On September 5, Cage the Elephant brought their Neon Pill Tour to Madison Square Garden, but what came with that was not just the latest songs in their beloved discography, but some alternative artist friends of theirs; some of which we knew and loved, others that we are thrilled to be getting to know at this very moment. Willow Avalon kicked off the night, BAKAR followed, and Young the Giant wrapped up the support.
With country pop grace and hints of indie rock influence, Willow Avalon was the first to take the stage. She has singer-songwriter written all over her and the smattering of fans arriving to the show after work and school days were grooving to her dreamy voice and nature aesthetic. The way she bounced off of her band as both a leader and an equal proved how far she can go as she continues to rise. And when the audience is there for her, knowledgable about her songs, and a bit more inclined to turn on a track with a bit of twang and loads of storytelling, the night will be to die for.
Willow Avalon by Ehud Lazin
BAKAR, with a booming voice, ripped jeans, and effortless swagger, is just as much of a storyteller as Avalon, but something about his set felt different. While the previous act wanted to hold your hand, pull you into the tale, and hope you related to it, BAKAR connected to everyone on the floor and up to the nosebleeds by directly telling them of the battles, discrepancies, and hardships he himself has faced. His art wants to show you another perspective through song, not just add to or elevate your current one, so whether you relate to him or not, he wants you to look at the world through his eyes, rather than see the same things only through your own lens. There was some grittiness and some silkiness throughout his set at MSG. It was sonically creative and genre-defying with a hip-hop twist to the pop edginess that drew us (and the growing crowd) in – first through the mind, then through the heart… not the other way around.
Bakar by Ehud Lazin
When we caught Young the Giant just last summer at The Rooftop at Pier 17, that experience, while memorable, was nothing like what we saw this time around. Inside MSG was a solid, cohesive run of songs new and old, vibrant and emotional and balanced well. On the rooftop, we saw five different acts structured in a more narrative sense, touching upon the journey of the band through musical harmony alongside personal anecdotes. When opening for Cage, though, Young the Giant condensed much of their typical headlining show, narrowing down their collection while keeping the dynamic exploration that the band as both artists and people always make sure to show – even in just about 13 songs (which had a great flow to them on this night). They put on the best show, no two are ever the same, and they adapt to their surroundings, the stage setting, and the energy from the audience with ease. We’ll never miss a live show of theirs.
Young the Giant by Ehud Lazin
Although every act had a generous amount of talent, the level of musicianship grew as the night went on, so by the time Cage the Elephant came out, rocked the house, and got off the stage around 11:00 p.m., every inch of The World’s Most Famous Arena was seeped in skills, melodies, and artistic abilities. The venue was oozing with diverse inspiration; we are certain everyone in attendance felt it on this night, and that many gained appreciation for the ways a modern band can really evolve, yet stay true to themselves.
Cage the Elephant’s frontman, Matt Shultz was rocking out on the stage as expected, but rolling in a more literal sense than ever before. Due to his broken foot, the singer was on a mobility knee walker, which did nothing to affect his stage presence, and did everything to make the night even more impressive. He and his groovy group of bandmates knocked every song out of the park, touching upon much of their discography, pleasing new and old fans with the setlist. Overheard in our section while we were slowly filing out was an audience member who said this: “That dude didn’t even let using a broken leg scooter stop him from having fun at The Garden, and thank God for that, because we had a blast!” We did, too, fellow Cage the Elephant fan. With every number, every shift in lighting, every fuzzy and effervescent modern rock tune, every element of production, and every highlight from the instrumentalists on the stage, fun truly was had.
Cage the Elephant by Ehud Lazin
