On Saturday night, acclaimed alt-rock act Cage the Elephant treated fans at Boeing Center at Tech Port to a full-on rock show.
Although the six-piece ensemble visited San Antonio as a sidequest from its performance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, its tight 80-minute set felt like anything but sloppy seconds.
Formed in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Cage the Elephant rose to prominence with a bluesy garage-rock sound that showcased frontman Matt Shultz’s gritty voice and weary, street-smart storytelling. The band hit it big on the alternative charts in 2009 after relocating to London prior to the release of its self-titled debut.
Cage’s Boeing Center performance started with a bang as pyro illuminated the near-capacity crowd and the band tore into “Broken Boy.” An early run of deeper tracks was highlighted by the crunchy trip of “Cry Baby” and the ’60s-rock throwback “Spiderhead.”
After Shultz briefly introduced the members of the band, Cage dove into the singles that drove its popularity and comprised much of its setlist as it opened for Oasis this summer. “Cold Cold Cold” met with a roar of approval as the crowd leaned in for more.
Cage showed off its evolving sound and style as the set continued. “Ready to Let Go” served as a bridge between the group’s raw, ballsy early sound and the polished alt-rock of recent track “Neon Pill,” which bordered on psychedelia.
Lead guitarist Nick Bockrath got showcase moments on “Mess Around” and “Ain’t No Rest For the Wicked”.
The audience stayed engaged as Shultz and company moved quickly from song to song. At one point, he told the crowd that he twisted his ankle, which may have accounted for his lack of banter.
After returning for an encore, Bockrath took another searing solo on “Back Against The Wall.” Cage closed with a ripping rendition of “Come A Little Closer,” which sent the crowd out, pumped for the rest of the night’s possibilities.
All photos by Jaime Monzon.
This article appears in Oct. 2-15.