With only six more dates this summer, Cage the Elephant’s 2016 tour is nearly over. While traveling across the US and Canada from May through July, the energetic rock band will be performing at a collection of auditoriums, festivals, and arenas.
Since their self-titled album of 2009, they’ve gained a loyal following. Although it was initially met with some skeptical reviews, the album, as well as few specific songs, hit chart-topping success. Cage the Elephant drew from major classic rock and 90’s alt-rock influences, like the Rolling Stones and Beck. They’ve continued to release three more albums, all with different influences and attitudes. Over the years, the eclectic and varied tone of Cage the Elephant has drawn fans of every background.
This became obvious at their recent San Francisco show. Some friends and I decided to buy tickets to see Cage the Elephant and Portugal. the Man at SF’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. We arrived early enough to be a few rows of people away from the stage, right in the center. I knew a few other groups of people there already, all of which were very unlike mine. Some were there mostly for Portugal. the Man, others were there because tickets were cheap, but we were all there to see some amazing live performances.
Although someone fainted during the opening act and the one of the guitarist's strings broke, the set went somewhat smoothly. After the warm-up, the stage crew began preparing for Portugal. the Man. Of course, hoards of people began rushing down from the seats to push their way into the standing room.
Portugal. the Man, like Cage the Elephant, also draws from a variety of diverse influences. Because of the energetic, sing-along ability of Portugal’s songs, the standing room was crowded with lively individuals jamming out to the music. Some of these people were middle-aged stoners, others were preppy high schoolers. Regardless of age, interest, or style, we were all packed into that venue to enjoy the performance. Likewise, the members of Portugal. the Man brought an extra verve to the performance that isn’t always present with live music. Maybe it was just because of the smaller venue, but the audience and band seemed to feed off each other's energy.
When the stage crew began to prep for Cage the Elephant, even more people crammed into the limited standing room. Although my friends were spread throughout the crowd, everyone around me was sociable and interesting. One new friend, Teddy, and I managed to stay near each other for the entire concert, despite incessant pushing and shoving.
The moment Cage the Elephant ran onstage, the overheated audience started screaming. Lead singer Matt Schultz has become famous for his liveliness and enthusiasm, which only added to the hype of the crowd. They performed a solid set, pulling from all their albums and styles. Because of the band’s years of popularity, the entire venue erupted during some well-known songs. It seemed like the everyone was singing along to “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Trouble.” During “Shake Me Down,” Matt Schultz even lifted his entire microphone stand over his head and leaned it toward the crowd. The universality of their music connected both the audience members to each other and the audience members to the performers.
As someone who has been to plenty of alternative and rock concerts, this one was truly different. The audience’s energy, fueled by the bands’ enthusiasm, created a friendly, enjoyable environment that is too rare at concerts. Both Portugal. the Man and Cage the Elephant did an amazing job of keeping the show lively, and both have cemented themselves as legends in the alt-rock world.
