Not even the sweltering heat of a 118 degree day could keep fans from gathering at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre last Friday for one of the best lineups of the summer. Droves of fans lined the seats and lawn of the outdoor venue as iconic alt-rock ensemble Cage The Elephant brought their Neon Pill tour to Phoenix, joined by beloved indie-rock darlings Young The Giant.

As appreciatively noted by Young The Giant frontman Sameer Gadhia, this touring crossover has been a long time in the making as the relationship between the two bands spans across 14 years. With 11 full-length albums between them, the night held much promise and exceeded all expectations in its delivery as both Cage The Elephant and Young The Giant gave explosive, emotional performances. This was a must-see show that will remain imprinted on the hearts and minds of every single attendee for months to come.

YOUNG THE GIANT

Following a pair of rousing performances by fellow openers Willow Avalon and Bakar, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause as Young The Giant soon took the stage. Composed of lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia, guitarists Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata, bassist Payam Doostzadeh, and drummer Francois Comtois, each member of the band carried a passion for their craft that could be felt with every note throughout the set. Their collective success is not only a testament to their musical ability, but to the emotional depth of the friendship shared between the quintet.

Despite the unrelenting warmth that continued to sweep through the amphitheater, it felt as if the temperature dropped for a moment as Gadhia dove into the first line of “Jungle Youth”, clutching his microphone as he softly crooned “I can’t stop listening to this voice in my head / Got me turning through the covers on this rusty spring bed”. The combination of crisp vocal tones, charming stage presence, and flawless instrumental backing created a refreshing, cool atmosphere that cut right through the thick summer wind. It was truly a breath of fresh air, one that was created effortlessly with a talent and synergy that has been carefully nurtured over the two decades of the band’s existence. The band’s grip over the crowd only tightened as they transitioned into “The Walk Home”, enticing many fans to begin singing along as the final chorus of “Can somebody walk me home?” arrived.

As the opening notes of their next song “Cough Syrup” rang out, more and more voices joined in to sing along with each passing word of the first verse, including a few of us in the photo pit. The beloved track off of the band’s debut album holds a special place in the hearts of many fans, having long served as an anthem for resilience amidst the difficult, turbulent turns that life can throw at us. The cathartic tears that had been elicited from many fans quickly turned into tears of elation as Gadhia pivoted into the more upbeat “Heat of the Summer”, sparking an upward shift into the band’s more danceable, pop-oriented hits. It was a juxtaposition that highlighted the group’s ability to masterfully paint a rainbow of emotion within all of their music.

With a setlist that featured a curated mix of tracks from across every era of the band’s discography, including a number of fan favorites, there was not a single dissatisfied fan in the audience. By the end of the set, most of the crowd was on their feet dancing along to an exhilarating encore of “Tightrope”, “Silvertongue”, and “My Body”. It was a picture perfect end to the band’s time with us, leaving behind a nearly tangible excitement for what was soon to come in the final set of the evening.

CAGE THE ELEPHANT

During the brief intermission, fans had time to catch their breath and grab a drink of water, enjoying the slight drop in temperature that the night brought with it. This respite was short lived, though. As the lights finally dimmed, the entire stage was thrust into complete darkness. After the routine cheers and applause, an extended introduction of “Broken Boy” quietly rumbled from every speaker. It felt as if the crowd collectively held its breath, their hearts frozen in palpable anticipation. The signature choppy guitar riff of the song quickly ended the silence as frontman Matthew Schultz grabbed the microphone stand and leaped up into the air. On both sides of him, stage pyrotechnics sent a series of flames shooting up into the air. It was, quite literally, an explosive start that immediately set the tone for what was to come.

As Schultz began crying out the opening lines of “I was born on the wrong side of the train tracks / I was raised with a strap across my back”, his stage presence was infectious. Each syllable was delivered with an electrifying energy, felt deep within the chest of every attendee as it brought the crowd roaring back to life. Keeping their pace, the band soon transitioned into “Cry Baby” as Schultz let go of the microphone stand and began strutting across the stage. Nearly shouting into the microphone as he cried out the chorus of “Cry, baby, cry / Kick, scream, fight”, fans along the barricade were screaming alongside him with their arms outstretched toward him.

At times, it seemed as Schultz had to keep himself from getting carried away as he flung himself in every direction while singing. His movements were equally as passionate as they were frantic, epitomizing what it means to be a genuine rockstar. Even with the added heat from the flames that would burst upward periodically, it was difficult to not find ourselves being drawn closer and closer into Schultz’s orbit by the sheer allure of his energy. Heat was no longer of any concern to anyone in the already weathered crowd, so long as it was coming from the fiery performance that the full band was giving us onstage.

After a few songs had passed, we were treated to the standout track “Good Time” off of their most recent album Neon Pill, which was released earlier in May of this year. It was hard to not sway back and forth, singing along to the namesake line of “Everybody had a good time / Everybody had a good laugh, laughed until we cried.”. The remainder of the set was equally as thrilling as the band made their way through hits like “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”, “Telescope”, and “Shake Me Down”.By the time the final encore of “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Come a Little Closer” had come around, it was difficult to accept that the night would soon be ending. As the final notes rang out across the still packed amphitheater, the lights dimmed for the final time as a drawn out wave of cheers and applause let the band know just how memorable the night was.