs are fully fleshed out with a bigger picture in mind. It seems wrong to box him into that, although the anticipation for the big hit could definitely be felt with each pause. When “The End of The Beginning” finally started, it felt like an electric catharsis for this crowd. Everyone is singing along to the hook that has captivated so many, but despite this, Djo does not seem interested in rewriting the big hit. They’re creating these complex musical landscapes and are dedicated to putting on a good show.
I entered the night asking myself, “What is the power of a single song?” But left amazed and impressed by what had transpired. I felt as though I was photographing the beginning of an act poised to stay in the musical world for many years to come. More than an actor, more than a viral song, Djo has sights set much higher, and I can’t wait to see what that brings.