Noblesville, Indiana

Wednesday night at the Ruoff Music Center was a night to remember, as Cage The Elephant took the stage with three opening acts. Vlad Holiday, a Romanian-born American singer-songwriter with lo-fi melodies, kicked off the evening of music. Following that performance was the English singer-songwriter Abubakar Baker Shariff-Farr, aka Bakar, whose unique sound added a refreshing layer to the lineup.

Next up was Young the Giant, hailing from Irvine, California. Led by vocalist Sameer Gadhia, the band—comprised of Jacob Tiley and Eric Cannata on guitars, Payam Doostzadeh on bass, and Francois Comtois on drums delivered an energized set for the crowd. Gadhia mentioned that the band had not planned to tour this year after touring heavily for the past ten years until Cage The Elephant invited them along.

Despite Cage the Elephant’s frontman Matt Shultz’s recent injury—just four days prior, he had broken his foot—he took the stage on a knee scooter, proving that nothing could slow him or the band down. Shultz moved around the stage while popping wheelies and making the most of his recent injury.

The band’s setlist spanned their entire discography. The band’s guitarist, Brad Shultz, took to the crowd several times to display his showmanship chops. Cage The Elephant’s performance was also a visual spectacle, featuring pyrotechnics and lasers that added to the night’s electrifying atmosphere. The band slowed things down a few times, most notably during “Telescope,” with the crowd lighting up the amphitheater and lawn with their cellphone lights. Shultz also took a moment to thank the audience for their support during a rough time, leading into a heartfelt rendition of “Skin and Bones.” The band ended the night with a three-song encore with Shake Me Down, Cigarette Daydreams, and Come A Little Closer. The band will continue the rest of their Neon Pill tour, which will run through September and a few dates in November.

Cage The Elephant Setlist: Broken Boy, Cry Baby, Spiderhead, Too Late to Say Goodbye, Good Time, Cold Cold Cold, Ready to Let Go, Neon Pill, Social Cues, Halo, Mess Around, Trouble, Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked, Skin and Bones, Rainbow, Telescope, Tokyo Smoke, House of Glass, Sabertooth Tiger
Cage The Elephant Encore: Shake Me Down, Cigarette Daydreams, Come a Little Closer

Young the Gaint Setlist: Jungle Youth, The Walk Home, Cough Syrup, Waves, Panoramic Girl, Nothing’s Over, Dollar $tore, It’s About Time, Call Me Back, Superposition, Mind Over Matter, Tightrope, My Body

Photo Galleries: Cage The Elephant, Young the Giant, Bakar, Vlad Holiday