Austin – There is something kind of off-putting about a performance that is too practiced. But in Austin last Saturday, the rock band Cage the Elephant revealed that being prepared doesn’t mean you cannot also be exciting. An obviously well rehearsed performance, the band managed to be both genuine and deliberate in their execution of each song. And as singer Matthew Shultz took the stage, the cries of adoration from fans was enough to suck me into the cult-like fervor that the band radiated.
The first track off of their latest album, Melophobia, “Spiderhead” proved to be an excellent introductory choice. Characteristic enough to rouse their most loyal fans, yet accessible enough to intrigue the first-time listeners, this upbeat and neurotic tune carved out the path that the remaining songs would follow.
“In One Ear”, from their debut self-titled album, was a noteworthy follow up. Classic Cage the Elephant, this song grandly succeeded in loosening up the crowd and getting them moving. As a dazzling and well-placed series of lights lit up the stage, there was no doubt that this band was meant for the live arena.
The undeniably catchy “Back Against the Wall” was a great centerpiece to the band’s set. The song is a favorable showcase of the things that make Cage the Elephant such a noteworthy band. Mixing grungy tones, soulful vocals, and provocative lyrics, the track had the crowd completely engaged. Shultz made a point to nonverbally interact with the crowds during this part of the show. Saying nothing, he ran to each side of the stage and jumped into the crowd, continuing his chanting and singing as if he were in the recording studio, and not being groped by a mass of strangers.
At times, it would appear that Shultz was finally about to lose it (e.g., trip on the microphone or throw out his back). But as each song passed, it became obvious that his routine as a performer wasn’t even a little bit spontaneous: each spastic move, clumsy step, and brazen gesture revealed him to be a dedicated and tireless professional with an astute attention to detail.
As the show hit a bit of a lull nearing its final stretch, the fans seemed to grow increasingly anxious, like a child who is hurting for recess. The almost metal rendition of “Indy Kidz” was exhausting, but exhilarating, allowing an opportunity for anyone in the crowd to go nuts. In this performance, Shultz embodied a dynamic and multifaceted character, stuffing an almost unhealthy range of emotions into one song. Standing out as my favorite performance of the evening, the band was committed to reliving and projecting the same state of mind that inspired the song in the first place.
Closing out their set was the well-known “Shake Me Down” and the aggressive and possessing “Sabertooth Tiger”, Cage the Elephant proved themselves not only to be excellent performers, but tactful ones as well. By playing their most popular song, they left the casual listeners happy; and fans were able to find release in the loud and unrelenting progression of “Sabertooth”, jumping and screaming in an equally frantic manner.
With the show at its close, I found myself admiring all the fans around me. This generation is typically characterized as lazy and nonchalant, but these guys were more impassioned than any audience I’d seen in a long time. A kind of symbiosis, the relationship between CTE and its fans was marked by a give and take of energy, turning the experience into more of a discussion than a concert. It takes a great band and great fans to reach this kind of pinnacle. And I can happily say that it was an honor to have been a part of it.
For more on Cage The Elephant go HERE.
Photo Br Vladmir Chopine
Ruth Griffin
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