Cage the Elephant - Photo credit: Mosie Hillis

The Show

On Thursday, August 8, 2024, Cage The Elephant & Young The Giant, along with support from openers Vlad Holiday & Bakar, descended on Breese Stevens Field in Madison, WI for their Neon Pill Tour.  The 45-date North American Summer Tour kicked off on June 20th in support of their new album, Neon Pill, which was release on May 17 via RCA Records.

Vlad Holiday

First to kick off the night was producer & singer/songwriter, Vlad Holiday. Originally writing music out of his studio in New York City, Holiday embarked on his own music career in 2017 after an announcement in Nylon magazine. Stepping onto the stage with a presence very similar to the lead singer of The Struts, Vlad Holiday provided the perfect lo-fi set to prepare the audience for a fun evening of indie music. To keep up with the latest on Vlad Holiday and to catch him on tour, check out: vladholiday.com

Bakar

Next up was English singer Bakar. For those of us who were previously unfamiliar with the artist, we were confused when Bakar took the stage completely alone. Yet, as his set began, his infectiously joyous stage presence captivated those in the audience. With a mix of his stage presence and the familiarity of a couple of his songs thanks to his success on Tik Tok, everyone was happily dancing and singing along. To keep up with the latest news on Bakar and to catch him on tour, check out: bakarofficial.com

Young The Giant

Third up were longtime friends of Cage The Elephant, Young The Giant. With everyone in the crowd pumped up (thanks to Vlad Holiday and Bakar), each member of the indie group filed onto the stage until finally frontman, Sameer Gadhia, bounded out, clad in a vibrant yellow pinstriped jumpsuit. As each member of Young The Giant danced around the stage, smiling and playing their instruments, the vibe of the band matched Gadhia’s attire perfectly. 

As the group progressed through their setlist pulling out a mix of deep cuts and larger hits such as “Cough Syrup”, Gadhia became more reflective. He spoke about some of their largest wins as a band as well as some moments of great risk in their career thus far (changing their sound as they grew as a band), noting to the crowd to not “apologize for who you are, [because] you will find your people”. Two of the highlights for me personally were the playing of their song “Superposition” featuring a South American instrument known as a charango as well as the band’s cover of “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. To keep up with the latest on Young The Giant and to catch them on tour, check out: https://www.youngthegiant.com

Cage The Elephant

Last but certainly not least to perform was the headlining group of the evening: Cage The Elephant. The band arrived on stage with great fanfare and energy, frontman Matt Shultz most impressively with his knee scooter after breaking his foot a few days prior in the middle of another set on the tour. Ironically, their first song was “Broken Boy” off 2019 release, Social Cues. Despite his restriction with mobility, Schultz had no issue getting the entire crowd fired up, singing passionately and even doing slight wheelies as he made his way around the stage.

Between the columns of fire and the guitarist for the band, Brad Shultz (Matt’s brother) jumping down into the photo pit and then into the crowd, it was clear that Cage The Elephant’s set was going to be beautifully frenetic throughout. Playing a variety of songs from their discography and engaging the crowd, the band delivered exactly that. To keep up with the latest on Cage The Elephant and to catch them on tour, check out: https://www.cagetheelephant.com/tour/

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Neon Pill Tour at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, WI, on August 8th, 2024, showcased an electrifying lineup of indie music. Vlad Holiday’s lo-fi start set a mellow tone, followed by Bakar’s infectious energy that had the crowd dancing and singing along. Young The Giant then brought their vibrant stage presence and heartfelt performances, highlighted by their reflective and engaging set. Finally, Cage The Elephant delivered a high-energy headlining performance, with Matt Shultz’s spirited presence despite his injury, and a dynamic show that lived up to their reputation. If this tour is making a stop near you, I would highly recommend getting tickets!

Photo credit: Mosie Hillis