On August 22nd, Beck and Cage the Elephant made their way to Columbia, MD to put on their show of the year. For someone who usually photographs post-hardcore and metal shows this was definitely different for me. However, after seeing these two bands live, I had such an amazing experience, which led me wanting to photograph more alternative bands. I’ve always liked Beck and Cage the Elephant but I never really thought about photographing them until recently and it was so worth it.

The Night Running tour kicked off on July 11th and made its way around North America with special guest Spoon, as well as Starcrawler, Sunflower Beam and Wild Belle on select dates. When The Night Running tour came to Columbia, Maryland on August 22nd, nearly 20,000 fans came from near and far to see their favorite artists perform.

Cage the Elephant was highly anticipated and got the venue flowing with energy. I have to say, CTE was probably the most interesting yet intriguing bands that I have ever photographed live. All was dark and there wasn’t much noise other than the faint chattering in the crowd. Suddenly, each member of Cage the Elephant quietly claimed their spots on the stage and illuminated the venue with flames. Lead vocalist, Matt Schultz kept the performance mysterious when he took the stage wearing two masks and dark clothing that draped his body. It wasn’t long after Cage the Elephant began playing that their set was interrupted by a thundering storm which had the band exit the stage and much of the audience to seek shelter where they could. After a half an hour of eager fans chanting and singing Cage the Elephant songs, the band was finally allowed to continue their performance. The venue roared as the dreamy introduction to Cage the Elephant’s song “Trouble” softly began. Throughout the set, Shultz would strip down to a different outfit that was hidden under each article of clothing he wore. At the conclusion of their set, Matt Shultz ascended into the sea of concert go-ers, as the hit “We are the Champions” by Queen played. He made it up each level of chairs until he reached the top in order to greet fans in his path which was quite a way to end their performance.

Holographic prisms, neon lights and colorful laser beams filled the room when Beck made his long awaited appearance. After the shows delay due to the lightning storm, fans were eager to finally experience Beck’s live performance. I knew as soon as I saw the stage being set up that his set was going to be worth the wait. Each band member had their own metallic platform to stand upon and were illuminated by the vivd lights projected throughout the entire venue. The beginning bassline of popular 90’s hit “Loser” echoed in the venue causing an uproar of hundreds of cheering fans. I cannot say that I have ever seen a more impressive light show than Beck’s. The neon colors made me feel like I just entered an arcade in the 90’s ready to play Soulcalibur. Aside from the nostalgia that I felt, I felt I couldn’t just stay in one spot while seeing Beck perform. The energy in the room was so high and each song had its own catchy, upbeat vibe that had the whole venue moving. Towards the end of the show, Beck brought out Cage the Elephant to perform their latest song “Night Running” together which pleased fans of both artists. The Night Running tour had such an amazing lineup and I highly recommend seeing it before it comes to an end.

You can keep up with Beck and Cage the Elephant on their Facebook pages to see their future tour dates together.