Nashvillians already know Joe Keery — he’s been on our screens for years. But on Oct. 2, Music City will meet Djo.
The actor, known for playing the popular jock Steve Harrington on TV show “Stranger Things,” is bringing his musical persona to Nashville for the very first time.
The genre-blending Djo will hit the stage on Oct. 2 for a sold-out show at The Pinnacle, a 4,500-person venue.
Following the release of Djo’s April record “The Crux” and its Sept. 12 deluxe edition, the “Another Bite” tour brings Keery to town with his former band, Post Animal, as the opener.
Before the show, The Tennessean caught up with Keery.
Joe Keery talks new Djo record ‘The Crux Deluxe’
Djo came onto the scene in 2019, quickly gaining a following for his mix of indie rock and psychedelic synth-pop.
If you don’t think you’ve heard of Djo — you have.
In early 2024, his 2022 track “End of Beginning” went viral on social media, famous for it’s nostalgic line: “And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it / Another version of me, I was in it.”
His hits, which include “Roddy” and “Chateau (Feel Alright),” are reminiscent of artists from Tame Impala to Dr. Dog and Wallows.
Djo’s original “The Crux” included the playful hit “Basic Being Basic” and the ’80s-sounding rock track “Delete Ya.”
On the surprise companion album, standouts include the Beatles-like track “Carry The Name,” which turns from morose to bright over a quick two minutes, and “Mr. Mountebank,” a tune propelled by a rich, electronic sound with heavily modified vocals.
The 12 new tracks were all in contention for the original album, which came together over two years and started with 50 song ideas.
“I just didn’t feel like leaving those (songs) in the dark,” said the 33-year-old Massachusetts native. So he crafted the deluxe edition.
The album’s tracks center around “questioning your place in the world,” Keery said, as well as heartbreak and navigating relationships.
Keery knows he could’ve put out a whole new album, but said these tunes felt more like an extension of the past.
“I’m all about trying to push the sound forward each time and try to do something different.”
Joe Keery on balancing music, acting careers. What to expect at Djo Nashville show
Aside from dropping the 24 in-total “Crux” tracks, 2025 has brought Djo to the stage of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Coachella, and Lollapalooza in Chicago — the city where he attended college at DePaul University, and the one he shouts out in “End of Beginning.”
This summer, Post Animal released their record “Iron,” the first album that Keery created with the band in over seven years. He departed in 2017 to focus on acting.
Since 2016, Keery has appeared in four seasons of “Stranger Things,” which wrapped filming its fifth and final season in Dec. 2024.
“When I was doing this album (“The Crux”), it was simultaneously while we were shooting ‘Stranger Things,’ and also while we were doing the Post Animal album,” Keery said.
“And for whatever reason at that time in my life, I think because I was sort of zooming around and working so much, I didn’t give myself a chance to really catch my breath.”
In August, Keery took a mini hiatus.
He settled into his apartment in New York City, cooked a fair amount, visited the farmers market often, and ate a “ton of tomatoes,” he said. All the while, he geared up for tour, which kicked off at the end of September in New York, where he played All Things Go alongside Doechii, Lucy Dacus and Clairo.
For this tour, Keery’s worked on some new material and will also be reprising a few older tracks he’s wanted to play for a long time.
Keery and Post Animal will pop out for a few tunes in each other’s sets, Keery said, adding that touring with buddies becomes “a little home away from home.”
He was excited to swing through Atlanta, where much of “Stranger Things” was filmed, and to stop in Nashville.
Keery’s only ever driven through town once in 2016, where he briefly stopped to eat at Arnold’s Country Kitchen. When asked if he’s going to hit the honky-tonks in Nashville this time around, Keery said, “we certainly should — I’ll tell you that.”
“I’m sure this run is going to fly by just as fast as every other one did,” he said.
Keery tries to stay present, documenting as much of his busy life as he can. He takes photos and prints out huge stacks whenever he’s on the road or filming — a habit that started when he appeared on “Fargo” in 2023.
“Maybe there’s an end of the year Christmas card to be made,” he joked.
What’s next for Joe Keery?
Djo’s tour, which is under 20 stops, will come to an end on Oct. 21 in Los Angeles.
Shortly after, the final episodes of “Stranger Things” will begin airing on Nov. 26.
Although Keery’s in the cast, he’s still ready to pop the popcorn and watch. You don’t get to see everything on set, he said.
“My part of the experience is kind of over, which is sort of sad, but I’m so glad that it happened. I just feel very lucky,” Keery said, sending love to his co-stars.
In 2026, Keery’s film “Cold Storage” will release, a movie that also stars Liam Neeson and Georgina Campbell and follows a contagious fungus outbreak.
Keery has yet to nail down future projects. “Still sort of waiting for the right thing to come along,” he said.
But for now, Keery’s waving goodbye to the end of the beginning.
Screen, stage or studio — Keery’s not going anywhere.
To learn more about Djo, visit djomusic.com.
Audrey Gibbs is a music journalist at The Tennessean. You can reach her at agibbs@tennessean.com.
