Lauren Chiou / Daily Nexus

American rock band Cage the Elephant performed at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Wednesday, July 3 as part of their Neon Pill Tour. With an exciting performance of new and old hits, their performance served as the showcase of the group’s iconic and ever-evolving sound.

Led by frontman Matt Shultz, the band consists of Shultz’s brother and guitarist Brad Shultz, guitarist Nick Bockrath, guitarist and keyboardist Matthan Minster, bassist Daniel Tichenor and drummer Jared Champion. Formed by the Shultz brothers back in 2006, Cage the Elephant is known for their signature sound inspired by classic rock, ‘90s alternative, punk and funk.

“Neon Pill” was released May 17, 2024 and marks the band’s first album in five years. With the release of the first track and single “Good Time,” the album received positive reviews from critics and served as a strong return to the music world. 

Cage the Elephant was joined in Santa Barbara by country artist Willow Avalon, experimental indie-rock artist Bakar and rock band Young the Giant who performed as opening acts. 

Avalon, decked out in Southern belle attire, kicked off the show under the hot summer evening sun. While the crowd was relatively empty at 5 p.m., head bobs were spotted across the crowd as audience members flooded the bowl stands and general admission pit. Avalon’s voice was sweet yet powerful, delivering clever quips and unique country melodies.

Bakar took the stage next. The English indie singer ran on stage and up to the microphone with no shirt and a knit balaclava — representative of his funky and experimental artistry. Despite being the only performer without a band accompaniment, Bakar still managed to capture the attention of the audience with his charismatic nature. He made a point to interact with the crowd multiple times, at one point replacing his balaclava with another knit beanie and saying “I’m having a bad hair day.” 

Bakar closed out his set with his hit song “Hell N Back,” which had the crowd on their feet and singing along. As the song came to an end he went down to the pit and sang directly to the crowd. Projected on the venue’s video screens were fans reciting the outro lyrics: “Could you tell where my head was at when you found me? / Me and you went to hell and back just to find peace.”

Young the Giant, fellow indie rock band and longtime friends of Cage the Elephant, served as the last opening act. Audience members cheered as the band made their way onto the stage, dressed in pinnacle indie hipster attire, and began their set with “Jungle Youth.” 

To the joy of the crowd, Young the Giant made sure to play their biggest hits — “Cough Syrup” and “Mind Over Matter.” However, the group made sure to play deep cuts as well. In between songs, lead singer Sameer Gadhia announced that 2024 marks the 10-year anniversary of the band’s second album, “Mind Over Matter,” and that they would be playing songs from throughout their two-decade career. 

This announcement was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience, with crowd members rising to their feet in order to dance along to Young the Giant’s songs, hits and underground alike. The band served as a strong conclusion to the opening act segment, and successfully warmed up the audience for the night ahead. 

Murmurs of excitement filled the crowd in between the opening acts and main event. As the sun began to set and the bowl lights dimmed, Cage the Elephant finally took the stage to roars of cheers. Smoke machines and flashing lights set up the electrifying atmosphere as Matt Shultz ran across the stage, clapping his hands and jumping to an almost impossibly high height as the band kicked off their performance with “Broken Boy.”

Matt Shultz was the perfect frontman and hype man. He was electric on and off the mic, whether it was shown in his signature vocals and mid-song adlibs or sprinting up and down the stage, constantly jumping to the beat and encouraging the crowd to join in on his dancing.

Cage the Elephant lead singer Matt Shultz defying gravity as he jumps behind the microphone. (Lauren Chiou / Daily Nexus)

After the band performed “Too Late To Say Goodbye,” Shultz took a moment to address the crowd. “It’s a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you all so much for joining us tonight. Let’s keep the evening going!” 

Each member proved themselves to be seasoned performers, constantly interacting with the crowd and commanding the stage. Whether it was Bockrath or Tichenor turning to address different areas of the crowd or Matt Shultz literally smashing his guitar on the floor, all musicians on-stage perfectly navigated the art of performance. 

Cage the Elephant’s powerful sound was also aided by the spectacular stage set-up. Throughout the concert, the stage and bowl were illuminated in a variety of colors — red, blue, green, white, even orange filled the stands, switching in-sync with the music.

The band performed a comprehensive mix of their discography, from iconic hits to newer tracks. “Trouble” was a clear standout, with the entire crowd singing along with Shultz as he sang “Trouble on my left, trouble on my right … ” After the initial performance, the brothers did an acoustic encore. Matt Shultz sang the chorus as Brad Shultz played the acoustic guitar alongside him, a touching way to close out one of the band’s most popular songs.

In one of the more poignant moments of the night, Matt Shultz addressed his highly publicized legal problems, saying “I’ve had a really rough past five years, which a lot of people had. It’s a miracle, honestly, to be alive.”

Schultz was arrested in 2023 on charges of felony possession. He later addressed the arrest in February of this year, revealing that he had been suffering from a mental health crisis. 

“If you see someone you think might be struggling, don’t be afraid to reach out and tell them you love them,” Shultz said on-stage. The audience roared and whistled in response, with many “Awws” being heard throughout the crowd.

As the band played the opening notes of “Telescope,” Matt Schultz took out his phone and turned on the flashlight, swaying his arms back and forth. The crowd joined, lighting up the audience. This was a moment of pure connection of artist and fan, an exchange of appreciation. 

Lauren Chiou / Daily Nexus

Cage the Elephant closed out their electric performance with, arguably, their biggest hits — “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Come a Little Closer.” During “Cigarette Daydreams,” the crowd managed to become even more hyped despite the late night. The bowl boomed with noise, specifically during the chorus: “Cigarette daydreams / You were only seventeen.”

“Come a Little Closer” was the last track on the setlist, and a powerful closing song indeed. The track highlights all of Cage the Elephant’s strengths — a pure rock track with impressive vocals, clever lyrics and a catchy beat. This sentiment was shared with the audience, as they sang and danced to the catchy rock tune in unison.

As the concert came to a close, everyone in the crowd was on their feet, hollering with applause for the great night. Perhaps the greatest sign of Cage the Elephant’s revered status was when Brad Schultz held up a heart sign before exiting the stage. The audience followed suit, an indicator of the deep love of the band and the perfect way to end an absolutely incredible evening.