Post Animal Goes Gelatin Mode in Phoenix

april 19, 2025 - phoenix, arizona

Going into Saturday night’s sold-out show for DJO’s BACK ON YOU WORLD TOUR in Phoenix, I knew little about Post Animal. Aside from their recent single "Last Goodbye," released ahead of their upcoming album ‘Iron’ (dropping July 25th), the Chicago-based psychedelic band was a mystery—and that’s just how I like it. There’s something thrilling about discovering a band live and falling in love with their sound in real time.

From the moment they opened their set with the shoegaze-esque "Caving In" off their 2020 EP ‘Worried About You’, Post Animal had the crowd in the palm of their hands. The band—Dalton Allison, Jake Hirshland, Javi Reyes, Matt Williams, and Wesley Toledo—radiated chemistry and confidence from the jump.

They picked things up with the riff-heavy "Gelatin Mode" from their 2018 album ‘When I Think of You in a Castle’, leaning into their dynamic, psych-rock sound. With its hypnotic, cosmic breakdowns, it’s the kind of track that makes you feel like you’re floating through space.

My favorite part of the experience was the connection between the band and the audience—something rare to find with openers. This familiarity, I can only assume, stems from the band’s history with headliner DJO (aka Joe Keery), who was a founding member before his breakout role as everyone’s favorite reluctant babysitter, Steve Harrington, on Netflix’s Stranger Things. However, the way the music and performance resonated was entirely to the band’s credit. Even so, there was an added level of joy when Keery joined them on stage for a bit, and you could see how much fun they were having together again. In fact, this tour marks the first time all six original members have collaborated since Keery’s departure, making it feel truly special.

As they closed out their set, the disappointment in the room was tangible—a clear sign of how beloved this band is. And I get it. I became a full-fledged fan before they were even halfway through. With nostalgia always in style, Post Animal has an entire discography that invites you to dive headfirst into their trippy, heavy sound.

If you want to fall in love with this band the way I did, catch them on tour. After their North American run with DJO, they’ll head to Europe before launching their own headlining tour. While you wait for ‘Iron’, stream "Last Goodbye" and let the Post Animal obsession begin.