Concert Review: Cage the Elephant & Young the Giant with Openers Bakar and Avalon
Kentucky’s Cage the Elephant released their newest album - Neon Pill - in May, and since then, they’ve been touring the country in support of that album. The band came rolling in to Bridgeport’s Hartford HealthCare Amphiteater on a Monday night and fans were treated to a night full of great vibes, killer music, and - like clockwork these past few weeks - a bit of turbulent weather. From country to high-energy rock, the concert had a bit of something for everyone.
Photographed for Melodía Magazine by Anthony Abu-Hanna
Opening the evening was Willow Avalon. Her unique style of country infuses contemporary sounds with classic roots. She’s got a bit of that classic country twang, but in a way laid-back and almost dreamy in her performance. Willow’s exuberance and joy radiates from the stage and it can be felt throughout the amphitheater. Unfortunately, however, her set got cut a few minutes short due to rain, but the crowd was definitely feeling the vibe while it lasted.
Photographed for Melodía Magazine by Anthony Abu-Hanna
New up was Bakar, a London based indie rocker best known for his hit single “Hell n Back”, making his Connecticut debut. Even though he was performing solo, it felt like there was a full live band behind him - his tracks were that full and energetic. With a style reminiscent of Cautious Clay, his rhythmic wordsmithing was on full display. Despite the rain, Bakar kept the crowd energized, moving, and grooving, proving nothing could dampen his time on stage. And just as Bakar was starting to wrap up, the rain gave way, and a double rainbow crossed the sky, culminating above the tents of the amphitheater.
Photographed for Melodía Magazine by Anthony Abu-Hanna
Young the Giant took the stage next. Sameer Ghadia, the lead singer, talked a bit about how the in their early days they were playing to rooms of 200-300 people. Those early days brought back memories, as I was on the road with them as they played those rooms. Granted, I was working for the band they were opening for. Seeing them now, having grown as a band and as people, there is a maturity that has come to their sound and performance - commanding and confident. They played some of their biggest hits - “Cough Syrup” and “Mind Over Matter” along with a spattering of songs throughout their catalog. As they reminisced on the 10 year anniversary of their blockbuster album Mind Over Matter, they celebrated it in true Young the Giant form. The crowd went absolutely wild as they ended on “My Body,” with the audience singing the final chorus so loud the band didn’t need to sing.
Cage the Elephant hit the stage with explosive energy — literally — with a wall of fire launching them into action in their song “Broken Boy”. The crowd was instantly hooked and the energy never let up. It was clear the audience was in for a performance to remember.
Matt Shultz, the lead singer, is a force of nature on stage. Despite having a broken leg, he didn’t let that slow him down. Instead, he turned it into part of the show, zipping around on a mobility scooter and somehow managing to pull off tricks while singing his heart out. His charisma and frenetic energy are unparalleled, and it’s the audience was feeding off it. He’s the kind of performer who makes you feel like you’re part of something special, drawing everyone in with his wild antics and passionate delivery.
Photographed for Melodía Magazine by Anthony Abu-Hanna
Brad Shultz, Matt’s brother and the band’s lead guitarist, was just as energetic. He didn’t confine himself to the stage, instead taking every opportunity to dive into the crowd, running through the photo pit, leaning into the fans, and making sure everyone felt the raw power of their music up close. Together, the Shultz brothers are a dynamic duo, feeding off each other’s energy and never slowing down, not even during the band’s more mellow tracks like “Neon Pill.”
The set was visually stunning too, with a mix of pyrotechnics and a laser light show that perfectly complemented the band’s high-octane performance. During “Social Cues,” the lasers danced across the amphitheater, adding an extra layer of excitement to the already intense show. The crowd was fully engaged, especially during “Trouble,” when everyone sang along in unison.
As the night went on, Cage the Elephant leaned into their heavier material, and the audience was right there with them, head-banging along to the crunching bass lines of tracks like “Tokyo Smoke,” “House of Glass,” and “Sabertooth Tiger.” The band knows how to keep the momentum going, building up the energy song after song until they left the stage.
They closed out the evening with a trio of fan favorites. “Shake Me Down” had everyone singing along, “Cigarette Daydreams” brought a moment of introspective calm, and “Come a Little Closer” wrapped things up on a high note. By the end of the night, it was clear that Cage the Elephant had left everything on that stage.
Photographed for Melodía Magazine by Anthony Abu-Hanna