Cage the Elephant delivers captivating performance at the Shrine

Thousands of fans gathered at the Shrine Auditorium last Tuesday to watch alternative rock band Cage the Elephant perform.

Lead vocalist Matt Shultz, along with openers Sunflower Bean and Portugal. The Man, impressed the crowd with their stunning performances. With Elvis Presley-like hip movements, boisterous body rolling and never-ending energy, Shultz, along with the rest of the bandmates, took the entire crowd by storm.

After the opening acts, the big moment of the night arrived when Cage the Elephant took the stage, relaxed and ready. Fellow bandmate, Brad Shultz, shook up the audience and told those sitting down to “get the f*ck up right now.”

The show began with “Cry Baby,” which led into an 18-track setlist that featured tracks across the band’s discography, from its eponymous debut album to its most recent Tell Me I’m Pretty. There was no stopping with Matt Schultz as he played each song with vigor and passion.

Cage the Elephant was loud, wild and most importantly, amazing rock and roll performers. The Kentucky natives cohesively worked to produce amazing sounds and tracks. Tunes like “Aberdeen,” “Mess Around,” and “Shake Me Down,” had the audience pumped as they jumped to the beat and even moshed along the aisles of seats.

Talent is an understatement for Cage the Elephant, and their ability to remain professional as musicians while letting loose and having fun prove this fact. “In One Ear” the band gave a performance full of heart-palpitating beats and rhythmic undertones.

During the show, concertgoers hopped on stage and interacted with the band. Lead vocalist Shultz did his part as a musician not only by performing, but also by being the host of an extravagant and wild show. He made those in attendance feel like an important aspect of the show. Shultz and the rest of Cage the Elephant proved to be strong and passionate stage performers.

Songs like “Telescope” and “Cigarette Daydreams” had the crowd in a dreamy daze. The songs had depth and meaning, showing the band’s versatility as rock performers and ordinary people. Shultz began “Telescope” with the strong, ominous words, “In a far and distant galaxy” and sang “I don’t think you understand, there’s nowhere left to turn, walls keep breaking” in the chorus.

Cage the Elephant demonstrated their mastery of contemporary rock through their performance at the Shrine. As high quality and in-depth performers, the band successfully showcased their artistry by connecting with audiences through music. Deep, intuitive and raw, Cage the Elephant blew the audience away with its incredible performance, groundbreaking energy and emotional vigor.