The concerts seem to feel in full force at this time of the year and I’m not mad about it! I almost thought the weather was going to stop me here, but I was really glad I got to see Cage the Elephant after so long.
And by so long I mean it’s been eight years! That’s kind of crazy for someone like me. To be fair, Social Cues would have been an incredible tour to see if the pandemic hadn’t ruined my chances. Instead, I had to wait a few more years for a slightly disappointing follow up (by comparison), but I’ll take them when I can get them! And I think I’ll be making more of an effort to see them in the future. For whatever reason, these bands that I have liked for so long and am so used to seeing in smaller venues, are positively selling out to larger crowds these days. As a fan, that’s awesome, but as a hipster, it’s incredibly frustrating.
This venue was packed, but they were all very hyper to be there. I was a little more chill, but excited to see these guys again after so long. What made the evening more exciting was the chance to see Young the Giant for the first time as the opening act. Since these guys are a bit bigger than your average opener, they seemed to have a longer set time. That means I got to hear a bunch of songs that I totally forgot I knew! I completely forgot how awesome “Silvertongue” is, but I was equally sad to miss out on “Something to Believe In.” I wasn’t aware that these guys had been together for that long, so they took the opportunity to really play around with their set. Good for them!
What I wasn’t expecting for the evening was seeing Matt Shultz rolling out on a scooter. I think Cage the Elephants’ entrance on the stage was much more subdued than they wanted, but that’s what happens when you’ve broken your foot so severely that the doctor tells you that you could do permanent damage if you don’t keep off of it. So kudos to the always moving Shultz for staying on that thing. Sure, he was kind of swinging off of it, but his bad foot never touched the ground. And he still managed to keep his performance high energy throughout the whole evening. Hey, he found a way to embrace a setback and make it fun.
I was so happy to hear “Broken Boy” and “Ready to Let Go” off of Social Cues, and “Good Time” off of Neon Pill absolutely slapped in a live setting. It was hilarious listening to the finance bros behind me lose their minds over older hits like “Cold Cold Cold” and “Trouble.” Of course, it wouldn’t be a successful set if we didn’t hear the song that made them, “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” but I was most pumped to hear “Shake Me Down” from that older batch. Even the songs I wasn’t as familiar with still sounded great. They put on a high energy show and just seemed overall really happy to be playing in front of a crowd, so it was a really fun evening.
I hope I don’t have to wait another eight years to see these guys again. And if you get the chance, take it, because Cage the Elephant are a real treat!